REPORT TO ARTS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Art in Private Development Project - OTO Development (Hilton Garden Inn)/767 N. Mathilda Ave.
Report
BACKGROUND
Under the City’s Art in Private Development Ordinance (SMC 19.52), the OTO development at 767 N. Mathilda Ave. is required to provide public art. The public art component must be equal to, or greater, in value to one percent of the building permit valuation. The minimum artwork expenditure for this project has been established at $153,256.
The procedure established for reviewing the artwork is as follows:
1) Review the artist’s background to ensure he/she has the experience and knowledge to design, fabricate and install large-scale artworks;
2) Review the artwork itself to determine whether the nature and style of the artwork is appropriate to the site;
3) Determine whether the proposed artwork is appropriate in scale for the overall development; and
4) Review the location of the artwork for accessibility to the public.
The purpose of this report is to request the Arts Commission review and consider approval of the proposed artwork. Under the Art in Private Development Ordinance, the Arts Commission is authorized to make a final determination of the proposed artwork and the City Council is not scheduled to consider this item. The Commission’s decision, however, may be appealed to the City Council by the developer.
EXISTING POLICY
Sunnyvale Municipal Code 19.52 - Art in Private Development
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Program-level Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for the Peery Park Specific Plan (PPSP). The underlying project in this case (hotel project for 767 N. Mathilda Ave.) was found to be within the scope of the PPSP Program EIR and therefore, exempt from additional CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15168(c)(2) and (4). The City completed a checklist and determined that no new anticipated environmental impacts would occur and no new mitigation measures were required. Consistent with SMC Chapter 19.52 (Art in Private Development), art was a required component of the project, and project conditions of approval required the applicant to provide a bond for the required art and obtain Arts Commission approval of the proposed art. The Planning Commission made findings approving the CEQA exemption and approved the project on or around Nov. 7, 2016 (RTC 16-0965).”
DISCUSSION
Project Location: The project site is a 3.44-acre lot located at 767 N. Mathilda Ave. between Almanor and Del Rey avenues. (Attachment 1 - Vicinity Map). The property was previously occupied by the Bold Knight. It is bound to the north by commercial use, to the south by office/R&D, to the west by office/R&D and to the east by Larkspur Landing Hotel. The site will be directly adjacent to Mathilda Avenue, with high volume vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Project Description: The project is currently under construction, and includes demolition of the previous building, along with new construction of a 6-story hotel with 135,497 square feet and 238 guest rooms. Also included: a bar, coffee shop, pool and hot tub, 190 parking spaces and meeting space (Attachment 2 - Site Landscape Plan with Sculpture Site).
Artwork Location: The proposed artwork location is at ground level, adjacent to the northernmost vehicular entrance off Mathilda Avenue. The location was selected for its proximity to the street (approximately 3 feet from the sidewalk) and the main entrance to the hotel (approximately 100 feet from the main building).
Selected Artist: The artist selected for this project is Los Angeles-based sculptor Brad Howe (Attachment 3 - Artist’s Resume). Mr. Howe has been creating public art for more than 25 years completing installations on a local, national and international level, including Bay Area cities such as San Francisco, Palo Alto, Cupertino and Carmel. Mr. Howe has also completed two previous commissions in Sunnyvale, one for Sand Hill Properties and the other for Toyota, both located along the El Camino Real.
Images of Mr. Howe’s artworks can be found at www.bradhowe.com <http://www.bradhowe.com>.
Artwork Proposal: Mr. Howe has designed a painted stainless steel sculpture titled Brio (Attachments 4-8). Standing 12’h x 4’w x 4.5’d Brio has five geometric planes of varying sizes; all painted a different color and connected at varying angles. The work will be installed at sidewalk grade, slightly higher than the surrounding landscaping.
The visual result for the viewer is a form that hints at abstract architecture and constantly changes in color, scale, mass and “framed” views. According to Mr. Howe, “Charged with color, this object proposes to parse space, creating inside and outside, foreground and background, the seen and the unseen. Understanding sculpture as an event, the object as a verb, a presence through time, the piece Brio by virtue of its multifaceted composition, aims to engage the viewer that interfaces with the now, the future and the past, in the dynamic exchange of witnessing, remembering and forgetting.”
Lighting Plan: In addition to the ambient lighting on site, the developer intends to up light the sculpture from ground level on all sides during the evening hours.
Maintenance: The sculpture can be easily maintained through rinsing and drying with an annual waxing as needed.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, the developer will be responsible for design, fabrication, installation and ongoing maintenance costs of the artwork. There is no fiscal impact on the City’s operating budget other than incidental staff time to monitor the project, which is budgeted in the Art in Private Development Program.
The developer anticipates the artwork budget will be equal to or greater than the Art in Private Development requirement ($153,256), however, if it is not, the developer will be required to contribute the difference to the City’s Public Art Fund. The developer is required to provide backup documents to substantiate all artwork expenditures.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Arts Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the artwork as it is proposed.
2. Not approve the artwork as it is proposed.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the artwork as it is proposed.
recommendation
Staff concludes that the proposal meets the criteria outlined in Sunnyvale Municipal Code, Chapter 19.52.040, standards for Art in Private Development.
Staff
Prepared by: Kristin Dance, Community Services Coordinator II
Reviewed by: Trenton Hill, Community Services Manager
Reviewed by: Damon Sparacino, Superintendent of Community Services
Approved by: Cynthia E. Bojorquez, Director, Department of Library and Community Services
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Site Landscape Plan with Sculpture Site
3. Artist’s Resume
4. Rendering of Artwork in its Location
5. Rendering of Artwork
6. Rendering of Artwork
7. Rendering of Artwork
8. Rendering of Artwork