The City of Tampa is undergoing a nationwide search for an artist to create a piece for the new City Center at Hanna Avenue. A selection committee has expressed an interest in a large, signature sculpture to function as a welcome and identifier for a significant city facility. The plaza where the artwork will be located is to become the center of the social, cultural, and economic life of East Tampa, the ‘Agora’. The deadline for artists to submit their proposal is November 18, 2022.
City Center at Hanna Avenue
The City of Tampa is constructing a government services facility on the vacant property at 2515 East Hanna Avenue. This facility, called The City Center at Hanna Avenue, will be a state-of-the-art LEED Silver building. The 161,000 sq. ft. will house employees from seven City departments.
The idea behind having government building in this area is to improve customer experience for citizens and businesses, offer a community gathering space, provide much need green space for surrounding neighborhoods, and eliminate the need to lease space for City departments at a cost savings. Besides the City Center, a parking garage and fleet maintenance enclosure will also be on the 11-acre site.
Related: Small Businesses to Help in Construction of Hanna Avenue City Center
The entry plaza will contain a multipurpose lawn, paved area, and stepped terraces for different events and activities. A solar canopy will provide cover while producing energy. The multipurpose lawn and pavement area will have rain gardens to filter stormwater runoffs naturally.
Additionally, the spaces of the main building facing the entry plaza will include a community room and a café. The sculpture on the paved area should anchor the public plaza and give a sense of identity to the community of East Tampa.
Artwork guidelines
The selection committee would like the artwork to be a large signature sculpture to function as a welcome and identifier for a significant city facility.
The Artist or Artist Team commissioned for each site will:
- Work with city staff and design team
- Some level of community engagement will be required
- Participate in design proposal reviews, respond to feedback
- Implement the approved design proposal
- Create a maintenance manual for the work of art
- Provide content for interpretative signage about the artwork