Palo Alto art staff authorized to apply for Santa Clara County grant to fund next phase of Roth Building fresco restoration

The Palo Alto Public Art Commission on Sept. 18 unanimously authorized staff to submit a Santa Clara County historic-heritage grant application to fund a second phase of restoration work on fresco panels at the Roth Building.

Staff presentation: why it matters Nadia, a public art staff member, told the commission the proposed second phase would “really focus on the restoration of the grisaille panels and sepia medallions,” work that conservators have identified as more fragile and technically complicated. She told commissioners the county opened intake for a new round of historic-heritage grants and staff consider the program “a really great fit” for the Roth Building project. The application deadline is Oct. 23, 2025; staff said they planned to submit earlier because of the upcoming CodeArt event on Oct. 16.

What staff said about timing, budget and funding Staff said the work, if funded, would take place in 2027 and that the city expects to know whether the grant is awarded by the end of 2026. Staff told the commission the county grant under consideration does not require a city match but operates on a reimbursement basis. To proceed if the grant is awarded, staff said the city would need a council action to transfer funds into the capital improvement project (CIP) so the work could be carried out and later reimbursed. The transcript materials indicate the earlier (phase 1) grant was $105,000; the meeting materials provided an estimated budget figure for phase two that was not clearly specified in the transcript.

Commission discussion and vote Commissioners asked whether the city would have to front money and how reimbursement would work; staff confirmed the city identified available funds in the Roth Building CIP to front the work and that the funds would be returned to the CIP when the city submitted the finalized reimbursement packet. A motion to authorize staff to prepare and submit the grant application carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Context and next steps Staff said conservators who worked on phase one remain available and have provided a treatment proposal and estimated budget. If the grant is awarded and accepted by the city, staff said the restoration work would be scheduled for 2027 to accommodate the grant review and contracting timeline. The commission’s vote gives staff permission to complete the application; any required budget amendment or council action would follow typical city processes if the award is made.