The District is looking for local artists to spruce up a soon-to-open mixed-use development near the Washington Convention Center.
At CityVista, a project of condominiums, apartments and retail located at 5th and K streets Northwest, the District and lead developer Lowe Enterprises are collaborating to upgrade the look and feel of the site’s public spaces. The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities has budgeted $200,000 for several works of art, which will be selected through a competitive process.
Two projects are planned. One, at 5th and K, will feature artwork in CityVista’s public plaza. The goal, according to the commission, “is to create a unique freestanding element or plaza art that expresses the character of the surrounding neighborhood while creating a contemporary landmark that will contribute to the growth of this area.”
The second arts project, budgeted for $50,000 of the $200,000, features the decoration of the large exhaust vent feeding air to the CityVista parking garage.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity to have some type of artistic enhancement at the facade of the building,” arts commission spokeswoman Rachel Dickerson said. “It’s on street level and it’s kind of an eyesore.”
In both cases, Dickerson said, CityVista will have a say in what ultimately is sculpted or painted on the property. As for the public art’s price tag, she said, “We’re looking for some good stuff.”
Submissions are due Feb. 15.
CityVista has a comprehensive landscape plan for public areas along K Street, CityVista development manager Lisa Wiersma said. But the District’s planning office has taken a proactive approach to make the site more appealing.
The development is slated to include 441 condominiums and 244 apartments in three buildings, a Safeway, a Results Gym and a private, landscaped “Vista Green.”
