HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Deaccession of 32 Ceramic Reliefs from City Public Art Inventory and Demolition of Reliefs and 16 Brick Piers RESOLUTION NO. 23-357
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DEACCESSION OF 32 CERAMIC RELIEFS FROM
THE CITY'S PUBLIC ART INVENTORY AND AUTHORIZING THE DEMOLITION
OF THE RELIEFS AND 16 BRICK PIERS FOR THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA
WHEREAS,the City's Public Art Commission(PAC)manages the inventory of public art
throughout the Ames community. In 1999, 15 brick piers were installed at street corners along 5th
Street. One additional pier was installed in 2001. Each brick pier is approximately 48 inches in
height,is capped with an engraved stone containing the intersecting street names, and contains two
ceramic relief inserts; and,
WHEREAS, the piers were one of several components of a Downtown District
Development Plan pursued by the City in the late 1990s. This plan involved an inventory and
mapping of the downtown area, development of streetscape standards, and creation of designs and
construction documents. In addition to other streetscape components created as result of this plan,
Main Street, 51h Street, and 6th Street each received unique corridor elements: Main Street received
brick piers with lighted columns and a mosaic tile wall at Burnett and Main, both designed by
David Dahlquist; 61h Street received small-scale brick piers at street corners on which the street
lights were mounted; 51h Street received the 4-foot brick piers with terra cotta reliefs; and,
WHEREAS, although the piers were installed in compliance with accessibility standards,
some of them are located in places where they provide only the minimum amount of required
clearance (4 feet), resulting is accessibility challenges. Additionally, the brick has deteriorated
over time, particularly near the bottom of the piers where freezing and thawing and contact with
salt can occur. It does not appear feasible to relocate the brick piers given their condition and
complexity of construction; and,
WHEREAS, based on these issues, at its March 7, 2023, meeting, PAC approved a
recommendation to deaccession the ceramic reliefs and remove the brick piers. PAC consulted
with Ames Main Street,which expressed support for the removal of the piers.Both PAC and Ames
Main Street indicated a desire to attempt to retain the reliefs for potential future projects, such as
incorporating them into a new display; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council moved to direct City staff to explore if the terracotta tiles
can be removed before demolition by the contactor and move forward accordingly; and,
WHEREAS, Public Works staff consulted with a contractor to determine the estimated
cost to complete the removal. The contractor's quote is $1,500 for each pier, $24,000 total, for the
removal of each pier, demolition of the footing below the adjacent pavement, and replacement
with colored concrete to match the adjacent pavement; and,
WHEREAS,because the brick piers are located within the right-of-way,the removal costs
are eligible to be financed using Road Use Tax funding. Staff is proposing that the removal of the
piers be completed using $8,000 in PAC funds, and the remaining $16,000 in costs be financed
from the Road Use Tax Fund available balance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa,
that the deaccession of 32 David Dahlquist ceramic reliefs from the City's Public Art Inventory
and the demolition of the reliefs and 16 brick piers located on 5th Street, using $16,000 from the
available balance in the Road Use Tax Fund to pay for the project with the remaining funding
coming from Public Art Commission funding is hereby approved.
ADOPTED THIS 131h day of June, 2023.
Renee hall, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
Introduced by: Gartin
Seconded by: Beatty-Hansen
Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Rollins
Voting nay: None Absent: Junck
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 13th day of June, 2023.