Al McWilliams, newest member of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board. (Photos by the writer.)

Called PowerArt, the project is proposed as a way to beautify downtown as well as deter graffiti. The proposal was developed by the DDA – working with the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance and the Ann Arbor public art commission. The art commission had voted at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting to support this first phase of the project with the same amount as the DDA – $20,500. While the first phase of the project would wrap 14 traffic signal boxes, the Arts Alliance is proposing two more phases, for a total of 42 wrapped boxes, and a total cost of $121,000.

The Arts Alliance will administer the project, taking an administrative fee of 30% for the first phase and 25% for the second two phases, if the first phase is judged to be successful. The $41,000 cost of the pilot includes the 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance. [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

The relatively brief board meeting featured an introduction of new board member Al McWilliams as he participated in his first meeting after winning confirmation for service from the city council on a 6-5 vote.

The board also heard various updates from its two standing committees on topics that included the bike share program, the streetscape framework planning project, the connector study, parking structure repairs, and National Hockey League-related events on New Years Eve and New Year’s Day.

PowerArt

The board considered a funding proposal to wrap downtown Ann Arbor traffic signal electrical boxes with vinyl imprinted with artwork. The grant considered by the board was for $20,500.

Corrected after initial publication: Not an example of a vinyl-wrapped traffic box with artwork by David Spear. This image was included in the Arts Alliance proposal for the PowerArt project. This image was actually hand-painted by Spear.

The proposal was developed by the DDA, working with the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance and the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The art commission, at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting, had voted unanimously to support this first phase of the project with the same amount as the DDA – $20,500.

While the first phase of the project would wrap 14 traffic signal boxes, the Arts Alliance is proposing two more phases, for a total of 42 wrapped boxes, and a total cost of $121,000.

The Arts Alliance will administer the project, taking an administrative fee of 30% for the first phase and 25% for the second two phases, if the first phase is deemed a success. The $41,000 cost of the pilot includes the 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance. [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance, is married to Russ Collins, a member of the DDA board. Collins did not attend the Oct. 2 DDA board meeting.

The PowerArt proposal from the Arts Alliance indicates that the program was modeled on one that has been implemented in Boise, Idaho, where city officials there contend that vinyl art wraps have helped deter graffiti, even on traffic signal boxes that are not wrapped with art.

PowerArt: Public Commentary

During public commentary reserved time at the start of the meeting, Kathy Griswold led off her remarks by characterizing the project as a “transfer of taxpayer money to an art project.” She felt the project would be “extremely dangerous” and called it ill-conceived, as well as posing a conflict of interest. [That was an allusion to the fact that DDA board member Russ Collins is married to Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance. Collins did not participate in the vote on the resolution, because he was absent from the meeting.]

Griswold pointed out that the number of pedestrian-vehicle crashes in Ann Arbor had increased during the past two years – 60 in 2012 and 63 in 2011, compared to 45 in 2010 and 42 in 2009. She called that increase extremely troubling, but would not say why it was happening – because she felt the reason is not known. But she said the last thing that we should do is to decorate utility boxes, which are in the sight lines for intersections. She contended that it would violate the city’s own ordinances. In Boulder, Colorado, she said, a very aggressive local ordinance does not allow any utility boxes or vegetation taller than 30 inches.

Griswold characterized the PowerArt program as using utility boxes within the sight lines of intersections to “camouflage” pedestrians. She had seen one example that looked to her like the artwork depicted body parts. She could not think of anything worse than a utility box depicting body parts with a pedestrian standing behind it. She allowed that Ann Arbor has a very vibrant downtown, but a lot of people on weekends are downtown “under the influence” and the last thing we want, she said, is more pedestrian crashes.

Deb Polich also addressed the DDA board on the topic of the PowerArt program. She told board members that she was a resident of Ann Arbor’s Ward 5. She introduced herself as director of the Artrain and the Arts Alliance. She described the Arts Alliance’s mission as representing the creative industries, creative individuals and creative organizations in Washtenaw County – to ensure that the county remains a great place to live, work, play and visit. The Arts Alliance represents thousands of creative individuals, she said. Instead of a public art project, she said, she preferred to think of PowerArt as city beautification, and an investment in the downtown area.

The idea of wrapping traffic signal utility boxes with vinyl wraps is not new, she allowed. It had been done in lots of other cities, she said – cities to which Ann Arbor would compare itself or would like to be like. She compared the traffic signal utility boxes to a “canvas.” The project provides an opportunity for community engagement, and would be attractive to visitors. In connection to a similar project that had been implemented in Boise, Idaho, she continued, graffiti had decreased on the utility boxes that had been wrapped with art – as well as other boxes in the vicinity. She noted that the project cost is meant to be shared between the Ann Arbor DDA and the Ann Arbor public art commission. The Arts Alliance, she said, would be administering the project.

Reporting out from the downtown area citizens advisory council, Ray Detter conveyed the CAC’s strong support for the Arts Alliance PowerArt proposal. He called it “local art on urban canvases.” He called it a very carefully developed plan, using local artists, that would result eventually in the wrapping of 42 traffic signal utility boxes with art. He allowed that the concept was not anything new – saying that everyone remembered Bob Dascola’s efforts in connection with fire hydrant and traffic signal utility boxes. Right now that previous work was “a little bit down,” Detter said, and he suggested it needed to be “pepped up” a little bit. Detter reported that at the previous day’s meeting of the downtown marketing task force, Ann Arbor police Sgt. Tom Hickey had described a new police-community engagement program, which involves using convicted taggers who remove graffiti as part of their required public service.

PowerArt: Board Deliberations

The resolution making a grant award to the Arts Alliance PowerArt program was introduced by Roger Hewitt. He noted that the resolution would fund the first of potentially three rounds of the program. He described the other half of the funding as deriving from “other arts organizations.” [The other half of the funding has been identified as coming from Ann Arbor's public art commission.] Each round of the program would wrap 14 traffic signal utility boxes, he said – if the project progressed beyond the first-year pilot. He referred board members to the informational packet, which he said contained a great deal of detail.

Mayor John Hieftje, who sits on the DDA board, offered some comments on the PowerArt program. He said a couple of years ago the city has seen a “plague” of graffiti. A comprehensive response had been called for, he said. He reported that he visited with young people who’d been working with Mary Thiefels at the Neutral Zone, painting the railroad underpass – between First and Second streets on West Washington. He’d also visited with the AAPD’s Tom Hickey and the youth under his supervision working on graffiti cleanup. That had resulted from police detective follow-through, tracking down the perpetrators who had caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage, Hieftje said. The PowerArt project continues with that comprehensive approach, he said, adding that the project would provide a creative outlet for people who would otherwise possibly be damaging property. [According to the PowerArt proposal, the intent of the project is to enlist artists, but not necessarily people who might otherwise engage in graffiti tagging.]

“Goddess of Traffic Signals” on this traffic signal control box is signed by Sophie Grillet on the reverse side. It was part of a previous beautification effort mentioned at the Oct. 2, 2013 DDA board meeting. The box is located near the northwest corner of the intersection at State and Liberty streets in downtown Ann Arbor.

Hieftje felt that the program would enhance the walking experience in the downtown. Referring to Kathy Griswold’s public commentary, Hieftje said it was hard for him to see how the PowerArt project would aggravate safety concerns. If the traffic signal utility boxes need to be moved and a better place needs to be found for them, that’s something that the city’s signs and signals staff could look into. About the value of such improvements, Hieftje contended, “If it’s quirky, if it’s artistic, people love it.”

Hewitt echoed Hieftje’s comments. He again mentioned Bob Dascola’s efforts a few years ago, to decorate traffic signal boxes as well as fire hydrants. He called the PowerArt program “picking up where [Dascola] left off.”

As far as safety, Hewitt said, he did not see how artwork could be more dangerous than graffiti on a utility box. So Hewitt said he would support the first-year pilot project and see what kind of results they get.

John Mouat said he was impressed by the thoughtfulness of the selection process described in the information packet. He thought it would be very positive for the downtown and he would support the resolution.

Outcome: The resolution was approved unanimously. Russ Collins was not in attendance.

PowerArt: Additional Background – Art, Graffiti

When Roger Hewitt described Bob Dascola’s efforts in the past, he was referring in part to a project that the Michigan Daily reported on back in 2004 as originating from the International Downtown Association’s conference that year. From the Daily’s “Firing Up Downtown“:

It all began when members of several of Ann Arbor’s downtown associations attended an International Downtown Association conference in Cleveland, Ohio, last year. Bob Dascola, an Ann Arbor native and University alum, tells of the project’s origin: “We brought this project down from Cleveland. They had professional paint (work) there.

“We discussed it over three hours on the way back and had all the details worked out by the time we got to Ann Arbor.”

[The Ann Arbor DDA is sending some members to this year's IDA conference in New York City, which runs from Oct. 6-9, 2013.]

Ann Arbor News coverage of that previous signal box painting project describes some of the locations and artists who painted them.

The box by city hall at North Fifth Avenue and Ann Street suddenly boasts eye­-popping red poppies painted on a light green background by local artists Stephanie Staley and Carla Thompson. Artist Tomoko Ogawa covered the box at the Diag entrance at South State Street and North University Avenue in eye-catching abstract designs and bold colors. Dascola, a State Street barber shop owner and longtime downtown booster, led the project, in which local artists are painting designs on some nine traffic control boxes downtown. (Other box artists include Mary Thiefels, Joyce Tinkham, Barb Goodsitt, Sophie Grillet, Connie McKinney, Vickie Elmer, Mike Hahn and Tim Douthit.) [July 3, 2006 Ann Arbor News article "Signal boxes now traffic in public art"]

About five years ago, on Jan. 20, 2009, the Ann Arbor city council also enacted changes to the city’s graffiti ordinance. Those changes established a framework under which property owners would be required to remove graffiti on their property within a specific timeframe, with the city empowered to charge removal costs to the property owner if the owner does not remove the graffiti.

PowerArt: Follow-up Questions

Although Deb Polich, the executive director of the Arts Alliance, attended the Oct. 2 DDA board meeting and indicated to board members that she was available to answer questions, board members did not ask any questions at that time.

The Chronicle followed up with Polich by email with some questions. Questions are in bold, with responses from Polich in italics.

1. Is there a contract between the DDA and the Arts Alliance related to the PowerArt grant funding? The approval of the DDA sets in motion further discussions on project development and protocols for all details pertaining to the PowerArt! program. At this moment there is not a contract between the DDA and the Arts Alliance.
2. Will payment by the DDA to the Arts Alliance be made to reimburse documented actual costs up to $20,500, or will the grant simply be provided to the Arts Alliance as a lump sum? Per #1 above, we are working out the details – for example: what items on the full estimated budget are covered by the AADDA and what are covered by other funders is still be determined.
3. The Arts Alliance proposal indicates that the maintenance estimate of $50 per installation is included as a precautionary measure. What happens to the DDA’s portion ($350) of that if no maintenance is required? The budget estimates on the costs of installation and maintenance are based on inquiries to three vendors. Further negotiations, including a final vendor and average cost per box (boxes are different sizes) will be determined in the coming months. In regards to maintenance, the Arts Alliance recommends that a vendor or the City of Ann Arbor be responsible for general cleaning and maintenance. Per #2 above, the cost share between funders is still to be determined.
4. The Arts Alliance presentation includes a calculation of a 30% administrative fee that totals $9,100. However, 30% of 31,900 – which the total project cost for phase one – is $9,570, which should result in a total project cost of $41,470, which is more than the $41,000 indicated by the Arts Alliance proposal. In addition, for phase two, the 25% charged on $63,800 should result in $15,950 of administrative fees for a total project cost of $79,750, which is less than the $80,000 calculated by the Arts Alliance. It appears that the dollar amount of the administrative fee has been adjusted – in one case upwards and in one case downwards – to allow for rounding to the nearest thousand. Yes, the Arts Alliance did round the fees. Its presentation should have indicated that the fee was “about” 30% and “about” 25% respectively for the pilot cycles 1 phase and the following 2 cycles. To be more precise, its Cycle 1 fee is actually 28.52% and its Cycle 2 & 3 fee is calculated at 25.39% for a combined fee on the whole project calculating to 26.437% of project costs.
   Question 4.1: Given the rounding tolerances evident in the proposal – which suggest that the Arts Alliance may not conceive of the administrative fee amount as related to covering actual costs – why is the administrative fee so high, relative to the 8% the city of Ann Arbor used for its Percent for Art program? I encourage you to contact the AAPAC administrator to research how the Percent for Art the administrative fee is calculated and what is included. The Arts Alliance is an independent nonprofit responsible for earning or raising every dollar necessary to further its mission, operate and manage its projects. The Arts Alliance must pay direct in-house and overhead costs such as rent, insurance, legal counsel, finance, telephone, audits, printers, computers, IT, staff compensation, licensing etc. plus much more. Perhaps a more apt comparison is the fee the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs pays the Arts Alliance to administer the Region 4 Regranting program. MCACA pays the Arts Alliance $9,720 or 29.28% of the $33,200 allocation.
   Question 4.2: What, if any, documentable cash or in-kind contribution will the Arts Alliance itself be making to this project? At a fee averaging $8,433.33 per year, the Arts Alliance expects that it will accumulate a reasonable amount of in-kind expenses to contribute to this project. The Arts Alliance will do its best to manage its resources effectively and efficiently.
   Question 4.3: Beyond a potential Arts Alliance contribution to the project, is there any private investment associated with support for PowerArt? Not at this time but the possibility does exist.

Communications, Committee Reports

The DDA board’s Oct. 2 meeting included the usual range of reports from its standing committees and the downtown area citizens advisory council.

Comm/Comm: New Board Member – Al McWilliams

Ann Arbor DDA board chair Sandi Smith led off her communications time by inviting the newest appointee to the board, Al McWilliams, to introduce himself. McWilliams responded by saying that he runs Quack!Media, describing it as an advertising agency on Main Street, located right above Conor O’Neill’s. Quack!Media also does a lot of television development, he said, and is currently writing a television show for Disney Channel primetime.

Comm/Comm: Support for DDA

Reporting out from the downtown area citizens advisory council, Ray Detter stated that the CAC highly values the DDA’s mission – strong leadership and strategic planning in shaping the vision of downtown. That creative vision requires a focus, he said, that goes beyond political control. The downtown requires special attention, he said. Only the DDA is uniquely equipped with a creative focus and economic tools necessary for the strategic planning that would help to realize long-term community goals for the downtown area. At its meeting held the previous evening, the CAC had reviewed the draft five-year project plan of the DDA, Detter said. He indicated the citizens advisory council’s strong support of that proposed draft five-year plan and a willingness to participate in the public process that would implement the plan.

Comm/Comm: Bike Share

Keith Orr reported out on the bike share project. [The Ann Arbor city council voted on Aug. 8, 2013 to support the bike share program with $150,000.] He said there had been some personnel changes associated with the bike share program over the last several months. However, the project was still on track, he said. He described the DDA as “out of the loop” for a couple of months but the DDA is now back in the loop. He described the funding as coming from the University of Michigan and the city of Ann Arbor, plus federal CMAQ (congestion mitigation and air quality) grant money. He identified the Clean Energy Coalition as the group that is pushing the project forward. The coalition had approached the DDA in the past to talk about an in-kind donation, he said. The specifics are still being worked out, he reported.

Orr reported that there would be a walk-around on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 with the people who will actually be installing the bike stations. That would allow the fine-tuning of the CEC’s request for the use of parking spaces. Not all of the bike stations will fit in off-street locations, he said. Orr ventured that four or five parking spaces would be requested. They would only be used from the spring through the fall, he said – and the equipment would be stored in the wintertime. That specific request would come to the DDA’s operations committee at the end of the month, with a proposal for the full board at the November board meeting.

Another request associated with the program, Orr continued, has been on-again-off-again: storage during the off-season. The request was now “on again,” he said. The challenge, Orr continued, is that it’s not just the bikes that need to be stored, but also the equipment. The current estimate is about 1,700 square feet – which the DDA does not have available on its own. He said that initially it was thought that the lower levels of the new Library Lane underground parking structure might be available for that purpose – but the demand for use of that structure had exceeded initial expectations, which precluded that as an option.

The bike share program is on target to launch in April 2014, Orr said, with 12-14 stations. One of the stations would be located on the University of Michigan north campus. The rest would be centered around central campus and as far west as Ashley Street.

Responding to a question from board member John Mouat, Orr indicated that the mid-October walk-around would not include installation of any stations, but simply would be the final site analysis. He also explained that some storage would be needed between February and April of next year. Mouat wondered if an advertising program had been developed to make people aware of what is happening. Orr indicated that a recent meeting had covered that topic – which had included discussion of branding. The bikes would be blue, he said, which lent itself to slogans like “Go Blue Bike” or “Go Bike,” but apparently there are trademark issues related to several of those kinds of phrases, he said.

Comm/Comm: Abandoned Bikes

Related to bikes, Keith Orr mentioned that the DDA had been in discussions with the city about the removal of abandoned bikes. There had been some concern about what constitutes a “junk bike” – as opposed to a bike of value that would need to be held for certain claim period. The city is finally getting some answers to those kind of questions, Orr reported. So some bikes that have been sitting for years at a single location will likely be removed sometime soon, he said.

Comm/Comm: Streetscape Framework

The streetscape framework plan, Keith Orr reported, is still moving forward. A request for qualifications (RFQ) process has resulted in four responses. [At its July 3, 2013 meeting, the DDA board authorized $200,000 over the next two years for consultants and other costs associated with developing a plan for future streetscape work.]

Comm/Comm: Connector Study

Roger Hewitt reported on the connector study. By way of background, the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority is currently conducting an alternatives analysis study for the corridor running from US-23 and Plymouth southward along Plymouth to State Street, then further south to I-94. The alternatives analysis phase will result in a preferred choice of transit mode (e.g., bus rapid transit, light rail, etc.) and identification of stations and stops. A previous study established the feasibility of operating some kind of high-capacity transit in that corridor.

Hewitt participates on the technical committee for that study, he said at the DDA’s Oct. 2 meeting. The committee had reviewed a preliminary draft of a video about the connector, which would try to inform people about the project. The video still needs a little bit of polishing, he said, but it should be ready within the next month. He felt it would probably be ready for presentation at the next DDA board meeting. He described it as about 4.5 minutes long. A meeting of stakeholders in the project could take place on Oct. 24, he said.

Another public meeting is also scheduled sometime in November, he said, ensuring that it would probably be scheduled sometime before Thanksgiving. The committee continues to review the multitude of possible alignments for the route, he said, noting that it measures about 8 miles from end to end. So the committee has broken the distance into segments. For some of the segments, it’s fairly clear that only a couple of different options would be feasible.

However, the downtown area is the most challenging segment, Hewitt said. After a lot of back-and-forth at the previous day’s committee meeting, he said, the committee had settled on six different alternatives of the route through the downtown. Those alternatives would be presented at a public meeting in November, he said, with the date still to be determined. About five months remain in the study period, he concluded. After the path of the route is identified, station locations would be considered, he said.

Comm/Comm: Parking Structure Repairs

Reporting out on the topic of parking structure repairs, Roger Hewitt said that over the past few years the DDA had not done much in routine maintenance of the parking structures – while the Library Lane underground structure was under construction. But this year, he said, the DDA had “come back with a vengeance.” Work is being done in almost every parking structure, he reported. Structural repairs are being done, including replacing concrete where there has been corrosion or deterioration.

A lot of sealing work is also being done, he said. He thought that the work in the Maynard structure was nearly complete and Liberty Square and Forest structures were also nearly finished, if not already done. Hewitt ventured that by the end of October all of the repair work would be done. Next year, the same level up intensity of repair work would continue, he concluded.

Comm/Comm: First & Washington Structure

Responding to a question from John Mouat, Susan Pollay – the DDA’s executive director – reported that the First and Washington parking structure, in the bottom two floors of the City Apartments residential development, was now in possession of the city. There had been some delays, she allowed. Originally it had been anticipated that when the garage was accepted into the possession of the city, at that same time the garage would be open for public parking.

Now, the opening of the garage appears to be more likely to be timed to coincide with the moving of the first tenants into the building – which is expected to be in early December. Pollay explained that until the tower crane is moved away, the sidewalk cannot be poured, and without sidewalks, parking patrons would not be able to get in and out of the structure very comfortably or safely.

Comm/Comm: NHL New Year’s Day

DDA executive director Susan Pollay gave the board an update on planning and logistics for the upcoming NHL hockey game on Jan. 1, 2014 – to be held in the University of Michigan football stadium. Typically on New Year’s Day, she said, all of the public parking structures as well as the UM parking structures are open to the public, so there is no staff on-site. The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority buses also do not ordinarily run on New Year’s Day, she said, and neither do the UM blue buses.

But thousands of people would need to be able to find a way to get to Michigan Stadium, she said. Buses would be arriving from the east – from Ontario and the Detroit area, she said. The difference between the hockey game and a typical home football game, she explained, is that for football games, a large number of the fans are not attending their first game and are familiar with the area. In addition, she said, many of the fans could walk to the game from campus, and everyone knows where they are going. But the hockey game would include many fans who had never even been to Ann Arbor before, she said. She had wanted the operations committee to begin thinking about planning.

Pollay felt it might be necessary to charge for parking on New Year’s Day – as a way to encourage people to reserve a parking space in advance. [The DDA works with Park n Party to allow art fairs patrons to reserve parking in public spaces.] That way, the demand for parking could be spread out as broadly across the community as possible, she said. Adding to the challenge was the potential that the weather might require the postponement of the game to the following day.

Also adding to the complication, Pollay said, was a planned “hockey puck drop” at the intersection of Main and Liberty streets on New Year’s Eve. The Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is coordinating that event, which Pollay felt would draw its own audience. The public parking structures typically do fill up on New Year’s Eve anyway, she said.

Comm/Comm: Joint Economic Collaborative Task Force

Joan Lowenstein give an update on a joint economic collaborative task force established by a city council resolution passed earlier this year. The group is currently focused on looking at overlap between the DDA’s work and Ann Arbor SPARK‘s five-year strategic plan.

Comm/Comm: D1 Zoning Review

The DDA’s partnerships committee had received a presentation from city of Ann Arbor planning manager Wendy Rampson, Joan Lowenstein reported.

DDA board member Joan Lowenstein.

The city planning commission had been directed by the city council to review the D 1 zoning designation on the north side of Huron, the south side of William, and the south side of Ann Street, as well as the city’s development premiums. The project consultants had conducted a number of rounds of public feedback, she said – with attendance starting to wane at some of the events. Draft recommendations are anticipated by the end of the week, she said. [.pdf of draft recommendations]

The final recommendations to the city council were anticipated later in October, Lowenstein concluded.

Comm/Comm: BTC

Joan Lowenstein gave an update on construction of the new Blake Transit Center by the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, saying that it was expected to open in December. She ventured there would be some kind of grand opening.

Comm/Comm: New York City IDA Conference

Joan Lowenstein reported that the next meeting of the DDA’s partnership committee would not be held the week following the board meeting, which is the typical schedule. That’s because many of the members will still be in New York City at the International Downtown Association’s conference. So the partnerships committee meeting would take place on Oct. 23, she said.

Present: Rishi Narayan, Bob Guenzel, Roger Hewitt, John Hieftje, John Splitt, Sandi Smith, Keith Orr, Joan Lowenstein, John Mouat, Al McWilliams.

Absent: Russ Collins.

Next board meeting: Noon on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013, at the DDA offices, 150 S. Fifth Ave., Suite 301. [confirm date]

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Corrected after initial publication: Not an example of a vinyl-wrapped traffic box with artwork by David Spear. This image was included in the Arts Alliance proposal for the PowerArt project. This image was actually hand-painted by Spear.

The proposal was developed by the DDA – working with the Ann Arbor Arts Alliance and the Ann Arbor public art commission. The DDA board action came at its Oct. 2, 2013 meeting.

The art commission voted at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting to support this first phase of the project with the same amount as the DDA – $20,500. While the first phase of the project would wrap 14 traffic signal boxes, the Arts Alliance is proposing two more phases, for a total of 42 wrapped boxes, and a total cost of $121,000.

The Arts Alliance will administer the project, taking an administrative fee of 30% for the first phase and 25% for the second two phases, if the first phase is judged to be successful. The $41,000 cost of the pilot includes the 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance. [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance, is married to Russ Collins, a member of the DDA board. Collins did not attend the Oct. 2 DDA board meeting.

The PowerArt proposal from the Arts Alliance indicates that the program was modeled on one that has been implemented in Boise, Idaho, where city officials there contend that vinyl art wraps have helped deter graffiti, even on traffic signal boxes that are not wrapped with art.

This brief was filed from the DDA offices at 150 S. Fifth Ave., Suite 301, where the DDA board holds its meetings. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow: [link]

Ann Arbor public art commissioners Marsha Chamberlin and Devon Akmon. Akmon is AAPAC’s newest member, and was attending his first commission meeting on Sept. 25. Chamberlin is the longest-serving commissioner. (Photos by the writer.)

The project would involve wrapping about 40 traffic signal boxes in the DDA district with vinyl printed replicas of artwork. The initial pilot phase would focus on 14 boxes at a total cost of $41,000, to be split between the city and the DDA. That cost includes a 30% administrative fee paid to the Arts Alliance, which is based in Ann Arbor. Another $80,000 would be needed for the final phases.

Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance, told commissioners that the DDA board is expected to vote on the project at its Oct. 2 meeting.

Commissioners were supportive of the project, but concerned about how to approach the funding, given constraints tied to the remaining Percent for Art funds. “I want to make sure we don’t step in something that we then get slapped for,” Marsha Chamberlin said.

Ultimately, commissioners unanimously voted to approve participating in the PowerArt project, contingent on the city’s legal review of potential funding sources.

AAPAC also authorized allocations for other projects that have been discussed for several months. They approved $10,000 for a community project called Canoe Imagine Art, and $5,000 for a Coleman Jewett memorial at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Both of these projects will rely on grants and private fundraising for the majority of their budgets.

Action on three other projects was tabled, as commissioners wanted more detailed proposals before allocating funds. Those projects were: (1) artwork for a roundabout at State & Ellsworth; (2) a community art project at Arbor Oaks Park, adjacent to Bryant Elementary School; and (3) a proposal for enhancing the fence along the south side of Scio Church Road, between Maple and Delaware.

These projects prompted some discussion about broader issues, included the process that AAPAC uses to vet proposals. Ashlee Arder, one of the newer commissioners, advocated for continuing to develop a more structured approach. “I do think we need to have a larger conversation or retreat about who we are and what we’re trying to do here,” she said.

The commission has been grappling with a transition to a new funding model for public art, after the city council voted to eliminate the previous Percent for Art mechanism this summer. That model set aside 1% of the budget for each of the city’s capital projects for public art – up to a cap of $250,000. Because that money was taken from restricted funds – such as millage funds for parks or street improvements –  a thematic link must exist between the funding source and the public art expenditure. About $840,000 in Percent for Art funds remain available for projects, but there will be no additional Percent for Art funding.

Instead, the city has adopted an approach in which city staff will work with AAPAC to determine whether a specific capital improvement should have enhanced design features “baked in” to the project – either enhanced architectural work or specific public art. The funding for any of the enhanced features would be included in the project’s budget and incorporated into the RFP (request for proposals) process for the capital project. There is also an increased focus on private fundraising and partnerships.

On Sept. 25, commissioners also received several updates from Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. He reported that a reception is planned for Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. to dedicate the hanging sculpture Radius, located in the Justice Center lobby next to city hall. Oregon artist Ed Carpenter is expected to attend.

And two finalists for artwork at Argo Cascades – Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland and Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass. – will be coming to town on Oct. 17 to present their conceptual designs to the public. A task force will make a recommendation to AAPAC on which of the artists to select for the project.

The Sept. 25 meeting was the first one for AAPAC’s newest member, Devon Akmon. Appointed by the Ann Arbor city council on Sept. 3, 2013, Akmon is director of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn.

“PowerArt” Project

John Kotarski introduced a proposal by the Arts Alliance called “PowerArt.” [.pdf of PowerArt proposal] The city could be partnering with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority on this, he said. He introduced Deb Polich, executive director of the Arts Alliance, to provide more details.

Polich started by saying the Arts Alliance can’t take credit for this project, because it was proposed by the DDA, working with AAPAC chair Bob Miller. The DDA had asked the Arts Alliance to develop a proposal, she said.

The proposal calls for wrapping about 40 traffic signal boxes in the DDA district with vinyl printed replicas of artwork.

Deb Polich, executive director of the Arts Alliance, made a presentation to AAPAC about the proposed PowerArt project.

The city of Boise, Idaho was a case study for this project, Polich said. That city rolled out the project in phases, she noted, which heightened interest. Boise’s project also resulted in less graffiti on the signal boxes as well as in the surrounding area, she said.

The intent would be for the artists to retain the copyright to their work, she explained, and a licensing agreement would be negotiated to allow the Arts Alliance to use the work. It wouldn’t necessarily require an artist to create a new work, she noted – the image could be taken from an existing piece.

It’s also important to compensate the artists thoroughly, Polich said, so the payment proposed for the artist – $1,400 per box – is about twice the amount that the vendor would charge to make the vinyl replica and install it.

The proposal calls for three cycles, beginning with a pilot project. After review and evaluation, the project would move into the next two cycles over a three-year period. Beyond that, it’s possible that the project could be rolled out into other parts of the city, not just downtown.

Polich told commissioners that she’d made a presentation to the DDA’s operations committee earlier in the day, and that that committee plans to bring the proposal to the full board for a vote at its Oct. 2 meeting. [Polich's husband, Russ Collins, is a member of the DDA board.]

Depending on when the project is approved, the proposal lays out a six-month timeline for the pilot project. The pilot would be for 14 boxes in locations with high pedestrian traffic.

Regarding the budget, Polich noted that it includes $50 per box for maintenance, although she expects maintenance costs will be low, based on Boise’s experience. The licensing fee to artists would be $1,400 per box, with another $650 per box for printing and installation. The other major expense would be a 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance, which totals $9,100 for the pilot phase. Work would include negotiating licensing deals, marketing and other tasks. For later cycles, the administrative fee would be slightly lower, at 25% of the total cost.

The work would be selected by a jury, Polich said, which would include volunteers as well as people that she described as “fence sitters on the public art scene.” Engaging them in this kind of process might give them a different perspective on public art, she said. There would also be a crowd selection component for four of the boxes in the pilot phase, with artwork selected by an online vote of the public.

Polich noted that Ward 2 is the only one of the city’s five wards that isn’t part of the DDA district, but all other wards would be part of this project.

“PowerArt” Project: Commission Discussion

Bob Miller clarified that it’s not a city project, so AAPAC would just be deciding whether to provide financial support. Connie Brown wondered who would own the artwork, saying she’d like that to be clarified as the project moves forward.

Bob Miller, AAPAC chair.

Marsha Chamberlin noted that the commission has previously discussed whether to endorse projects, noting that the issue arose when AAPAC was approached about endorsing a “whirlydoodle” project. The commission had decided not to make endorsements. On one level, Chamberlin said, AAPAC could be viewed as endorsing this PowerArt project. “We just need to know that this is something to address,” she said.

Chamberlin said she loved this project. But given the constraints that the city attorney’s office has put on AAPAC, “are we OK with putting city money into this?” she asked. For example, she said, the city attorney’s office has told AAPAC that it can’t limit the artist solicitations to local residents – the call for proposals must be open to artists nationally. Polich indicated that the Arts Alliance would be willing to accommodate that, if necessary, although the original proposal called for seeking Washtenaw County artists.

Kotarski said that in his view, AAPAC is selecting a sole source vendor – the Arts Alliance. The alliance would be picking the artists, not the city, he said. So he didn’t think the same constraints that Chamberlin described would apply.

Miller joked that “the nuts and bolts all kind of fell out of the engine, as Aaron [Seagraves] and I started talking about this.” City funding for this project doesn’t work, Miller continued, because the Arts Alliance didn’t win this project on a competitive bid, as the city requires. No request for proposals was issued. So the city can fund specific parts of the project, he said, such as the vendor who actually wraps the signal boxes, because that vendor would be selected through a competitive bidding process.

But the other part of the project can’t be funded through remaining Percent for Art funds, he noted. Instead, he suggested using unencumbered funds being held by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.

Kotarski referenced a discussion that he and Miller had earlier in the day with Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator. Hupy had indicated that it would be possible to fund the project with remaining Percent for Art street funds, Kotarski said, but Hupy had planned to check with the city attorney’s office about it.

Corrected after initial publication: Not an example of a vinyl-wrapped traffic box with artwork by David Spear. This image was included in the Arts Alliance proposal for the PowerArt project. This image was actually hand-painted by Spear.

Connie Brown clarified that the DDA is also a unit of the city. In that case, she said, she didn’t see why there are complications with the city funding the project, via AAPAC, while the DDA didn’t appear to have that same issue. Kotarski reiterated that Hupy didn’t think it should be a problem for the city to participate, but that Hupy wanted to doublecheck with the city attorney.

Brown didn’t think AAPAC should be put in a position to determine whether the funds could be used legally. She suggested that AAPAC could simply vote on the project, then let the city staff determine the appropriate funding sources.

Chamberlin said it’s a cool project, and AAPAC gains from having partners like the Arts Alliance and DDA. But given the delay of the Canoe Imagine Art and Coleman Jewett memorial projects – because of the time it takes for the city attorney’s office to review these projects – “I want to make sure we don’t step in something that we then get slapped for,” she said. She’d rather take the time to make sure it’s cleared with the city attorney’s staff, or to hear directly from Hupy that it’s fine to move ahead on this project.

Miller said he’d be comfortable with that approach.

Kotarski asked Polich if it would be a problem to table the proposal for a month until AAPAC’s Oct. meeting, in order to sort out the funding issue. That would be fine, Polich replied. “We’re ready to move whenever we need to move, but it’s not going to hurt us one way or another.”

Miller asked Seagraves to clarify with Hupy whether the project can be funded with remaining Percent for Art street funds.

Malverne Winborne made a motion to approve the PowerArt pilot project in partnership with the Ann Arbor DDA and the Arts Alliance, contingent on legal review regarding potential funding sources. Kotarski supported that approach, saying it would show the DDA that AAPAC is serious about the project.

Polich said the Arts Alliance has looked into this very thoroughly, but she recognizes that it’s still a proposal and there are a lot of moving parts. The alliance is willing to work with AAPAC and the DDA to make sure it all works smoothly, she said.

Kotarski hoped that the project could be limited to local artists, if at all possible.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the PowerArt project, contingent on legal review of potential funding sources. The pilot project would entail a $20,500 contribution from both the city and the DDA.

Canoe Imagine Art

Marsha Chamberlin gave an update on a community project called Canoe Imagine Art. At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to participate in the project, but did not commit to providing any funding at that time. On Sept. 25, Chamberlin brought forward a proposal for AAPAC to contribute $10,000. [.pdf of project intake form]

Canoe Imagine Art logo.

The project will use 30 old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which 10 artists and 20 community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council.

Chamberlin noted that AAPAC had “money in the bank” to fund this kind of project, and approving it would demonstrate the commission’s ability to mobilize and get things done, “because that’s certainly a criticism we’ve been subjected to,” she said. More importantly, Chamberlin added, this represents a large-scale, temporary type of project that many councilmembers have talked about wanting to see. The total budget will be about $100,000, including a lot of in-kind contributions. But organizers of the project also plan to apply for grant funding, she said, and it’s compelling to show that the project already has support from the community.

Connie Brown supported the project, describing it as a fun effort that involves partnerships with other community groups.

John Kotarski said he liked the project, but he wanted to see it presented as a more formal proposal, akin to the packet that had been prepared by the Arts Alliance for the PowerArt project. Chamberlin replied that she had previously provided a written proposal several months ago. [.pdf of canoe project memo presented in March 2013] She said she’d be happy to prepare an updated document, but organizers were applying for a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs that needed to be completed by Sept. 30.

Kotarski indicated that he understood the deadline, but hoped that Chamberlin could follow up with a proposal to AAPAC that used the Arts Alliance proposal as a model.

Brown noted that Kotarski was likely to make similar comments for all of the projects on the agenda. One-page intake forms had been prepared for each of the projects, but not more elaborate proposals. She wondered whether someone on the city staff – possibly public art administrator Aaron Seagraves – could assemble the kind of proposals that Kotarski wanted.

Chamberlin pointed out that several people on the commission were involved in the Canoe Imagine Art project, as were city staff, and she had thought that the previous material provided to AAPAC was sufficient. But she told Kotarski that she would help prepare a more detailed document, if that was what the commission wanted.

Seagraves noted that commissioners needed to discuss the source of funds for this $10,000. It could come from remaining Percent for Art pooled funds for parks, since some of the canoe art would be located in city parks. However, there is also about $10,000 in an account held by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, he said. It had been given by a private donor and intended for a project in 2001 that was never competed. In 2005, the money was made available for any public art project in downtown Ann Arbor, but it hasn’t yet been used.

If AAPAC decided to use these funds for the Canoe Imagine Art project, it would free up remaining Percent for Art parks funds for other projects, Seagraves said. The majority of the canoe art would be located along downtown streets, so Seagraves recommended using the community foundation funds.

Bob Miller indicated that other projects – like the PowerArt proposal – might make use of the foundation funds. He suggested voting to agree to spend $10,000 on this project, but not to identify a specific funding source at this time.

Seagraves said the commission could vote on a funding source at its October meeting.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to spend $10,000 on the Canoe Imagine Art project, with the specific source of funding to be determined later.

Coleman Jewett Memorial

Marsha Chamberlin also gave an update on the memorial for Coleman Jewett. [.pdf of Jewett memorial intake form]

At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to accept developing the memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project. The original proposal was for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private foundation has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

From left: Public art administrator Aaron Seagraves and John Kotarski, a member of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

A memorandum of understanding has been negotiated between the Jewett family, the city, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, which will act as a fiduciary for fundraising. The plan now calls for two full-sized replicas in bronze, at an estimated cost of $15,000 each. Materials for fundraising have been developed, and about 300 personalized letters to potential donors will be sent out soon, Chamberlin said.

The donor who has indicated an intent to contribute $5,000 to the project had asked for a detailed proposal, Chamberlin said, adding that she had provided the proposal several weeks ago but hadn’t heard back from him. She recently learned that he’s out of the country, so the city still doesn’t have a formal commitment on those funds.

The total budget is estimated to be $30,000 to $35,000. Chamberlin proposed allocating $5,000 of AAPAC funds to help kick off the additional fundraising.

As he did during the Canoe Imagine Art discussion, John Kotarski said he’d like a more elaborate proposal for this and all projects that come to AAPAC for approval. He thought that the fundraising materials that Chamberlin had developed might serve that purpose.

Chamberlin pointed out that this project was approved about six months ago and has been discussed at virtually every meeting since then. “I just assumed people were up to speed on it,” she said.

Kotarski said his intent isn’t to get AAPAC up to speed. Rather, this kind of documentation will show the public that AAPAC was thorough in its work, before making decisions. He said he was critical of all the intake forms, and he’d emailed Aaron Seagraves with his comments. “I think our approach now is shoot, ready aim,” Kotarski said. “We are making decisions before we really, fully have a fleshed out concept and idea.” He’d like to change their approach, and said the Arts Alliance proposal provides a good model.

Chamberlin replied that the commission had developed the process of using project intake forms, so it should be a commission decision if they want to change that approach. These projects have been documented and presented to the commission at previous meetings, she noted.

Connie Brown felt that Kotarski was raising a broader issue, and she agreed that going forward, each project should have a more detailed packet of material. Bob Miller asked Seagraves to provide that type of packet in the future.

Chamberlin noted that this would dramatically change the process that AAPAC has developed. That process entails initial approval by AAPAC to move ahead on a project, followed by the formation of a task force to flesh out a more detailed proposal, on which AAPAC then votes.

After further discussion, commissioners reached consensus for Seagraves to compile more detailed proposals for AAPAC projects.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to allocate $5,000 from the remaining Percent for Art parks funds to the Coleman Jewett memorial.

Artwork in Arbor Oaks

At AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting, commissioners approved setting up an exploratory task force for possible artwork in the Arbor Oaks Park, located in the Bryant neighborhood on the city’s southeast side. [.pdf of Arbor Oaks intake form] Task force members include public art commissioners Malverne Winborne and Nick Zagar; Derek Miller, deputy director of the nonprofit Community Action Network (CAN); and CAN board member David Jones, as well as local residents.

Ann Arbor public art commissioner Malverne Winborne.

Public art administrator Aaron Seagraves reported that the task force met on Sept. 5, although neither of the public art commissioners could attend. The task force reviewed some examples of projects in other communities, he said, and talked about the kind of artwork they’d like to see in the park, which is adjacent to Bryant Elementary School. The project is envisioned as more of a community arts project, Seagraves said, similar to the mosaic mural that was completed at Allmendinger Park last year. It would involve an artist working with community members to design and create the artwork.

The request is to allocate $5,000 to the project from remaining Percent for Art parks funds. The idea is to raise private funds in addition to the city’s funding.

Connie Brown raised a broader issue, asking how AAPAC should decide whether to fund only a portion of a project, or to provide all the funding. She noted that AAPAC had funded the entire project at Allmendinger, and her inclination for the Arbor Oaks project is to fund more than just a small portion of it.

Marsha Chamberlin characterized it as a larger planning question. She noted that this project is very different from Canoe Imagine Art, where corporations will be approached for fundraising. It might be more appropriate for the city to fully fund projects like the one in Arbor Oaks, she said, and for AAPAC to develop criteria for that – like neighborhood participation.

John Kotarski wondered what would happen if no money were raised, and only $5,000 had been allocated to the Arbor Oaks project. “Are we setting it up for failure?” he asked. He said he’d be more comfortable having more description of the project, and a better sense of the budget. He pointed out that the Allmendinger Park mural was totally funded by the city, at $12,000.

Brown noted that the previous projects AAPAC had voted on during the meeting – Canoe Imagine Art and the Coleman Jewett memorial – were very well developed. She said she’s in favor of the Arbor Oaks project, but wants to make sure it’s funded appropriately.

Chamberlin pointed out that AAPAC has already accepted this as a project.

Bob Miller said there’s value in crowdsourcing, to engage the community. It’s worth investigating how that might happen. He asked Seagraves to develop a more detailed proposal, before AAPAC allocated any funding.

Chamberlin moved to table action on the funding allocation.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to table the funding proposal.

Scio Church Street Fence

Aaron Seagraves presented a proposal for enhancing the fence along the south side of Scio Church Road, between Maple and Delaware, including the I-94 overpass. [.pdf of fence intake form] The city is planning for installation of sidewalks along that stretch and will also be installing a fence there as part of that project.

The city staff was planning to install a standard kind of chain link fence, but Craig Hupy – the city’s public services area administrator – thought there might be an opportunity for something more creative, if AAPAC wanted to explore that possibility. The construction work would likely occur next summer. The budget for the fence enhancement was recommended to be between $40,000 and $80,000 from the remaining Percent for Art street funds.

Public art commissioner Ashlee Arder.

When Bob Miller asked for a more detailed proposal, Malverne Winborne pointed out that these projects begin with the initial step of an intake form, which gives a very brief overview of the concept. Devon Akmon observed that it seems like a two-step process, with this initial step simply confirming whether AAPAC wants to move forward with a project.

Commissioners again discussed whether they needed more information at this point in the process, and how to vet projects before investing significant time in developing a fuller proposal. Aaron Seagraves offered to put together a more detailed proposal for AAPAC’s October meeting.

John Kotarski explained to Akmon, AAPAC’s newest member, that the funds for this project would come from the remaining Percent for Art funds, which won’t be replenished after they’re spent. In the future, the funding will come from partnerships, fundraising and any money that the city council allocates to “enhance” capital projects. He noted that the remaining Percent for Art funds must be spent on projects that are tied thematically or physically to the funds of origin. “It’s an entanglement that the council felt was too much, and [the Percent for Art approach was] dissolved,” he said. “We’re trying to reinvent a ship that’s left port, and it’s challenging.”

Ashlee Arder supported a more organized proposal process. That will help everyone conceptualize the projects, she said, and will force the person who’s bringing forward the project to think about everything that’s involved in it, in terms of time and resources. Everyone has ideas, but do they have the capacity to implement them? “I do think we need to have a larger conversation or retreat about who we are and what we’re trying to do here,” she said.

Akmon suggested defining the parameters of the types of information AAPAC needs, in order to make decisions about which projects to move forward. Miller said it sounds like the idea is to make a template for making a proposal, so everyone knows what’s expected. He asked Seagraves to develop such a template.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to table the Scio Church fence project.

Roundabout at State & Ellsworth

Artwork for the new roundabout at South State and Ellsworth had been initially approved in concept by AAPAC, but without a budget attached to it. Aaron Seagraves reported that the roundabout will be finished soon.

Bob Miller noted that action had been suspended on this project because AAPAC had wanted to tie it into the city’s South State Street corridor plan. He wasn’t sure about the status of that plan, and said that if it’s not moving forward, then AAPAC should go ahead and take action on artwork for the roundabout. [By way of background, both the planning commission and city council have approved the South State Street corridor plan to be added to the city's master plan. The council took that action on June 15, 2013.]

Seagraves reported that although the plan has been approved, many of the recommendations won’t be implemented for several years.

John Kotarski suggested tabling it until AAPAC can get more information. He asked Seagraves to provide a report with some options about how to proceed.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to table action on possible artwork for the State & Ellsworth roundabout.

Forest Avenue Plaza

An item on the Sept. 25 agenda requested that AAPAC reallocate the previously approved budget for public art at the city’s Forest Avenue Plaza, putting the funds back into pooled Percent for Art parks funds. The action would also remove its status as an AAPAC project.

AAPAC had previously accepted this as a project at its Aug. 22, 2012 meeting, allocating between $10,000 to $35,000. The intent had been to work with the city’s parks staff and the Ann Arbor DDA to improve the plaza, which is located next to the Forest Avenue parking structure near South University.

Bob Miller said there had been buy-in on this project and several meetings were held over the past year, but when Percent for Art funding was suspended, the parks staff moved ahead with renovations there without incorporating public art.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously voted to remove the project and return the allocation to the pooled Percent for Art parks fund.

Project Updates

Several other projects were discussed briefly during the Sept. 25 meeting, by way of updates. Additional information was also included in a written report by Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator. [.pdf of Seagraves' report] These projects were either already in progress when the city council temporarily halted spending on public art late last year, or don’t use Percent for Art funds.

Here are some highlights.

Project Updates: Annual Planning

The city is beginning its update of the capital improvements plan (CIP). Deb Gosselin, who manages the CIP process, will attend AAPAC’s Oct. 23 meeting to talk about how the process works. Gosselin had previously attended AAPAC’s Feb. 27, 2013 session, when she gave an overview of the CIP process.

Seagraves noted that under the city’s new approach to funding public art, the CIP process will directly affect the planning for public art. Projects in the CIP are eligible for public art “enhancements,” if approved by the city council.

The CIP will also start the process for developing AAPAC’s annual plan for the next fiscal year, which is due Feb. 1, 2014.

Project Updates: Radius Reception

A reception is planned for Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. to dedicate the hanging sculpture Radius, located in the Justice Center lobby next to city hall. Oregon artist Ed Carpenter is expected to attend.

Project Updates: Argo Cascades

Two finalists for artwork at Argo Cascades are Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland and Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass. They will be coming to town on Oct. 17 to present their conceptual designs from noon to 2 p.m. at city hall. The presentations will be recorded by Community Television Network, and will include feedback from the task force.

Task force members are John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Saam, Margaret Parker, Cathy Fleisher, Bonnie Greenspoon, Julie Grand, and Colin Smith. The project has a budget of $150,000.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridges

In early August, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for public art on the East Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's proposal]

Seagraves reported that the selection panel provided feedback to Widgery, who subsequently revised her proposal. Members of the panel are Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. A conference call with the artist was held on Sept. 6 with panel members to discuss the proposal. [.pdf of panel feedback]

The new design incorporates glass paneled louvers with tree images in three locations on and under the bridge, to connect the locations thematically.

John Kotarski reported that he and Bob Miller will be taking this latest design to some of the city’s boards and commissioners for feedback, before the task force makes a recommendation to AAPAC. They had done similar outreach before Widgery was selected as the artist for this project. The intent is to create community buy-in before a project is finalized. It would need final approval by the city council.

Project Updates: First & Kingsley Rain Garden

At their Aug. 28, 2013 meeting, commissioners had approved Joshua Wiener‘s schematic design for public art at a planned rain garden, to be located at the southeast corner of First & Kingsley. [.pdf of staff memo, including itemized budget] On Sept. 25, Seagraves reported that Wiener continues to finalize designs, for installation in the spring.

The Denver artist is working with landscapers to incorporate public art into a new rain garden at that location, which is in a floodplain. The project has a $27,000 budget, though the artist’s contract would be for $23,380.

Wiener visited Ann Arbor on July 15 to present his design to the public. His proposal is for sculptures showing the outlines of five fish. They’re small mouth bass, in different sizes, made of white epoxy-painted steel and pointed toward the Huron River. The largest sculpture will be just under 8 feet tall, 20 feet wide and about 5 feet deep. Two of the fish will be large enough to serve as benches.

Commissioners present: Devon Akmon, Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Malverne Winborne, Nick Zagar. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

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