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Commission approves donated Jaume Plensa sculpture for Merrick Park
Summary
Developers of 4241 Aurora Street will donate a Jaume Plensa bronze sculpture to Merrick Park and apply funds from two development projects to satisfy the city's Art in Public Places requirement; commission voted to accept the concept and donation after advisory boards recommended the proposal.
The Coral Gables City Commission voted Feb. 11 to accept a donated bronze sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa for installation in Merrick Park as part of the 4241 Aurora Street development.
The donation lets the developer satisfy the city's Art in Public Places requirement through an in-place artwork with an appraised value reported by staff at roughly $700,000, funded by aggregating required contributions from the 4241 Aurora project and a neighboring 4225 Ponce de Leon Boulevard project.
City arts staff said the developers and the city's Arts Advisory Panel and Cultural Development Board reviewed the proposal; both boards voted unanimously to recommend approval after neighborhood meetings and design review. Catherine Cathers, the city's arts and culture coordinator, told the commission that the sculpture and related installation costs would be borne by the developer and that the developer will also provide 10% of the artwork's value for professional maintenance.
Developer representatives described the piece as a white-painted bronze head in Plensa's familiar meditative idiom and said it was designed for the site within the new park that the developer will deed to the city. Artist representative Carlos Duran said Plensa created the work specifically for Coral Gables and emphasized its intended role as a contemplative landmark framed by new landscaping in the park.
Mayor Lago and other commissioners praised the choice as a world-class addition that aligns with the city's Centennial programming and the developer's commitment to dedicate the park to the city. No amendments were requested at the meeting; the commission approved the concept and donation in a recorded roll-call vote.
The artwork will be installed on the city-owned park parcel once the developer completes the park conveyance and the city executes a letter of understanding that will attach maintenance and insurance requirements to the project permits. Staff said the letter of understanding and final installation details, including materials and lighting, will be memorialized in permit conditions before installation.
The commission's approval allows the developer to use its required art contribution for the two combined projects to pay for the Plensa work rather than paying the fee into the public art fund.
Questions about exact installation timing, final maintenance responsibilities and any future programming around the sculpture will be addressed by staff as the permitting and park conveyance progress.
