Artist needed for retrofit project at Delridge CSO facility

One of the lesser-discussed combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) facility projects in the works for West Seattle – a retrofit for the city’s facility in Delridge – will also include a “1% for Art” project. That’s the fund created by the Public Art Ordinance more than a quarter-century ago. The announcement of this comes by way of this call for applications from interested artists:

The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), seeks an artist or artist team to develop a permanent, site-integrated artwork for the North Delridge Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Retrofit Project. The project is located in West Seattle’s Delridge neighborhood. The call is open to established professional artists residing and eligible to work in the United States. Applications are due 11 p.m., Monday, March 18, 2013 (Pacific Daylight Time). Go to www.seattle.gov/arts for a link to the online application.

Beginning in late 2014, SPU will install new hydraulic controls and active-control technology at the facility, with gates, pumps and sensors that monitor and control the amount of flow that is allowed to enter the downstream sewer system. Based on SPU’s work to retrofit the CSO tank, the selected artist will work with the CSO project design team, SPU staff and community members to design, fabricate and install an artwork at the CSO Tank 168 facility at 2106 S.W. Orchard St. The artwork should focus on the agency’s system-wide stormwater infrastructure and solutions designed to protect local water quality. The artwork should also address stormwater management as it relates to SPU’s work, the local community and natural elements of the nearby Longfellow Creek watershed. The artwork can include a variety of media including light, stone, steel, glass, sound and passive water features.

The Delridge CSO control and storage facilities were constructed in 1982 and were among the first CSO facilities built by the city. They are the city’s largest existing CSO storage facilities, with each tank providing 1.6 million gallons of sewer and stormwater overflow storage. Despite being sized to store a 10-year flood event, sewer overflows into local waterways from each facility have continued to exceed a long-term average of one overflow per year. The retrofit project’s improvements will optimize the performance of the facilities and reduce the frequency and volume of untreated stormwater and raw sewage overflows into Longfellow Creek.

The CSO project is currently in design through mid-2014 and construction is expected to begin in late 2014. Project completion is expected in late 2015. The artist will work with SPU and its consultants to develop an artwork that will be constructed within the project schedule.

The total budget for the artwork project is $200,000 inclusive of all costs to design, fabricate and install the artwork. The artwork is funded by SPU 1% for Art funds and administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

7 Replies to "Artist needed for retrofit project at Delridge CSO facility"

  • me February 1, 2013 (3:18 pm)

    Its time we get rid of the 1% for Art and replace it with a 1% for Schools….

  • sam-c February 1, 2013 (3:36 pm)

    i’m with me, especially if the art turns out to be a regurgitated version of the artist’s previous work. (ie, the art at Fire Station 37 and ‘breathing post’ in lake oswego.)

  • Cardiff February 1, 2013 (9:31 pm)

    We have such an incredibly vibrant cityscape compared to so many others precisely because of the 1% program. It’s vitally important to keep it alive.

    Schools will continue to levy and tax… And we all pay. And we’ll continue to see – well, lots of money spent questionably by bureaucrats. Arts has far fewer ways to fund. 1% continues to impact seattle in what would otherwise be a rounding error. And it’s really making a difference.

  • West Seattle Hipster February 2, 2013 (4:20 pm)

    I agree with “me”.

    Tax dollars need to be spend more efficiently.

  • Steak February 2, 2013 (5:57 pm)

    Screw the schools, give me some cool art! What’s the matter Me, levy after levy not enough for you and your kids? Consider private school if you don’t think public schools get enough funding.

  • rhumphres February 2, 2013 (6:51 pm)

    Where is the application form link?

  • Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs February 4, 2013 (9:55 am)

    Hi rhumphres – you can find the application form here: http://www.seattle.gov/arts/publicart/calls_for_art.asp#stormwater

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