City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council (the “Council”) approve the following:: (1)
Professional services agreement with LA ProPoint for the repair/replacement of the
supporting framework for Ed Carpenter’s art work, Hanging Garden, including
replacement of several damaged panes of art glass; (2) Professional services
agreement with Lori Escalera for the restoration of three community murals
(Postcards, Rivers of the World, and Day to Night); and, (3) Amendments to existing
professional services agreements with Sculpture Conservation Studio and Wick
Alexander for continued maintenance of several City-owned sculptures and seven
zoetropes.
This Budget Amendment requires a 4/5ths vote.
BACKGROUND & DISCUSSION:
Supporting Framework for Hanging Garden
Meeting Date: 03/03/08 Item Number: A-2
AGENDA ITEM: (1) Discussion of the Maintenance of City Artwork Including
Replacement of the Supporting Framework for Ed Carpenter’s Hanging Garden,
Restoration of Three Community Murals, and Renewal of Contracts for Continued
Routine Maintenance of Certain City-Owned Sculptures and Seven Zoetropes, (2)
Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with LA ProPoint for Services
Related to Hanging Garden, (3) Approval of a Professional Services Agreement
with Lori Escalera for Restorative Work Related to Community Murals, and (4)
Approval of Amendments to Existing Professional Services Agreements with
Sculpture Conservation Studio and Wick Alexander for Continued Maintenance of
City-owned Sculptures and Zoetropes.
Contact Person/Dept.: B. Christine Byers/
Community Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-5776
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Lori Escalera (Artist) (02/27/08); Jim Lamm & Bobbi Gold (BCR
Board of Directors) (02/27/08); Sculpture Conservation Studio (02/27/08); Wick
Alexander (02/27/08); LA ProPoint (02/27/08); Carlson & Co. (02/27/08); Ed Carpenter
(02/27/08); Cultural Affairs Master Notification List (02/27/08); Master notification List
(02/27/08).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (02/07/08)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (02/27/08)
Fiscal Impact Review:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (02/27/08)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (02/28/08) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
In January 1993, the Redevelopment Agency (“Agency”) entered into an agreement
with Portland, Oregon based artist Ed Carpenter for the design and fabrication of an
art work for City Hall comprised of a variety of hand-blown and special types of
glass, to be joined into larger leaded glass panels. These would be installed by the
artist into a supporting framework that was to be provided by the Agency. The
original agreement with Mr. Carpenter was for $100,000. In December 1994, the
agreement was amended to allow for an additional cost incurred by substitutions of
several types of glass from what was originally proposed. The amended outside
amount paid to the artist was $105,500 for design, fabrication and installation. The
art work was conceived of as an element that would visually unify the north façade of
City Hall. It was also intended to serve as a light filter/diffuser and wind screen.
The supporting framework (including steel tubes, steel sashes, and aluminum stops)
was designed and fabricated through the project architect, CHCG Architects, Inc.
and the project manager, Peck/Jones. Detailed fabrication specifications, actual
construction methods, the name of the fabricator of the framework, and the cost are
not currently available. However, based on file notes, drawings, information from
individuals associated with the construction of City Hall, the artist, and site
inspections, staff is able to ascertain the following:
The main supporting framework is fabricated from steel tubing, the
sashes are fabricated from steel, and the stops (which actually hold
each leaded glass panel in place) are fabricated from aluminum. None
of the steel components are made from stainless steel which is
approximately 10 – 100 times more durable than the plain mild steel
used in the existing framework.
There is no indication that weep holes (to allow for drainage of excess
accumulated moisture) were incorporated into the structure when it
was built.
The aluminum stops and steel sashes were not properly pre-treated to
prevent corrosion.
Pursuant to a letter of April 10, 1995 from artist Ed Carpenter to the
City, rusting of the sashes was already apparent at that time; staff does
not know what measures, if any, were taken upon receipt of this letter.
As can be best determined without disassembling the artwork and supporting
structure, the current condition is as follows:
Two panes of glass have been damaged due to impact (more may be
damaged during de-installation but replacement glass is available). City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Intermittent rust spots are visible on the main supporting framework
which is fabricated from steel tubing. This is considered cosmetic at
this stage and does not pose a structural threat to this section of the
framework.
The steel sashes all show signs of considerable rusting and the
structural integrity of the metal appears to have been affected.
The aluminum stops are structurally sound but the overlying paint layer
has peeled off in many areas.
In December 2000, Cultural Affairs staff received a proposal from Carlson & Co. (for
repair on the supporting framework only) that included as one option fabrication of
new stops, rebuilding the structural integrity of portions of the framework, and
repainting the same, for a cost of $74,500 - $87,000. At that time, Carlson & Co.
advised that the City first conduct a detailed exploratory test treatment (to better
determine the extent of damage and establish the scope of work to be performed)
which was estimated to cost an additional $12,500 - $15,000. This brought the total
outside cost estimate in 2000 to $87,000 – $102,000.
In 2007, Cultural Affairs staff, together with the City’s Public Works Department staff,
began identifying alternative vendors and soliciting proposals and bids. Due to the
specialized nature and scope of this work, many vendors contacted were not able or
interested in pursuing a bid. Vendors contacted are not limited to but include:
Aero Welding & Manufacturer
All-Star Glass
Angel’s Glass & Mirrors
Regal Glass Co., Inc.
Ruben’s Glass Service, Inc.
Ruben’s Glass Service, Inc. provided an estimate on August 27, 2007 for
$62,875.00 that included de-installation of all leaded glass panels, fabrication of new
aluminum stops and steel sashes (provided through Torrance Steel Window
Company), installation of new framework components and reinstallation of all leaded
glass panels (with replacement glass inserted where necessary). This cost estimate
did not include any necessary replacement art glass, contract painters for refinishing
and painting of the main supporting steel framework, scaffolding, dumpster, disposal
fees, and Public Works staff time (for assistance with proposal preparation and
project oversight). The estimated costs for these additional components is
estimated not to exceed $25,000.
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Ruben’s Glass Service, Inc.’s proposal, together with the original December 2000
proposal submitted by Carlson & Co., were brought before the Cultural Affairs
Commission (CAC) at the September 11, 2007 meeting. (At that time, based on
conversations with a representative from Carlson & Co. since 2000, staff felt that
pursuing other vendors for this project was the best option and therefore did not ask
for a revised proposal from Carlson & Co. but provided their original proposal to the
CAC for comparison’s sake.) Several questions and concerns were generated
during the discussion relating to warranties on materials and labor, material
specifications, whether shop drawings would be created and how they would be
reviewed, references, and liability for damage to the stained glass during de-
installation and reinstallation. Staff was directed to gather more information from
Ruben’s Glass relating to these areas of concern, contact Carlson & Co. about
submitting a revised proposal and, if possible, seek additional bids from other
qualified vendors.
In the ensuing months, staff spoke several times with a representative from Carlson
& Co. who made a site visit and stated the firm was interested in submitting a
revised bid on this job. In October 2007, staff received the attached e-mail from
Carlson & Co. outlining a possible new approach from that which was proposed in
2000. In addition, staff continued to solicit recommendations for qualified vendors
for this specialized project and contacted, among others, Atlas Ornamental Iron
Works, Stuart Dean, and Decker Studios Fine Arts Foundry Services. Staff was also
referred to LA ProPoint, Inc. by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City
of Los Angeles and met with representatives of that firm at the project site in
November. LA ProPoint submitted the attached proposal -- dated November 28,
2007 -- that includes de-installation, fabrication of replacement stainless steel
components (both sashes and stops), as well as repair and restoration of the art
glass and lead mullions. The outside cost is $184,924.75. (This amount excludes
California State Sales Tax as the City’s outside accountants have determined that
this is personal property and therefore exempt pursuant to Regulation 1586
pertaining to works of art and museum pieces for public display.) The outside cost
reflects a worst-case scenario assessment; once the art glass and framework have
been disassembled, the overall condition of the art glass can be better assessed
which may lead to a lower cost estimate for that line item.
Carlson & Co. submitted a revised proposal in December 2007 that included two
phases. The first phase would be an exploratory phase with a cost estimate of
$20,500 - $30,000. The cost of the second phase would be determined at a later
date. The proposal focused solely on the framework and did not include repair and
restoration of the art glass and lead mullions.
Ruben’s Glass Service, Inc. determined that after considering the additional
information requested by the CAC and a request for including necessary work on the City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
art glass, the scope of the project was beyond their purview and that they were
withdrawing their original proposal.
To date, no proposal has been received from Atlas Ornamental Ironworks. Stuart
Dean and Decker studios have stated that the scope of work is beyond their purview
and have declined to bid. No additional vendors that can provide a full-service
proposal for both the framework and the art glass have been identified.
Hence, staff is recommending that the City enter into a contract with LA ProPoint,
Inc. based on their proposal of November 28, 2007. Per recent conversation with
the Director of Public Works and the City’s Building Official, staff may recommend
that drawings for the scaffolding be reviewed and approved by a structural engineer.
Staff has also received a list of references for LA ProPoint and their sub-contractor
and is following up with those.
The Cultural Affairs Commission considered this item at their January 8, 2008
meeting and recommended the City Council approve a contract with LA ProPoint for
the repair/replacement of the supporting framework for Ed Carpenter’s Hanging
Garden. One member of the CAC asked whether or not the Redevelopment Agency
could assume some or all of the cost associated with this work given that the
framework was not part of the original art budget. Staff inquired as to whether or not
this was possible and advised by Agency General Counsel that per AB 1290, this
would not likely be an option.
Community Murals
Of the approximately 40 pieces of artwork owned by the City, there are three
community murals completed by a team of artists, students and volunteers between
1997 and 2000. The three murals, Postcards, Rivers of the World, and Day to Night,
are included in the City’s Public Art Program and therefore their maintenance falls
under the purview of the City.
Since 2002, the Rivers of the World and Day to Night murals have been subjected to
repeated vandalism, including loss of and damage to the tiles of the Rivers of World
mural and frequent tagging (2-4 times per year on average for each). Skateboarders
are particularly fond of the Rivers of the World mural site because of the slope of the
wall. Several years ago the City had installed skate board stops which were then
removed by vandals within a few months. Both the Rivers of the World and Day to
Night murals have been treated by the City multiple times to remove graffiti. Lori
Escalera and other Ballona Creek Volunteers have donated their time to remove dirt
and grime from the surface of the murals and to in-paint areas where tiles have been
damaged or were missing. The graffiti on the Postcards mural cannot be removed City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
without affecting the underlying painted images; the anti-graffiti coating is no longer
viable.
As part of an effort to implement a regular maintenance program for all City-owned
public art and to address larger one-time restoration/repair issues, the Public Art
Coordinator requested a proposal from Ms. Escalera for comprehensive restoration
of all three murals. Attached is a detailed proposal that includes condition
descriptions, proposed scope of work and materials information. The outside cost
for all work as proposed by Ms. Escalera is $10,850, excluding additional staff and
volunteer time.
Staff discussed this proposal and the maintenance issues surrounding the three
murals with the CAC Public Art Sub-Committee on August 1, 2007. The sub-
committee concurred with staff that in the future, other options for children/youth
public art should be explored given the time and cost associated with maintaining
permanent murals along the Ballona Creek bike path and in a public park. However,
the sub-committee concurred with staff that specifically in the instance of the
Postcards mural, the lifespan of the artwork had been shortened because the anti-
graffiti coating should have be re-applied on a periodic basis. Staff and the sub-
committee support Ms. Escalera’s proposal as a one-time effort to extend the life of
all three murals. Staff feels that in the future, tiles will continue to be damaged at the
Rivers of the World mural site but hopefully not at the same rate as in the past with
the opening of the City’s new skateboard park. However, staff recommends that
other than regular graffiti removal and replacement of anti-graffiti coatings, no further
comprehensive repair be undertaken after completion of the restoration work as
proposed here by Ms. Escalera. The CAC Public Art Sub-Committee concurred with
this recommendation.
The CAC considered this item at its August 14, 2007 meeting and unanimously
approved the recommendation that the City Council approve a contract with artist
Lori Escalera for the restoration of three community murals with an amount not to
exceed $11,000. The CAC emphasized that this would be a one-time restoration
effort.
Maintenance/Conservation of Other City-Owned Artwork
In the past year, the City has engaged Sculpture Conservation Studio for
conservation treatment of The Lion’s Fountain, Filmstrip U.S.A., Cougars I and II,
Path of Life and A Moment in Time. Based on past treatment and costs, it is
anticipated that a $20,000 contract would last two years for regular treatment of
these five City-owned sculptures.
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Wick Alexander was the artist who designed and fabricated the seven zoetropes
(Moving Pictures) in downtown. Last year the zoetropes were retrofitted with
protective glass over the slits in the rotating drums, and with powder coated steel
bands at their bases to better protect them from impact damage. Nevertheless, the
zoetropes require cleaning and maintenance on an annual basis. Mr. Alexander can
perform this annual maintenance at a cost of $1,600 - $3,000, depending on the
degree of damage. A recent inspection of the zoetropes revealed some tile loss on
one, graffiti on the drum of another, intermittent scratches to the powder coating
finish on several and general accumulation of dirt and grime on all zoetropes. Staff
is recommending a $10,000 contract for Mr. Alexander to perform routine
maintenance that will extend for several years.
At its August 14, 2007 meeting, the CAC unanimously recommended the City
Council renew a contract with Sculpture Conservation Studio with a not-to-exceed
amount of $20,000 and a contract with artist Wick Alexander with a not-to-exceed
amount of $10,000 for the continued routine maintenance (cleaning, waxing, minor
repairs) of certain City-owned sculptures and seven zoetropes.
With regard to other City-owned art work requiring more extensive
maintenance/repair, estimates have been received from Charisma Design Studio,
Inc. for Nobuho Nagasawa’s Truth or Fiction in the amount of $6,237 (for complete
disassembly, cleaning and replacement of worn-out parts); from Williams Art
Conservation, Inc. for La Ballona by May Sun for an amount of $8,300 - $10,000 that
includes de-installation, refurbishing the existing paint surface on all fiberglass
sculptures, and reinstallation; and a proposal from Sanders Studios for the de-
installation, disassembly and complete overhaul of the film transport and internal
mechanisms of Barbara McCarren’s Panoramic with a cost of $9,250. The outside
cost of these proposals is $25,487; all three contracts will be implemented
administratively by staff as they each do not exceed the one-time $10,000 limit.
Bidding/Quotation Process
Section 3.07.070 of the Culver City Municipal Code states (in pertinent part):
A. Except for the provisions of §§ 3.07.075 and 3.07.080, the City may award
purchase orders and contracts in any amount for personal or professional services
without complying with the provisions of this Subchapter; provided that, the
purchase order or contract shall be based upon competitive quotations, whenever
practical, as determined by the City Manager from not less than three (3) vendor
contractors.
B. For purposes of this Section, personal services shall include: City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
5. Repair or maintenance service for equipment, machinery or other City-
owned personal property; and
6. Repair and maintenance service for City-owned or occupied real
property and buildings;
Pursuant to this Section and the discussion in this report, the City may award the
professional services agreements/amendments as recommended
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
There is currently approximately $125,000 available from the Art Fund (Fund 413)
for maintenance and conservation (CIP #’s P-634, P-823, and P-824). The total
amount of the agreements proposed above equal approximately $277,200
(including a 10% contingency), which would require an additional appropriation of
$152,200 from the Art Fund to cover costs associated with the seven contracts
outlined above (including the three that will be entered into administratively).
The Art Fund’s estimated appropriable fund balance, including projected 2008-09
revenues and approved 2008-09 appropriations, is $318,000. The additional
$152,200 requested for maintenance conservation would reduce that balance to
$165,800. The Art Fund receives approximately $100,000 in payments on an
annual basis and earns an additional $5,000 to $10,000 in interest income.
This Budget Amendment requires a 4/5ths vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Image of portion of framework for Hanging Garden showing areas of
corrosion.
2. Proposal Dated November 28, 2007 from LA ProPoint, Inc. and relevant
attachments.
3. Proposals dated December 5, 2007 and December 6, 2000 from Carlson &
Co. with attachments, and; e-mail of October 5, 2007 from Steve Colton;
4. Estimate dated August 27, 2007 from Ruben’s Glass Service, Inc. and letter
dated December 21, 2007;
5. Excerpt of CAC Minutes of January 8, 2008.
6. Proposal from Lori Escalera, dated September 20, 2006, for Restoration of
Three Community Murals; and, City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
7. Excerpt of CAC Minutes of August 14, 2007.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Appropriate $152,200 from the Art Fund into P-634, Art Maintenance
(41300634.619800), to cover additional deferred and routine maintenance costs
for the remainder of FY 2007 – 08.
This Budget Amendment requires a 4/5ths vote.
2. Approve a professional services agreement with LA ProPoint for the
repair/restoration of the supporting framework for Ed Carpenter’s Hanging
Garden in an amount not to exceed $165,800;
3. Approve a professional services agreement with Lori Escalera, not to exceed
$11,000 for the restoration of three community murals;
4. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with
Sculpture Conservation Studio in the amount of $20,000 for continued
maintenance/conservation of several City-owned sculptures;
5. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with a
contract artist Wick Alexander in the amount of $10,000 for continued
maintenance of seven zoetropes;
6. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare necessary documents and
authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.