Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.A
Meeting Date: March 26, 2025
From: John A. Corella, Director of Public Works
Title: City Entryway Monuments
RECOMMENDATION:
To review size and cost options for the agreed upon “Mountain Cathedrals” entryway sculpture monument replicas, and discuss sizes particular to locations and funding of each monument placement.
BACKGROUND:
Entryway monuments are an important element in a city’s branding campaign, identifying the boundaries of a city and providing visitors with their first messaging on what the city is about.
One of the action items adopted under the city’s five-year strategic plan Goal B: Community Investment, was to develop an entryway, medians and lighting master plan to provide appealing gateways to the city.
At the September 24, 2024, City Council Study Session meeting, staff presented an overview of the report submitted by the City Entryway Monument Subcommittee of the Public Arts Commission (PAC) (Commissioners Craig Liebelt and former Commissioner Tom Rudolph).
The report included the overall PAC recommendations on the recommended monument item as well. This effort was initiated by, at that time, Mayor Pro Tem Ross. Mayor Pro Tem had approached PAC with the idea of creating a standardized entryway monument throughout the city in lieu of many of the art pieces that exist at the city gateways today. The idea of standardizing the city’s entryway monuments would provide a recognizable icon of the city, and without words, would provide the understanding that you were entering Cathedral City.
At the study session, staff made a presentation showing photos of each current entryway art piece location. After reviewing the information, staff presented and reviewed the PAC recommended alternatives, of which the Council accepted the PAC recommendation to use the “Mountain Cathedrals” sculpture located on Date Palm Drive south of Vista Chino as the basis for the standardized monument. Photos of “Mountain Cathedrals” is attached for reference.
Further into the discussion, the Council agreed that the original “Mountain Cathedrals” may be limited for use at other locations due to its large size and its high cost of reproduction. To support this discussion, staff had solicited initial cost estimates from fabricators for reproducing various scale sizes of the monument ¼ (25%), ½ (50%) and ¾ (75%) scales.
Estimated costs for these scaled down versions are as follows:
¼ (25%) size = +/- $60,000 to $77,000.
½ (50%) size = +/- $74,000 to $148,000.
¾ (75%) size = +/- $80,000 to $150,000 (staff estimated). Full (100%) size = +/- $109,000 to $251,000.
To be able to gage a proposed reduced monument’s size, the City Council requested that staff provide “mockups” that would give the Council a visual reference of size and proportion of each reduced size monument. This ultimately would allow for a candid evaluation of what size monument and base could be constructed at a specific location.
The Council also discussed various funding resources, such as using Council District Funds, incremental funding placed within each fiscal year’s budget, or even adding monuments to upcoming roadway improvement projects where applicable. Additionally, the cost to relocate the existing entryway sculptures would have to be considered in the costs.
Lastly, it was mentioned that staff should determine the city’s ability to copy and/or reduce the size of the original sculpture, before completing the decision to use the “Mountain Cathedrals” as the city’s entryway monument template.
DISCUSSION:
After the above referenced Study Session, staff reviewed the original purchase agreement for the sculpture with the City Attorney. It was confirmed the city owned the sculpture outright including the associated copyrights and trademarks. Thus, the ability to duplicate “Mountain Cathedrals” is confirmed.
The question of “how large are the reduced size sculptures?” is being presented at this meeting to the City Council with mockups placed in the foyer of the Council Chambers. The mockups will reflect the three various scales of the original sculpture that were discussed in the September Study Session meeting. The ¼ (25%), ½ (50%), and ¾ (75%) scale versions of the original, with the respective proportioned base are on display.
With the size of the monuments question addressed, staff is looking for direction on ideas on how the City Council wants to proceed with this entryway program and how to fund it.
The city has several entryway points (gateways) that may or may not already have a sculpture or monument installed. Below is a list of the city’s true gateways from adjacent cities:
East Palm Canyon Drive:
oWest entry: west of Cree Road from Palm Springs (site under design and will be available).
oEast entry: west of Sungate Way from Rancho Mirage (site available). Gerald Ford Drive:
oEast entry: west of Plumley Road from Rancho Mirage (site needs to be constructed).
Dinah Shore Drive:
oWest entry: west of Shifting Sands Trail from Palm Springs (site occupied). oEast entry: west of Plumley Road from Rancho Mirage (several locations available).
Ramon Road:
oWest entry: at Landau Blvd from Palm Springs (site available). oEast entry: at Da Vall Drive from Rancho Mirage (site occupied). Vista Chino:
oWest entry: east of Whitewater River Channel (site needs to be constructed). Varner Road:
oWest entry: east of Palm Drive (site needs to be constructed). oNorth entry: at Mountain View (site needs to be constructed). oEast entry: at Bob Hope Drive (site needs to be constructed).
There are eleven true entry locations identified above, and maps of these locations are attached for reference. (This does not preclude the option to place monuments at intermediate locations along our roadways within the city).
Lastly, funding for the monuments will need to be determined. Currently the FY 2025-26 and 2026-27 budget review process in underway. As part of this process there may be options to provide funding for entryway monuments incrementally over several years through:
Budgeted general funds.
Council district funds.
A capital improvement project(s) that will be improving a roadway within a gateway area.
Art and/or other grant funding.
A combination of the above.
In conclusion, staff is requesting City Council review the size and cost options for the agreed upon “Mountain Cathedrals” entryway sculpture monument replicas, discuss sizes particular to locations, funding for monument placements, and direction on the next steps they would like to see.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is currently no budget allocated for this project. If the City Council would like to proceed with monument installations, locations will need to be identified so that staff can determine the estimated costs. If directed and funding identified, there is opportunity for one or more entryway monument projects be included in the upcoming FY 2025-26 and/or 2026- 27 biennial budgets.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B: Community Investment
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed and maintained.
B-2: Develop an entryway, medians, and lighting master plan to provide appealing gateways to the city.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Mountains Cathedral Sculpture
2. Maps of City Entryway Locations