May 7, 2024
Economic Development
DATE: May 7, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Winifred Day, Arts & Culture Manager
Subject:
Cal Trans Beautification Grant Mural Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The CAL Trans Beautification Grant is managed by the Community Services Division. The $310,000 Public Art
contract is managed by the Arts and Culture Division
(15436431-400708-23031).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
October 18, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Sole-Source $310,000 CAL Trans Beautification
Grant art contract will expire on December 31, 2024, and will be managed by Rebeca Garcia-Gonzalez who will
work with a team of painters that includes John Wehrle
and Jerarde Gutierrez. The scope includes designing two new murals and restoring two graffiti tagged murals.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a sole-source art contract with Rebecca
Garcia-Gonzalez, in an amount not to exceed $310,000,
to implement the Richmond Art and Lighting Project,
funded by the Caltrans Beautification Grant, to restore two existing murals and design and install two new
murals, with a term beginning March 5, 2024, through
December 31, 2024 – Economic Development
Department (Winifred Day 510-620-6952).
AGENDA
REPORT
May 7, 2024
DISCUSSION:
Richmond Art and Lighting Project consists of beautification and safety projects to enhance local street under crossings and one overcrossing in the City of Richmond.
The locations are Macdonald, Barrett, and San Pablo Avenues under crossings on Route 80 and Harbor Way overcrossing on Route 580. The project will install pedestrian scale lighting to brighten the pedestrian experience and artwork to help enliven the space for the community.
Route 80 is an eight-lane freeway that transects the city of Richmond. The width of the structure leaves the sidewalk dark even during daylight hours. The pedestrian experience will be transformed through art and lighting. The artwork will significantly brighten the underpass locations, both physically and emotionally, by adding color to a drab space. It will also help reduce graffiti by enlivening these spaces and providing less blank canvas for taggers.
On October 30, 2021, City of Richmond staff submitted the proposal for the Richmond Art and Lighting Project. On September 23, 2022, the City was provided the notification of the grant award. The Co-Op agreement was fully executed on January 30, 2023.
The project must be completed by December 31, 2024.
In 1991, John Wehrle was commissioned by the City of Richmond to paint “Revisionist History of San Pablo” mural under I-80 at San Pablo Avenue and in 1993, he was commissioned to paint “Macdonald Avenue Gateway (PastPerfect)” mural under I-80 at Macdonald Avenue. Over 26 years, a number of graffiti incidents have occurred. As an Octogenarian, John will work advising professional artists to clean and restore the two graffiti-tagged murals and to design and paint two new murals located across from the two existing murals. Rebeca Gonzalez will serve as the Project Manager, and will sub- contract artists to assist her. John Werhle will serve as an advisor on this project.
Caltrans Beautification Grant, under the Community Services Division, is the source of funding for these two mural restorations and two new mural projects.
The delay in presenting the contract approval stems from its initial intention to involve the City and the original artist. However, unforeseen circumstances arose, prompting the original artist's withdrawal from the agreement. Consequently, City staff had to swiftly identify an alternative vendor to assume responsibility for overseeing the project.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Sole-Source Vendor Form with Scope of Services Attachment 2 – Art Mural Contract
Attachment 3 – Caltrans Concept Design