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Duarte council approves utility‑box public art plan and funds remaining installations
Summary
After reviewing 81 submissions, council approved finalist artwork for 15 utility‑box locations and authorized staff to implement remaining installations at an estimated additional cost of $22,000 (bringing the program to about $52,000 total), with staff to coordinate artists and preserve unselected designs for other sites.
The Duarte City Council reviewed designs from an 81‑entry call for artists and approved finalist art for the remaining utility‑box locations along the city’s Huntington Drive Route 66 corridor and other sites.
Management Analyst Albert Nunez presented the selection process and recommended that several non‑selected finalist designs be retained for future locations to maximize quality and flexibility. "Given the high level of interest and the high quality of artwork we received... city staff is recommending that the city retain and implement the non‑selective finalist artwork submissions to the remaining locations pending artist coordination and consent," Nunez said.
Councilors discussed placing a Tongva‑themed piece closer to the San Gabriel River, prioritizing Route 66‑themed pieces for parade locations, and ensuring visibility for boxes on higher‑speed stretches. Council members asked staff to try to keep some strong but unused options in reserve for other sites. Installation, stipends and production for the additional locations were estimated at $22,000; with the department’s current $30,000 allocation, that would bring the program to about $52,000 in total. Staff said funds are available in the public art account.
Council voted to approve the recommended implementation and to move forward with artist coordination and installations.
What happens next: staff will coordinate with selected artists on final designs, confirm stipends and installation schedules and attempt to respect siting requests (for example, placing Tongva imagery nearer the riverbed). Larger or higher‑cost pieces that exceed prevailing‑wage thresholds will be handled per procurement rules.
