Gatewave Artwork for the Transit Center
The design of the new Redondo Beach Transit Center, which is anticipated to open in 2022, includes the installation of a significant public art piece. In April, 2011, the City Council approved the public artwork titled “Gatewave” at a then estimated cost of $75,000 to be funded by Proposition C Transportation Local Return funds. Due to the span of time between the City Council’s initial approval of the artwork and the actual completion of the transit center project, the cost of the public art installation is now $270,000. The increase is due to updated material pricing and changes to the cost for the artist’s time and production method.
The Public Art Commission discussed the final changes to the project’s cost at meetings on July 28 and September 22, 2021 and voted to recommend that the City Council allocate $200,000 from the John Parsons Public Art Fund to cover the art installation increase and provide $5,000 for project contingency.
In October 2020, the City broke ground on a capital improvement project to construct a new transit center at 1521 Kingsdale Avenue, adjacent to the Target retail store and across the street from the South Bay Galleria and South Bay Marketplace.
The Transit Center is partially funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and as part of the FTA’s funding guidance, the inclusion of public artwork was encouraged and proposed to be separately funded with Dedicated Transportation Proposition C Local Return Funds at $75,000. With this incorporated funding, a systematic process of request for qualifications (RFQ) and request for proposals (RFP) for public art was initiated by the Public Art Commission to identify potential public art for inclusion at the transit center site. Ultimately, on April 19, 2011, the City Council unanimously approved a proposal by Volkan Alkanoglu for the public artwork “Gatewave” and a project budget of $75,000.
At the time of selection, Mr. Alkanoglu was a resident in Los Angeles and was teaching at Los Angeles based universities. Included in the artist’s original proposal and budget was the use of local university students for research and assembly labor for the project.
The artist has since relocated to Portland and has completed many significant public artworks. His art and additional information can be viewed at www.alkanoglu.com. Due to the span of time between the City Council’s initial approval of the artwork and the construction of the transit center project, the artist’s new residence, the current price of materials, and the absence of a student labor force; the cost for the artwork is now $270,000.
After receiving the final costs, the Public Art Commission again considered the project and voted to allocate the full $200,000 needed to complete the art installation. The approval of the additional funding and agreement, will allow the artist to begin the process of design and construction. The construction phase is estimated to take approximately six months, and will be completed after the opening of the new Redondo Beach Transit Center.
At the November 2, 2021 City Council meeting, a budget modification was presented. The Council members from District 1, 2, 3 and 4 decided they did not approve of the new location of the artwork. The artwork would be placed in the back, still visible to bus riders and to train riders but not visible from Kingsdale Avenue.
By a 4 to 1 vote, Council decided to send this item back to the Public Art Commission for recommendations of other locations.
Click here to see recommended locations
If the artwork is moved, the original $275,000 Gatewave artwork would be placed in District 2 and all the money would come from the Art Fund. Then the City would place a less expensive artwork at the Transit Center in District 4. The new artwork budget would be $175,000.