Carmel redevelopment staff unveil Public Art Master Plan, interactive story map; commission approves routine minutes and claims

The Carmel Redevelopment Commission heard an executive director update at its regular meeting in City Council Chambers that highlighted a newly completed Public Art Master Plan and an interactive online “story map” and set of public-art walking tours, while approving routine minutes and claims.

The plan and accompanying online map were prepared by redevelopment staff with support from city information-technology personnel, the commission was told. “But this is for the first time ever that you can find all of the city's public art on a website,” the Executive Director said, describing the new resource and the walking-tour feature designed for mobile devices.

The Public Art Master Plan inventories current works, sets guidelines for future acquisitions and donations, and includes intake forms and review criteria, officials said. Larissa Glaspie, senior project manager with redevelopment staff, led most of the work on the plan; Shane Burnham, a city GIS specialist, contributed the mapping and web functionality. Staff described the work as done largely in-house rather than contracted to outside consultants.

Also in the director’s report, staff provided an update on redevelopment projects in the city center. The commission was shown progress photos of Monon Square North and told multifamily construction has begun and for-sale condo work is about to mobilize. First On Main is open, Magnolia is continuing build-out, and staff said 20 of 25 units in a referenced condo project have sold. The AT&T site was described as moving quickly and includes two-story rental townhomes. Artalon Plaza is being enclosed. Staff noted Signature 55 had been approved previously by City Council and that redevelopment staff are “working through those issues now.”

Financial information presented to the commission included an end-of-month balance for September of $8,600,003 and a total including restricted funds of $20,777,734, Mr. Lee reported. Mr. Lee also presented two sets of claims: one from non-operating expenses totaling $17,841.65 and a second from 2021 taxable general-obligation (lit) bonds totaling $189.57; the commission approved the claims by voice vote.

The executive director said the public-art story map and the walking tours (half-mile and one-mile routes) will be posted to the city website and are accessible from the government > boards and commissions > Advisory Commission on the Arts page once links are updated. Staff emphasized the tours are optimized for mobile devices so users can follow routes while walking.

With no other agenda items raised, the commission set its next meeting for Wednesday, Oct. 19 (location: City Council Chambers) and adjourned pending execution of documents.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve minutes of Sept. 17, [motion text not specified]. Outcome: approved by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies not recorded in the transcript.

- Motion: Approve claims — non-operating expenses $17,841.65 and 2021 lit GO bonds $189.57 (presented by Mr. Lee). Outcome: approved by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies not recorded in the transcript.