Downtown ramp won’t include temporary mural after all

The artists applied, but in the end, consensus on a favorite couldn’t be reached.

So the downtown parking ramp will remain as it is, minus temporary artwork.

Last fall, the city partnered with the Sioux Falls Arts Council to look for artists and artist teams to submit qualifications to create and execute a temporary mural on the 10th Street parking ramp. The ramp along 10th Street east of Phillips Avenue is operating, but a private development with it never materialized.

The project, sponsored by MarketBeat, had a  budget of $28,500, and it needed to be done by June 30. As a temporary mural, it’s possible it would be visible only for 18 months depending on future development at the location. The city also is in the process of working through potential private development projects that would further utilize the site.

At the December meeting of the city’s Visual Arts Commission, it was reported that four members voted for a piece by Amber Hansen, Reyna Hernandez and Darcy Millette, with two members voting for work by Eric Vozzola. After a second round of voting, they unanimously endorsed the trio of artists, according to the minutes.

Then, according to minutes from the commission’s January meeting, Mayor Paul TenHaken had selected Vozzola’s design for “The Dance of Creativity.”

The city continues to work with prospective developers interested in the property, making the duration any work would appear on the ramp uncertain, Eckhoff said.

“The timing is such that we couldn’t guarantee we could get it (the mural) done this year. Consequently, it diminishes the value for a sponsor,” he said. “We know eventually development will come, and we decided to not do anything at this time. We did enhancement last year to the front of it, and I think we’ve improved it to that point but not going forward.”

Last year, a turfed area was installed alongside the ramp for a pop-up park. The plan is to offer activities there again this year.

This is the second time the city has tried to beautify the exterior of the ramp. The first attempt didn’t produce a partnership for a design either.