Subject
Approval of the proposed grant-supported public art project to be installed on approved sections of public right of way on Beall Avenue in the city’s Town Center and granting the city manager authority to approve the final design due to project and grant timeline constraints.
Department
City Manager’s Office (CMO)
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council approve the grant-supported temporary public artwork to be installed on selected portions of the roadway surface along Beall Avenue between North Washington Street and Gibbs Street and grant the city manager authority to approve the final artwork design which is not expected to be substantively different from the illustrative design shown in the packet.
The grant-supported street art project (Asphalt Art) will be installed at the conclusion of pending roadway surface and safety improvements that will be performed by the city along the same segment of roadway later this calendar year.
Discussion
Asphalt Art Project:
The Asphalt Art Project is a first-of-its-kind project for the City of Rockville, in that it will involve the painting of artistic designs directly onto designated-approved sections of public right of way.
Attachment A is a slide deck that shows an example of a prior asphalt art project, painted by the selected artists, the ‘Chalk Riot’ team, onto asphalt within the city of Washington D.C. That project was partially funded by the same organization (Bloomberg Philanthropies) that is providing grant funds to Rockville.
The attached slide deck, Attachment A, also shows the approved artists’ concept in relation to the specific sections of the roadway (Beall Avenue between North Washington Street and Gibbs Street) where the paint will be applied. A refined version of the presented designs will be painted directly onto new asphalt, following the pending road diet/roadway improvements to that section of Beall Avenue, which will happen later this summer.
Grant and Project Background
The Asphalt Art Project is funded in part by a highly selective $25,000 Bloomberg Philanthropies grant awarded to Rockville through their ‘Asphalt Art Initiative’. The city is contributing an additional $15,000 for an overall budget of $40,000. The city was required to demonstrate a follow-through commitment in terms of fiscal support, on-site logistic support, and tangible public realm changes to improve pedestrian safety. The pending ‘Road-Diet’ improvements on this segment of Beall Avenue were a perfect fit in this regard.
Asphalt art is a unique art form with technical and artistic challenges, requiring special skills for creation of art on active roadways. The duration of this public art project is anticipated to last - at the most, five years, due to weather conditions and physical impacts inherent to any painted details on roadway surfaces. The artistic work will be on sections of roadway that are also used by pedestrians, bike, and personal mobility device riders. Beautification and providing an extra measure of safety in the public realm are motivations for this project. Appropriate and adequate safety measures during the entirety of the installation process will be used.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative has provided funding for nearly a hundred such projects throughout North America.
Selection Process: Nomination of ‘Chalk Riot’ Artist Team
We received 28 submissions, narrowed down to four finalists based on artistic merit and
responsiveness to the project's goals. Chalk Riot was chosen due to their qualifications in key areas. A review panel from the Cultural Arts Commission made the selection in early July, which was then nominated and approved by the full Commission on July 10. The RPAC, RBAC and Transportation & Mobility Commission are being notified of this public art project as well.
Strengths of Chalk Riot:
A summary of the strengths of Chalk Riot is as follows:
• Experience: Extensive experience with temporary pavement art creation.
• Community Engagement: Proven track record of incorporating community input into the design and execution of their projects. The group researched to better understand the flora and fauna of the city. They also took tours of Rockville to gain a better understanding of the City’s history.
• Design Responsiveness: The proposed design incorporates elements reflecting:
o Community Survey Results: Emphasis on nature with imagery of native plants and animals.
o Rockville's History: References to local history through elements like train stations and bricks, acknowledging both free and enslaved laborers who built the city.
o Flexibility and Learning: The design offers opportunities for ongoing community engagement to refine details based on further input.
• Material Expertise: Deep understanding of materials and processes to optimize the artwork's longevity on the specific asphalt site.
Importance of Timely Decision-Making
Time is of the essence, and we’re currently navigating a tight timeline due to seasonal change approaching mid-November when temperatures are expected to dip below 50 degrees and paint’s ability to adhere to roadways is less effective. Completion has become even more crucial, especially since the Bloomberg Philanthropies grant expectation is that this project be finalized within calendar year 2024. Given Chalk Riot’s and project timeline, expediting decisions will be vital to stay on track.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the tentative timeline for the project following the August 5, 2024 approval:
1. Initial Stakeholder Meetings (1 month): Approx. Completion Date: September 6, 2024.
• Gathering feedback and discussing project expectations.
2. First Round of Design (2 weeks): Approx. Completion Date: September 20, 2024.
• Initial design brainstorming with community input.
3. Second Round of Design (7-10 days + review): Approx. Completion Date: End of September 2024.
• Refining designs based on feedback.
4. Design Approval and Ordering Paint (Up to 3 weeks): Approx. Completion Date: Mid-October 2024.
• Time from final design approval to receipt of paint materials.
5. Surface Preparation Management (1-3 days): Approx. Completion Date: Mid-October 2024.
• Area cleaning and preparation for painting.
6. Installation of the Artwork (7-14 full business days): Approx. Completion Date: Late October to early November 2024.
• Actual painting dependent on weather conditions.
7. Asphalt Mural Celebration (1 day): Following installation completion.
• Official unveiling event.
Next Steps
With Mayor and Council approval, staff will proceed with the Asphalt Art project implementation will include coordinating with the Procurement Department and the City Attorney’s Office to begin contract negotiations and execution.