ACC_Warehouse_and_Marshalling_Yard_Prospectus — original pdf

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Art in Public Places City of Austin Cultural Arts Division 5202 E. Ben White Blvd. Suite 400 0 Austin, Texas 78741 512.974.7700 / aipp@austintexas.gov Prospectus Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project Artwork Budget: $100,000 | Project District: 3 Project Summary The City of Austin Art in Public Places (AIPP) program of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department seeks to commission a local artist or artists to create a durable, permanent exterior public artwork at the site of the new Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard located at 1400 Airport Commerce Drive. The artist will engage with members of the nearby community to develop a design for the artwork—which might be an exterior mural on the façade of the warehouse or, alternatively, a freestanding work located elsewhere at the site. AIPP and the artist will work closely with the project team and community to determine the medium and exact artwork location. the remainder during the 1970s. Project Background History of Montopolis Located in City Council District 3 southeast of Lady Bird Lake, the Montopolis neighborhood was established in 1830 as a separate commu- nity southeast of Downtown Austin in south- central Travis County when Jessie C. Tannehill built a casino and laid out a townsite to be originally called "Montopolis", for its location on top of a hill. Prior to its establishment, the area was home to the Native American Tonkawa tribe who lived along the Colorado River that was part of the El Camino Real de los Tejas. After the Civil War, the area became a freedmen's town known as "Montopolis", home to newly freed slaves who worked as sharecroppers. In the early 20th century, the neighborhood saw a large influx of Mexican immigrants. The City of Austin partially an- nexed Montopolis in 1952 and fully annexed Riverside Meadows and Cactus Rose Communities Bound to the south by Texas State Highway 71 and U.S. Route 183 to the east, Riverside Meadows and Cactus Rose are the Montopolis communities in closest proximity to the project site (Census Tract 23.12, population: 8,380). This area includes the Riverside Meadow Apartments and the Cactus Rose Trailer Home community. Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 1 of 9  » Age: A survey conducted by the American Community Survey between 2014 and 2018 revealed the community to be younger than the majority of Austin neighborhoods with 63.1% of the population be- ing under the age of 34 and just 12.8% being over the age of 55 (Median Age: 29). » Ethnicity: 73.6% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino (of any race) with 15.1% identifying as White alone and 9.6% as Black or African American alone. » Income: With a median household income of $37,173, the survey reveals the community to be more economically disadvantaged than the average Austin community with 27% of the population living be- low poverty and 28.8% of children under the age of 18 living in poverty. » Housing: Of the 2,437 occupied housing units, 42.1% are owner occupied and 57.9% are renter occu- pied. A large percentage of these housing units are relatively new with 46.9% of the inventory being built after 2000. » Place of Birth: 69.3% of the population was born in the United States and 30.7% was born abroad. Of those born abroad, 93.3% were born in Central or South America (including Mexico) and 79.3% retain the citizenship of their country of birth. » Language: 37.75% of the population over the age of 5 speaks only English at home. 60.99% of the population speaks Spanish at home as a primary or secondary language. » Technology: 85.1% of households in the community report owning a computer and 73.4% report having a broadband internet subscription. Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 2 of 9  Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard To address the need for off-site storage and alleviate event traffic downtown, the Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD) has initiated the construction of a new warehouse and marshalling yard to be sited at the northwest edge of the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Texas Highway 71. The complex will be tucked between the Riverside Meadows and Cactus Rose neighborhoods and an existing set of private industrial warehouses. The facility will also be equipped to serve as an emergency shelter during large “Katrina-like” events should the need arise. The off-site marshalling yard will be located on an undeveloped tract and feature a new 70,000-square-foot building with 5,000 square feet dedicated to administrative space, and another 5,000 square feet meant for shipping and receiving. The administrative office will be put into a node jutting out on the western side of the warehouse. A separate small building on the site will be a lounge for arriving drivers. The warehouse will be positioned away from those neighborhoods and face the connecting highways. Truck traffic will be able to enter the complex from U.S. 183, and exit onto Texas 71. The preliminary site plan includes natural buffers, with green space and new trees, on the western edge of the property to separate it from the nearby residential neighborhoods. A water quality pond and a deten- tion pond will also be on site. Future plans call for the development of a public hike and bike trail along the same natural buffer To be developed by the Urban Trail Program within the Austin Transportation Depart- ment. For more information, please go to https://www.austintexas.gov/urbantrails. ACCD has selected SpawGlass Contractors, Inc. as the design/build contractor for the project. Subconsultant PGAL will be providing design and construction documents and construction phase services. Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 3 of 9  Budget On April 20, 2017, Council approved the acquisition of 41.167 acres of land located at 838, 840 and 904 S. U.S. Highway 183 for the purpose of building a mixed-use warehouse and marshalling yard facility for the Austin Convention Center Department’s operational needs. The AIPP 2% for this project is derived from ACCD’s capital improvement budget for the sponsoring project. Additional funds from this appro- priation will be used for a separate AIPP project likely to be located at the Palmer Events Center. The total award for the artist contract is $100,000, inclusive of design, fabrication, and installation, in- cluding engineering and permitting fees, travel and shipping expenses, insurance, and other project- related costs. Public Art Goals & Priorities The AIPP program seeks to commission works of art of redeeming quality that advance public understanding of visual art and enhance the aesthetic quality of public places. This can be accomplished through the selection of a qualified artist or artist team who can innovatively and thoughtfully design within the context of this project. The goal of this project is to create artwork that: conceptualizes a strong overall design approach that integrates with the site; is consistent with and mindful of the values of the Montopolis community and Austin- Convention Center Department; inspires curiosity and imagination in a visually appealing way; is safe, easily maintained, and vandal-resistant in an exterior environment; and • Contributes to the depth/breadth of the City of Austin’s public art collection. Artwork Opportunity The selected artist will be charged with integrating artwork into or adjacent to the design of the new warehouse structure. The medium and location of the artwork will be determined through discussions between the artist, community stakeholders, the design team and the AIPP Panel. The artist or team will be expected to gather community input in the development of their design. Measuring approximately 340’ long x 30’ high, the south-facing wall of the warehouse and adjacent en- trance corner will be visible from Airport Commerce Drive and provides strong potential for a large- scale mural project. Alternatively, a free-standing artwork located in the open space near the entrance of the building might also be considered. Artists familiar with the Montopolis community and/or who are intimately connected to the history and heritage of the area are highly encouraged to apply. Multilingual artists and/or artists able to interact with the community in languages other than English are also encouraged to apply. Due to the challenges for maintenance of the artwork, only artwork of substantial durability and low maintenance needs will be considered. Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 4 of 9 • • • •  Possible artwork locations Artist Information Meeting To ensure information about the project is available to all interested artists, an artist information meet- ing will be held during the open application period (if social-distancing restrictions are still in place, this meeting might occur virtually). The purpose of the meeting is to further explain the parameters of the project and outline the application procedures. The meeting will include discussion of possible locations and opportunities for artwork. AIPP staff and project representatives will be available to answer ques- tions. The presented materials, along with Q&A, will be posted to City’s website after the meeting: www.austintexas.gov/department/aipp-opportunities. Artist Eligibility Applicants should meet the following requirements: • Professional visual artist, or artist team; • At least 18 years of age; and • Live in the 7-county Austin metropolitan area (Williamson, Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Burnet, and Blanco counties). Full-time, permanent City of Austin employees are ineligible to apply. Employees of the project consult- ants and sub-consultants are also ineligible to apply. Artists who are under an active contract with the Art in Public Places program at the time of application are ineligible to apply. Applications not meeting all eligibility criteria will be withdrawn from consideration. Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 5 of 9  Submission Requirements Applications must be received online via www.PublicArtist.org no later than 5:00 pm (CST) on Thurs- day, September 17, 2020. For technical assistance with your application, please contact in- fo@publicartist.org or 210-701-0775 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm). Applications include: a Letter of Interest stating what makes you a good fit for the project; 10 images of completed relevant artwork with the required descriptions; resume; and 3 professional references. Selection Criteria The selection of an artist or artist team shall be based on artist qualifications that best meet the re- quirements contained in this Project Prospectus. The Selection Panel will review and consider the fol- lowing evaluation criteria: » » » Artistic merit and technical expertise; Ability to engage the community in which the artwork is being proposed; and Demonstrated success completing works of art. For more information on AIPP project selection criteria, see: http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/aipp_selection_criteria.pdf Selection Process A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be distributed and applications must be submitted through PublicArtist.org by the deadline. The City of Austin Art in Public Places Panel will convene a selection panel to evaluate the submissions. The selection panel and advisors will review qualifications and select three to five finalists for interviews unless there is consensus on the selection of recommending one ap- plicant and one alternate. The selection panel and advisors will then convene for interviews and select one artist/artist team and one alternate. This recommendation will be presented to the Art in Public Places Panel, the Austin Arts Commission, and the Austin City Council for approval. The approved art- ist(s) will be put under a design contract to coordinate with the City and project team to develop a final design, which is also subject to approval by the AIPP Panel and the Austin Arts Commission prior to fab- rication and installation. Upon approval of the Final Design, the City will execute a commission contract with the Artist for fabrication and installation. Selection Panel & Project Advisors A 3-member selection panel shall be chosen to include at least 1 visual artist. Potential Selection Panel Jurors: » Matthew Briar Bonifacio Rodriguez – Artist » Fidencio Duran – Artist » Peter Ortiz—Artist » Agustina Rodriguez—Artist » Paloma Mayorga – Artist » Candace Briceño – Artist » Claudia Apparecia Quimundi – Graphic Designer and Artist Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 6 of 9  Potential Project Advisors: » Susana Almanza – Montopolis Neighborhood Association » Georgia Steen – Montopolis Neighborhood Association » Amanda Jasso – Mexican American Community Archivist » Franklin Taylor – Montopolis Community and Business Leaders (MCBL) City of Austin Advisors: » Alison von Stein, Public Works Project Manager » Anthony Collier, Austin Convention Center Project Manager AIPP and AAC Project Advisors: » TBD – Liaison, Art in Public Places Panel » Felipe Garza – Liaison, Austin Arts Commission, District 3 The Project Team will be advised by: Department, City of Austin Department, City of Austin » Sue Lambe, AIPP Program Manager, Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development » Curt Gettman, Sr. AIPP Project Manager, Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development No gallery owner, dealer, or art agent may serve as a juror due to the potential for conflict of interest. No juror may serve more than once in any two-year period in an attempt to bring a diversity of interests to the selection process and to more precisely match the expertise of the jury members to each project. Commitment to Equity Art in Public Places embraces cultural equity. It is the goal of the program to ensure as many people as possible have meaningful engagements with public art and access to viewing, experiencing, and creating artwork. AIPP actively seeks to provide members of historically underrepresented communities with equitable access to public art opportunities. These communities may include identities such as: • Black or African-American; • Arab-American; • Asian-American; • Hispanic or LatinX; • Pacific Islander; • • • a person with a disability. Indigenous Nations; LGBTQIA; or In support of this commitment, the program will make every effort to expand access to the collection and programmatic decision-making. For each project, every effort will be made to comprise project selec- Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 7 of 9  December 2021 January February April May June July Fall tion panels and finalist pools for AIPP commissions with representatives from a variety of historically un- derrepresented communities to better reflect the diversity of Austin. Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change) 2020 June Approval of Prospectus by AIPP Panel and Austin Arts Commission Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released July August Artist information meeting September RFQ closes Selection Panel review of applications October November Commission Artist interviews and Selection Panel recommendation Approval of artist and alternate recommendations by AIPP Panel and Arts Request for City Council authority to negotiate contract with Artist Execute Design Contract with Selected Artist AIPP kick-off meeting Artist community engagement Mid-Design review by AIPP Panel Final Design approval by AIPP Panel and Arts Commission Execute Commission Contract with Selected Artist Installation of AIPP Project Begins Target Substantial Completion of Warehouse Construction Target Project Completion and Community Dedication Event Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 8 of 9  Contact/Questions Curt Gettman | Sr. Project Manager Art in Public Places | Cultural Arts Division City of Austin Economic Development Department Direct: (512) 974-9310 | Main: (512) 974-7700 Austin Convention Center Warehouse and Marshalling Yard AIPP Project June 2020 Page 9 of 9