Public Art Commission - April 16, 2026

Commission approves downtown garage artwork and up to $237,000

The Public Art Commission voted 6-0 to approve Amy Landesberg’s conceptual design for the new Downtown Parking Garage and authorize up to $237,000 for fabrication and delivery. Staff will next prepare a fabrication agreement, which will require City Council approval because of its amount.

The concept is a stainless-steel installation depicting locally rare or vulnerable plants on the garage’s concrete shear wall. The planned installation would cover an area about 20 feet wide and 50 feet high. Commissioners supported the overall direction while noting that background materials, including the possible use of colored concrete or mesh, remained unresolved.

Commissioners also questioned whether plantings could obscure the artwork or create maintenance and pest problems. Staff said the permanent artwork would remain viable without live plants and that any plantings would be part of the building landscaping rather than the public-art budget or program’s maintenance responsibility.

Staff, the artist, architects and landscape team will refine the materials, background treatment and planting decisions. The garage design will also undergo Architectural Review Board review. The project was discussed on a fall 2027 timetable, with garage construction expected to take about 12 months once it begins.

Phillip Hua selected for rotating Sherman Avenue mural

The commission voted 5-0 to select Phillip Hua as the artist for the first temporary mural in a rotating program at the Sherman Avenue Parking Garage. Commissioner Tara de la Garza departed before the discussion and final action.

The approximately 21-by-19-foot artwork will be printed on lightweight perforated mesh and attached to permanent mounting hardware. Previously approved project funding is capped at $35,000, including a $6,000 artist design fee. A selection panel reviewed 27 artists and ranked Hua highest.

Staff will place Hua under a design-development contract and work with him on community engagement and site research. The first banner is expected to remain up for about 12 months while staff monitors its durability and evaluates materials for later rotations. Commissioners supported the selection while asking about print quality, attachment, community responsiveness, longevity and possible reuse or storage of future banners.

Old Trace development art receives a no-action review

The commission conducted an initial review but took no action on possible public art for a residential development at 4103 Old Trace Road. A proposed 1% public-art allocation was estimated at $160,000 to $200,000.

The developer described a one-acre project with 16 dwelling units, including junior accessory dwelling units. Nine single-family residences were then planned, with some attached units. The site plans shown at the meeting were described as outdated because the housing design was being revised; the developer said a corner building would now be a three-story, townhouse-style structure.

Potential approaches included artwork along a fence or on a building wall. Commissioners cautioned that glass tile or mosaic could create glare at a street corner and that projected-light art near residences could draw objections. They also raised maintenance concerns about a water feature and suggested considering an in-lieu contribution if suitable on-site artwork could not be identified. No consensus recommendation was recorded.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet