Rockville Town Square Call for Entries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The City of Rockville, in partnership with RD Rockville, LLC and Federal Realty Investment Trust, is pleased to announce Call for Entries for nine public art projects in support of a $500,000 commitment to integrate publicly accessible art into a vibrant Rockville Town Square where “progress lies, not in enhancing what is – but advancing toward, what will be” a completely new redeveloped area within the active core of Rockville Town Center. These site-specific public art projects are seen as opportunities to honor and embrace Rockville’s long history and rich cultural diversity. The presence of public art throughout the area is viewed as a means to engage and involve those who visit for the first time as well as those who experience Rockville Town Square daily. These public art projects will become part of the identity of Rockville. All finalists must identify how their proposed project is significant to Rockville in content. How does the art relate to Rockville’s “past, present and/or future?” How does the art embody the “who, what, when or where” of Rockville? Rockville Town Square is a 15-acre project that will create an active destination featuring a mixed-use environment with: street level retail, restaurants and shops, more than 600 residential units built in the four stories above the retail, a new cultural arts building for the visual arts; a public plaza designed to host concerts and other special events, a new Rockville Regional Library (the largest in the Montgomery County system) and three parking garages. Rockville Town Square is one block from the Rockville Metro station serving the Washington-Metropolitan region and Rockville Pike/Route 355, a main artery of the City of Rockville and surrounding Montgomery County. The area is also within a short walking distance of many Rockville neighborhoods. The development cost for Rockville Town Square is $352 million. This unique project has the private sector contributing $264 million and the public sector $88 million. Investors include the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, State of Maryland, the Federal government, RD Rockville, LLC, and Federal Realty Investment Trust. Adjoining properties are being developed by Foulger-Pratt, KSI Services, Inc., and Rockville Center Inc. all augmenting the mixed-use needs of the community. In addition to the public art opportunities presented here, Federal Realty Investment Trust is contracting with Selbert-Perkins Environmental Graphics to help create an overall sense of place for the redevelopment project. Their efforts will address: “Identification” – street gateways and aspects of the parking garages; “Directions” – pedestrian signage, kiosks, and vehicular signage; and “Amenities” – surface engravings, and other elements, that all combine to help tell the story of Rockville and its Town Center. On June 15, 2004, the ground breaking for Rockville Town Square was held. The targeted grand opening is planned for late 2006. Public Art Projects Theme Eligibility Location Media Budgets Project Coordination Contracts Facilitation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1. North Washington Street Façade 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2. North Washington Street Façade 2 3 architectural niches each approximately 10’ x 16’ Budget $60,000 The site is an exterior street level wall of a grocery store located on a very busy street. Media for this project is open. (Map location #2 - N. Washington Street near Beall Avenue) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 3. North Washington Street and Beall Avenue Corner Concave wall niche creates space for 2-D or 3-D work of art Budget $25,000 This street level site at a significant corner offers a mural or sculpture opportunity for primarily pedestrian viewing in an alcove at a major crosswalk and bus stop. The concave wall relates architecturally to the corner tower of the five-story building directly above. (Map location #3 – N. Washington Street and Beall Avenue) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4. Beall Avenue and Maryland Avenue (West Side) Sculpture and/or wall treatment Budget $30,000 This site is at a major intersection, directly in front of the Rockville Regional Library (visible from the children’s section of the library) and across the street from the entrance to a residential building. The site contains a curved seat wall within a small public gathering area. Artistic treatments of the seat wall and/or sculpture incorporated into the site will be considered. There is an opportunity that the artwork on this site may relate to the artwork at the same intersection on the east side; but this is not a requirement. (Map location #4 – Beall Avenue and Maryland Avenue) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5. Beall Avenue and Maryland Avenue (East Side) Sculpture in coordination to fountain base Budget $100,000 This site is at a major intersection directly in front of the entrance to a residential building and across the street from the Rockville Regional Library. The site is within a small public plaza/gathering area. The base for the sculpture will be within the design of the fountain. Although the fountain will be designed by the developer, there must be collaboration with the artist for that design. There is an opportunity that the artwork on this site may relate to the artwork at the same intersection on the west side; but this is not a requirement. (Map location #5 – Beall Avenue and Maryland Avenue) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6. Hungerford Drive Parking Garage Façade Façade treatment Budget $80,000 This public art site is perhaps the most visible due to its dominant location on Rockville’s main artery Route 355 and its proximity to the Rockville Metro Station. Tens of thousands of people will pass by each day. The art project is expected to address the wall area of the parking garage on upper floors. (There is a plan for a landscape/planting enhancement on the street level). The public art project must not overly restrict the natural lighting nor the airflow to the parking garage. (Map location #6 – Hungerford Drive) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7. East Middle Lane Mural Temporary mural/banner Budget $10,000 This exterior 40’ x 50’ wall will be a very prominent location until future development on adjacent property is completed (expected in 5 to 10 years) that will restrict visibility of the space. The site will serve as a first impression for many pedestrians and vehicles entering the area. A banner format is recommended for lower cost, for maintenance and ease of removal when the site changes. (Map location #7 – East Middle Lane) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8. North Maryland Avenue Sidewalks Surface grade art images interspersed within the sidewalk created out of individually laid pavers or other materials; such as tile and bronze. Budget $40,000 This section of Maryland Avenue is an extension of an existing street that will become the new “main street” for Rockville Town Center. This art project emphasizes the importance of the high volume of projected pedestrian traffic in the area. A focus on placement of discovery elements within sidewalk areas near street intersections where pedestrians will be gathered is an option. (Map location #8 – North Maryland Avenue) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 9. Newmarket Street Art experience based on discovery of a series of many separate elements Budget $40,000 Newmarket Street is a new one-block long street designed to be a busy retail corridor filled with activity and special interests such as restaurants with outdoor seating accommodations. This street will be closed at times to host special events. Mid-block it provides access to the new large public plaza. Working from the concept “Things Left Behind,” the artist is challenged to create an art interaction that may best be experienced by returning to the site many times. (Map location #9 – Newmarket Street) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rockville Town Square Grand Opening 2006 The many different main components that make up Town Center are as follows: library, parking garages, town plaza, residential living, retail establishments and Rockville Metro Plaza. View our progress online at www.rockvilletownsquare.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Open Competition Selection Process
Submission Requirements All artists applying must provide the following materials:
Mail application materials to: Deadline for applications is postmarked 8/15/05. For more information contact:
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