REPORT TO ARTS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Review and Recommendation of Public Art for Plaza del Sol, Phase II
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Subject to Council Policy 6.4.4 (Art in Public Places), Plaza del Sol, Phase II (830510) is required to include a public art component. This project phase has an allocation equal to 1% of the project budget ($21,000), combined with additional funding from the Public Art Acquisition Fund (890170), resulting in a total public art budget of $100,000.
This report provides information on the five conceptual design proposals under consideration for the new public art. The Arts Commission will review and rank each of the proposals, and the recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final approval on June 2, 2026. There is no staff recommendation for this project.
BACKGROUND
Originally built in 2004, Plaza del Sol is situated in downtown Sunnyvale along Evelyn Avenue, between South Frances Street and South Taaffe Street, with underground parking accessible from multiple stairways at the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast corners of the plaza. It sits within the area historically known as Sunnyvale Town Center - a district with deep roots in the city's commercial and civic identity.
Phase II is the second stage of the project and is designed to enhance the existing park through upgrades and amenities added to improve the user experience:
* Children's play area
* Spray misters
* Enhanced labyrinth
* Overhead lighting near retail shops
* Covered garage ramp
* Walls with seating and planters
* Wi-Fi throughout the park
* Public art
Subject to Council Policy 6.4.4 (Art in Public Places), the project must allocate 1% of construction costs to new public art. However, the 1% allocation of $21,000 was determined by staff to be insufficient to support an impactful work of art for the City's downtown plaza. Staff proposed a budget modification of $79,000 (RTC 24-0773) from the Public Art Acquisition Fund (890170) to incr...
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