http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/ind...dest=STY-83301
Waterfront, Scottsdale reach deal on art
By Lindsay Butler, Tribune
February 1, 2007
One of Scottsdale’s most valuable and prominent art pieces is a step closer to reality.
Scottsdale leaders approved an agreement Tuesday with developers of the Scottsdale Waterfront that will allow the city’s public art program to maintain a large sculpture planned on a busy corner of the private property.
When it is complete “The Doors” will be a 28-foot sculpture of three wooden doors resting against each other with mirror-polished stainless steel inside, meant to catch sunlight and create a kaleidoscope effect.
The art will stand on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Camelback roads in front of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro sometime before May.
“We know it will become a destination piece of artwork, and people are going to really love to interact with all the personalities of the piece,” said Margaret Bruning, public art associate director.
The deal marks the first time a developer donated to the city a work of art required by a private development ordinance. Passed in 1988, it requires downtown developers to dedicate 1 percent of a project’s value to an art piece.
The Scottsdale Waterfront development committed $1 million to public art, half of which will go toward the door sculpture, created by nationally renowned sculptor Donald Lipski, according to city reports.
The other half will be used for other artwork in the development.
Thanks to an easement agreement with the city, the public art program will be responsible for maintaining the artwork over the years.
Bruning said the doors will be surfaced in Ipe (ee-pay) wood, which is very dense and should hold up against the climate.
In October, the Scottsdale Public Art Board approved an additional $95,300 to add lighting, landscaping and seating to the project.
“We expect this to be a landmark, with the artwork visible to motorists, but it will mean something for pedestrians, as well,” Bruning said.
The piece is still under construction in Denver as the area’s snowy weather delayed metalwork that had to be done outside, Bruning said. It won’t be installed here until late spring.