Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager
 
 

Date

March 10, 2008

 

Agenda Item No.       41

Roll Call No.              08-

Communication No.  08-133

Submitted by:  Donald M. Tripp

                         Parks and Recreation Director

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Authorization to apply for a Vision Iowa grant to fund a portion of the expenses relating to development of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Garden.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

This action authorizes the City Manager to submit a Vision Iowa grant application to provide for a portion of the funding for expenses relating to development of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Garden proposed for the park located from 10th to 15th Streets between Locust and Grand Avenues and generally known as Western Gateway Park. 

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount: $500,000

 

Source: If the grant application is successful, $500,000 remaining from bonds previously sold for Western Gateway Park will be transferred to this sculpture garden project. PKS169 Gateway West Park  (Funded with a transfer of $500,000 of TIF backed G.O. Bonds remaining from the original Western Gateway Redevelopment Project) URR027 - 2007-2008 CIP, Economic Development Page 5.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

In February 2007, the City of Des Moines and the Des Moines Art Center announced that Des Moines philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn would be donating major pieces of sculpture to the Art Center proposed for placement in Western Gateway Park, located between 10th and 15th Streets and Grand and Locust Streets in downtown Des Moines.  This donation offers Des Moines the opportunity to showcase one of the most significant collections of art in the United States.

 

To best showcase the art in the proposed location, as well as address important issues of security and maintenance, it would be necessary to make infrastructure alterations to the current design of the park.  The projected cost for design and implementation of these changes and accommodations is $4,000,000.

 

Funding for the project is being raised privately and a Vision Iowa grant award is paramount to reaching the funding goal.  The Vision Iowa grant application request will be $1,950,000. 

 

Private and overall funding anticipated for the project at this time includes the following:

 

Wellmark

$      250,000

Principal Financial

$      250,000

Allied Nationwide

$      300,000

Patty and Jim Cownie Charitable Fund

$      250,000

Des Moines Public Art Foundation

$      500,000

City of Des Moines

$      500,000

Subtotal

$   2,050,000

John and Mary Pappajohn (appraised sculpture value)

$ 27,500,000

Vision Iowa Board Request

$   1,950,000  (Requested)

Total Project Cost

$ 31,500,000

         

The $500,000 remaining from bonds previously sold for Western Gateway Park will be transferred to this sculpture garden project.  City funds will be used for the consultant services and related soft costs. 

 

The architectural design firm of Agrest and Gandelsonas, with the support of several local sub-consultants including RDG, has been working with the City and the Art Center to create a schematic design for development of the sculpture park at Western Gateway Park.  There have been significant opportunities for public input on the proposed sculpture garden.  In addition to direct input from the Pappajohns and Des Moines Art Center, meetings have been held with stakeholders who assisted in the development of the original Western Gateway Park.  The schematic plan has also been presented to and reviewed by the Urban Design Review, Planning and Zoning, and Park and Recreation Boards.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

 

Date:  November 5, 2007

 

Roll Call Number:  07-2154

 

Action:   Professional Services Agreement with Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects, LLP for schematic design of the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden at Western Gateway Park, not to exceed $132,750.  (Council Communication No.  07-671)  Moved by Hensley to adopt.  Motion Carried 7-0.

 

Date:    May 7, 2007

 

Roll Call Number:  07-909

 

Action:  Resolution to close the hearing on Intergovernmental 28E Operating Agreement with Edmundson Art Foundation, Inc., d/b/a Des Moines Art Center for “Western Gateway” Sculpture Park.  Moved by Hensley to approve.  Motion Carried 7-0.

 

Date:  March 26, 2007

 

Roll Call Number:  07-588

 

Action:  On Intergovernmental 28E Operating Agreement with Edmundson Art Foundation, Inc., d/b/a Des Moines Art Center for “Western Gateway” Sculpture Park.   Moved by Kiernan to continue the public hearing to May 7, 2007 at 5:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers.  Motion Carried 6-1.  Absent:  Coleman.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):

 

Date:  February 5, 2008

 

Roll Call Number:  08-017

 

Action:   Park and Recreation Board approval of Schematic Design

 

Date:  February8, 2007

 

Roll Call Number:  07-016

 

Action:  Park Board received and filed the Art Center agreement for Western Gateway Park Sculpture Garden.

 

Date:  February 21, 2008                    

 

Roll Call Number:  NA

 

Action:   Information presentation of the schematic design to the Plan & Zoning Commission.

 

Date:  February 5, 2008 and March 11, 2008

 

Roll Call Number:  NA

 

Action:   Presentation to and opportunity for comment by the Urban Design Review Board

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:

 

Normal Council actions on consultant services for design, an agreement with the Des Moines Art Center, and professional service agreement for final design and construction phase services.

 

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.