Art Monument on Weidler St and the Sign Caps Projects are Moving Forward

While the Farrel's Icecream parlour was being demolished, the monument art work to be located at the Northeast corner of 16th and Weidler St. is moving forward.  This is a project that has been under discussion for several years and have been the object of focused discussion and design by the Monument Signage Committee.  This project is possible because of the contribution by the developers of the Marriott Residence Inn and the Aiyana Group who is developing the new 6-story mixed use project on the site formerly occupied by Farrel's.  On Tuesday March 26, the members of the monument signage committee includling Lynn Coward, Andre DeBar, Dan Delany and Eric Hess met with a committee of artists put together by the RACC (Regional Arts & Culture Council) to familarize the the artists on the committee with the project and to send letters of invitation to 5 local and regional artists to submit proposals for the artwork.  The artists will be forwarding responses by the mid-April deadline and by late May/June we hope to have an artist selected to design the artwork.

Meanwhile the sign cap projects is also moving ahead.  A final survey of the neighborhood signs have been completed and has been forwarded to the City of Portland.  The city of Portland will then check our survey and assist us with the creation of the sign toppers.  Shortly afterwards, the City Maintenance bureau will be installing the signs neighborhood wide.  About 90% of  all of the street signs in the neighbhorhood will have the toppers. The criteria for the street signs receiving the sign toppers includes visibility, consistency of placement through the neighborhood and importance.  About 85 signs toppers will be installed with another 15% will be created for reserve incase of theft or vandalism.

Eric Hess
Monument Signage Chair
March 27, 2003