Public Art Committee approves restoration and relocation of 'Mr. Red' to City Hall campus; orders study of vacant Gulfstream pad options

The Public Art Committee unanimously approved restoration and relocation of the painted-aluminum sculpture known locally as “Mr. Red” (artist: the late David Langley) from storage to the City Hall campus, citing repeated storm and vandal damage at the sculpture’s former Gulfstream/Coconut Avenue location. The committee also directed staff to explore options for the vacant concrete pad at Gulfstream and Coconut Avenue, including commissioning a new, more durable artwork for that site or relocating an existing sculpture there.

Public comment from long-time Bayfront residents urged keeping Mr. Red in the Bayfront neighborhood rather than moving it to City Hall. Linda Holler Sloan, speaking from the Bayfront neighborhood, asked the committee to consider alternate locations in the neighborhood and to restore lighting and other amenities on the Gulfstream pad if the sculpture is moved. Staff said Mr. Red had been damaged multiple times (repair costs documented over the years) and is now in storage; restoration estimates were shared and staff reported the sculpture may have been designed originally for indoor display and is vulnerable outdoors.

Staff proposed relocating the restored sculpture to a mulch area at the northwest corner of City Hall among red-flowering Jatropha trees, a site with security camera coverage, ambient lighting and fewer wind and vehicular risks. Restoration work quoted by staff included a repair estimate of about $9,500 from a familiar restoration vendor plus an anticipated foundation cost of roughly $5,000–$6,000. Committee members discussed alternatives including commissioning a new steel sculpture and scoping the costs of moving large existing pieces from other collection locations.

The committee voted unanimously to (1) restore and move Mr. Red to the City Hall campus and (2) direct staff to explore options for the Gulfstream pad — including a hybrid approach of public outreach for replacement ideas and engineering/cost estimates for relocating or installing alternative works — and return with a staff report at a future meeting. Committee members emphasized the need for a durable, site-appropriate replacement on the Gulfstream pad if Mr. Red is relocated.