Subject
title
Approval of the proposed public artwork to be installed in David Scull Park and granting the City Manager authority to approve the final design in alignment with the community engagement process established for the project.
end
Department
City Manager's Office (CMO)
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council approve the proposed public artwork, ”Shared Passage,” by CJRDesign, to be installed in David Scull Park and grant the City Manager authority to approve the final artwork design which is not expected to be substantively different from the design shown in the proposal.
Discussion
The public artwork, “Shared Passage,” will be installed as part of the David Scull Park Improvement Project. The final design will be informed by community engagement activities led by the artist and supported by city staff. Recreation and Parks staff reviewed and approved the parameters of the project for feasibility prior to the Request for Qualifications being issued.
David Scull Park Public Art Project Background
The David Scull Improvement Project is one of Rockville’s current Capital Improvement Projects and is based on recommendations and findings from multiple plans and studies conducted by the city. The project is intended to provide a community gateway between the Southlawn industrial area and adjacent residential neighborhoods with the park as the featured entrance point. Plans for the park improvements include a pavilion with restrooms, concrete walkway connecting the corner of Taft Street and East Gude Drive with First Street, multipurpose rectangular field, and landscaping and hardscaping throughout to improve usability of the park. The public artwork will serve as the entrance to the park and a landmark for the location.
Selection Process and Nomination of CJRDesign
The city issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) inviting qualified artists to submit a portfolio demonstrating their ability to execute the project. In response to the RFQ, the city received 109 applications. An Art Selection Committee of five volunteers (two Cultural Arts Commissioners, one resident who lives in proximity to the park, and two representatives from Rockville Housing Enterprises) reviewed qualified applications based on artistic merit, portfolio of work demonstrating they can execute a project of this scale, and responsiveness to the project’s goals. The committee made the selection of two finalists in December 2025. The finalists visited Rockville in January 2026 to tour the park and city and meet with the Art Selection Committee. The finalists presented their proposals to the committee on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, and the committee unanimously voted to recommend CJRDesign for the award. This recommendation was forwarded to the Cultural Arts Commission’s (CAC) Permanent Public Art committee, which then forwarded the recommendation to the full commission. The CAC voted to approve the recommendation at its March 11, 2026, meeting. CJRDesign’s proposal is attached (Attachment 1: CJRDesign Proposal for David Scull Park).
Strengths of CJRDesign
CJRDesign is recommended for this project for the following reasons:
• Experience: CJRDesign has more than thirty years of experience and has completed over sixty Public Art commissions in 31 US States, as well as Canada and Europe. Of the applications received, they have the most experience producing high-quality, durable, and aesthetically pleasing artworks that center community engagement in the design of the art. Each artwork created by CJRDesign is distinct and this proposal would provide Rockville with an artwork that is unique to the city and region.
• Design Responsiveness: CJRDesign’s proposal was the most reflective of the input residents gave in the community engagement survey that informed the RFQ, as well as Rockville’s natural resources and innovative, modern industries. The committee found that CJRDesign’s work is unique, will be eye-catching and inviting, motivate people of all ages to visit the park, and the colors reflected on the ground through the acrylic panels will encourage interactions with the artwork and other people. The committee found the proposed artwork reflects Rockville’s modern, forward-thinking approach to community development and will be a landmark people visit to take photographs.
• Community Engagement: CJRDesign was thorough in incorporating the unique aspects of Rockville’s community, natural resources, and industries into the proposed artwork. They also took the initiative to outline their approach to the additional community engagement that will take place in the next phase of the design process and will seek input from the community on specific design elements as outlined in Attachment 1.
Importance of Timely Decision-Making
Staff is working within a timeline to complete the contract with the artist and obligate the appropriated funds for the current fiscal year (Attachment 2: Draft Public Art Contract at David Scull Park). Finalizing the contract expeditiously is necessary to complete the project in a timeframe that meets community expectations, coordination with Recreation and Parks on the park improvement plan, and city procurement deadlines.
Below is a tentative timeline for the project following the Mayor and Council’s approval. While the attached proposal has a start date of February 2027, CJRDesign has confirmed they can begin work earlier. Specific dates will be confirmed with Recreation and Parks as the park improvement project timeline is finalized.
• Fall 2026
o Meetings with relevant city staff and contractors to finalize improvement project logistics and coordinate the installation timeline.
o In-person stakeholder engagement activities over the course of a three- to four-day visit.
o Engineering and 3D modeling are initiated.
• Winter 2026 to Spring 2027
o Engineering and 3D modeling are completed.
o Final design elements (lighting option, color options, arrangement of arch and acrylic panels) are presented for approval before fabrication begins.
• Summer or Fall 2027
o Artwork is fabricated and installed according to the timeline established in Fall 2026 and modified as needed per coordination with city staff and contractors.
• Dedication of the artwork and opening of the park upon completion of the improvement project.
Public Notification and Engagement
An extensive community engagement process was implemented to inform the project’s Request for Qualifications and included an online survey in late 2025 that had three (3) respondents, one of whom volunteered for the project’s Art Selection Committee. The public was notified of and asked to participate in the online survey through over 450 postcards mailed to surrounding neighborhoods and businesses, staff attendance of an East Rockville Civic Association (ECRA) and Lincoln Park Civic Association meetings where the project and survey were shared, and inclusion in Rockville Reports. The online survey gave residents and community members the opportunity to share how and why they visited David Scull Park, the qualities they liked and did not like about public artworks in parks, and the opportunity to remain engaged in the project and volunteer on the Art Selection Committee.
The third phase of the community engagement process includes the artist leading community workshops to incorporate resident feedback into the final design. If CJRDesign is awarded the project, they will visit Rockville for three or four days and lead hands-on activities for the workshops.
Boards and Commissions Review
The Cultural Arts Commission (CAC) was represented on the Art Selection Committee. The CAC’s Permanent Public Art Committee voted for approval of the Art Selection Committee’s recommendation and forwarded the recommendation to the full CAC for its vote to approve. The CAC unanimously voted to approve the recommendation to award CJRDesign the project at its March 11, 2026, meeting.
Procurement
The acquisition of works of art for public display is exempt from competitive procurement in accordance with the Rockville City Code; Chapter 17, Purchasing; Section 17-87. - Exemptions.; (12) Acquisition of works of art for public display.
Fiscal Impact
The funding for the project in the amount of $200,000 is from the Art in Public Architecture (AIPA) account. FY 2026 Budget Amendment #2 provided additional appropriations to support the execution of this public architecture project. The AIPA account is a restricted account dedicated to the acquisition of works of public art.
Next Steps
With the Mayor and Council approval, staff will proceed with the David Scull Park Public Art Project implementation, including coordinating with the City Attorney’s Office to begin contract negotiations. The contract will be finalized upon approval by the City Manager.