Lawrenceville Arts Commission

LAWRENCEVILLE ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES Thursday, December 17, 2020 Council Assembly Room 6:00 PM 70 S. Clayton St, GA 30046 Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:01 PM my Commission Member Walden recognizing a quorum. Commission Member Sanders arrived at 6:02. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda was made by Commission Member Walden, Seconded by Commission Member Abuaisheh. Voting Yea: Commission Member Clark, Commission Member Fellows, Commission Member Walden, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Abuaisheh Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes 1. Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes Motion to approve the November 19, 2020 meeting minutes was made by Commission Member Walden, Seconded by Commission Member Abuaisheh. Voting Yea: Commission Member Clark, Commission Member Fellows, Commission Member Walden, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Abuaisheh General Discussion 2. Update on 157 North Perry Alleyway Project Chad Smith presented several new designs for the alleyway. It was determined that the construction on the building directly adjacent to the alleyway may delay this project. There may be a need to install scaffolding and possible crane use in this area to move materials to  the top floor. The additional renderings of the adjacent project, including the location of the grease traps at the rear of the building showed more detail on the front upper portion, which will include an overhang and foldable glass walls as well as glass on the rear potion. The plans for this building are being worked on and have not been presented to the City for approval yet. The restaurant has a more modern design and from the other renderings of the alleyway there was concern that the designs may conflict. Chad suggested that an art piece at the entrance of the alleyway could be made out of stainless steel to help blend the designs. He also suggested that the walkway material could possibly be extended to the end of the adjacent building to tie them in, but not cover the grease traps. He indicated the restaurant owner would like to be in the building by Cinco de Mayo, but that fall looked like it would be more realistic. Several ideas were talked about for the alleyway, including metalwork that resembled vine with lights. Commission Member Sanders indicated that cost could be a factor, particularly if there is a roof element. Chad was asked to provide additional renderings with and without the roof, along with some pricing by the January meeting. Jasmine Billings advised that the budget process is extensive and the final budget may not be approved until May, 2021. She also advised that the glass roof would require a lot of maintenance and requested Chad to submit designs with lights, but not the roof. 3. Update on The Depot District Project Chad Smith presented a new rendering that incorporates some of the design features he is working on for the Alleyway project. The newest rendering provided some vine/light features and an arched top that included the City logo. The lighting was discussed and Chad advised that with LED lighting there could be a possibility to program different colors for different seasons/events as well as a low operating cost. Commission Member Clark advised that although consistency in the signs with the alleyway project is good, they are different areas and that may be something to think about. Commission Member Sanders asked Chad to provide some additional designs and prices. Several versions can assist Council in determing the design elements they would like to be included in the signage. Chad advised that if the lights can be repetative they can also be used in the alleyway to be another way to blend the two areas. He will provide another drawing to possibly bring some of the parking deck design into the project. The design for the parking deck was taken from an old mill on Maltbie Street. It was also noted that the addition of stone or pavers for the crosswalks could be added to mark the area as The Depot. Chad was asked to provide a slightly different concept, along with pricing, by the January meeting. He indicated he would need to talk to several individuals to see if they can provide an idea of some of the costs that would be involved. 4. Public Art in the College Corridor Jasmine Billings presented a new project that involves the College Corridor area. The specific areas of focus will be the two round-a-bouts. The first round-a-bout could possibly have a gateway sign the the second could contain a sculpture. Jasmine wanted to give an overview  so the Commission Members could think about some ideas and bring those to the next meeting. Jasmine will get the dimensions of the round-a-bouts so the Commission Members can have an idea of the area they are working with. She also indicated that a timeline for the Corridor completion has not been established but it is possible it could open in the Spring. This project does not have to be completed in conjunction with the completion of the corridor. These areas would not be interactive, but could possibly be a picture moment. It was noted that near Joan Glancy Hospital there is a round-a-bout that has a large bird, as an example. 5. Incentives for Developers, Investors and Business Owners Jasmine Billings presented the Incentives for Developers, Investors and Business Owners concept. Commission Member Sanders advised that when the Bylaws were being developed, they modeled them after the City of Suwanee. In those Bylaws, the Commission is tasked with raising funds to help fund art. These incentives would be presented to developers coming into the City to provide a portion of their construction budget to fund art by either incorporating art into their development or contributing monetarily for art within the City. The incentives will more than likely be tiered since developers and small business owners would have different price points. This would be an ask of developers/business owners, not a requirement, but the tiered packet may help them to buy in easier, having all the information in one place. Jasmine will meet with Lee Merritt, of the Downtown Development Authority, as well as department heads to gather some information. It was mentioned that Matt with the adjacent restaurant may be on board to participate in this. Other Business Commission Member Sanders introduced Kathy de Cano, owner of Expressions Fine Art Gallery & Artist Studio located in The Depot District. Commission Member Sanders presented a list of the ideas for future art projects. She indicated she would e-mail the document to the members so they can see the ideas. This will be on the agenda for January's meeting. Jasmine Billings advised that the 2021 meeting calendar is final and reminded members that they will now meet every second Tuesday of the month beginning in January, not Thursday. Citizen Comments Comments will be limited to 2 minutes per person. Art Commission members will not respond to comments. It was noted that The Depot Sign will be a welcome addition to the area. Final Adjournment Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Commission Member Clark, Seconded by Commission Member Walden. Voting Yea: Commission Member Clark, Commission Member Fellows, Commission Member Walden, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Abuaisheh The meeting ended at 7:37 PM.