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Consideration of a Public Art Concept in Conjunction with a Development Project at 8810, 8840 and 8850 Washington Boulevard (PLATFORM).
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Contact Person/Dept: B. Christine Byers
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (Sent via E-Mail on 06/05/15); Property Owners, Occupants, and Businesses within 500’ Radius (to End of Block) (Sent via US Mail on 05/28/15).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld (06/04/15); Martin R. Cole (06/05/15)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Cultural Affairs Commission (“CAC”) approve the proposed art concept entitled, Technicolor Drip, by Jen Stark as fulfilling the City’s Art in Public Places Program (“APPP”) requirement for the development project at 8810, 8840 and 8850 Washington Boulevard (PLATFORM).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Joseph Miller of the Runyon Group (“the Applicant”) has been issued five Culver City Building Permits (Permit Nos. 80985, 83712, 83960, 84007 and 85695) for the conversion of a four acre former car dealership site to a complex featuring retail, dining and offices, as well as open green space. The site is located on the south side of Washington Blvd., directly across from the Culver City Metro Expo Line station and bordered on the east by National Blvd.
The permits issued are for both new construction and tenant improvements (remodeling) of existing structures on the site. Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code (“CCMC”) Section 15.06.120, new commercial development projects with a building valuation of $500,000 or more and remodeling projects with a building valuation of $250,000 or more are subject to the City’s Art in Public Places Program (“APPP”) requirement. Further, Section 15.06.125 (B) states: “Multiple building permits issued within a three year period for a single project shall be considered in the aggregate in determining the APPP allocation.” The valuation as appears on these five permits totals $15,927,801.
The applicant chose to fulfill the APPP requirement by commissioning original, site-specific artwork by a qualified artist. Based on the valuation of the building permits issued to date, the minimum APPP allocation is $159,278. The APPP allocation may be increased as additional Building Permits for build out of the individual tenant spaces are issued.
On March 25, 2014, the CAC approved a sculpture concept by Yoram Wolberger as fulfilling the APPP requirement for PLATFORM. At that time, the artist was still evaluating several options for fabricating the sculpture. In early 2015, Mr. Miller notified staff that he was considering going in another direction, primarily because fabrication of the art concept as approved by the CAC was no longer a financially feasible option.
Staff met with representatives of LeBasse Projects at the end of April who had recently been engaged by the Runyon Group to facilitate the development, approval and installation of a new site-specific art concept by Jen Stark. Ms. Stark is an LA-based artist who received her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and whose work is included in the Smithsonian Institution, North Miami’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami International Airport, and many corporate art collections. LeBasse Projects had maintained a fine art gallery for over seven years in the Culver City Arts District and was the original partner with Mr. Miller in producing the temporary murals that have appeared at the former car dealership site since 2012.
Ms. Stark is proposing a mural titled, Technicolor Drip, for the east-facing wall of the parking structure that is located on the south west corner of Washington Blvd. and Landmark Street. The mural’s dripping patterns will cascade in sections down the building’s façade, stopping short of the wall’s bottom edge with the intention of creating a visceral and playful experience for viewers. Ms. Stark’s mural will be a nod to the several dozen murals that were commissioned for the site after the former car dealership closed while also referencing Culver City’s association with the film industry.
Representatives of LeBasse Projects met with staff and the CAC Public Art subcommittee (Chair Koosed and Commissioner Williams) on May 12, 2015 to review the initial concept. At that meeting, the concept for a second smaller mural on a building located on the east side of Landmark Street and facing the parking structure was presented. The second mural is similar in color and design as that intended for the parking structure. In addition to the two permanent murals by Jen Stark, the Runyon Group have two 20’ x 20’ vitrines built into the Washington Blvd. facing wall of the parking structure which will feature rotating temporary art installations, the first of which will be by Ms. Stark. (The two vitrines and the rotating art within them are not part of the Runyon Group’s Art in Public Places Program proposal.) Technicolor Drip will be Ms. Stark’s first permanent commission in conjunction with a percent for public art requirement.
The estimated budget for the entire art commission, including installation and lighting, is currently about $172,000 of which $45,000 is the artist’s fee for design. The fee for the art consultant is within the amount prescribed in Section 15.06.130 of the CCMC. Currently, the estimated installation date for the artwork is July/August 2015.
The artwork will be visible 24 hours/day, seven days per week to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic and will be lit at night in such a way as to accentuate the design.
The location of both murals, will help protect them from graffiti and vandalism. A UV protective coating will be applied to each mural and as necessary, the surfaces cleaned periodically. Restoration of the painted surface and reapplication of the UV coating is anticipated after approximately ten years.
The CAC Public Art subcommittee supported the concept as presented on May 12, 2015.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The cost for design, fabrication and installation for this project is borne entirely by the Applicant. The responsibility and cost for future cleaning, maintenance and restoration of the artwork is the responsibility of the property owner pursuant to Section 15.06.150 of the CCMC.
ATTACHMENTS
Proposal for Technicolor Drip, including narrative description, color renderings of the artwork, project budget and artist resume.
MOTION
That the Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission:
Approve the concept for an artwork entitled, Technicolor Drip by artist Jen Stark as fulfilling Culver City’s Art in Public Places Program requirement in conjunction with a Development Project at 8810, 8840 and 8850 Washington Boulevard (Platform).