“Common Threads,” the highly anticipated public art piece to be installed at U.S. Highway 160/550 in Durango, still has no contractor after a two-year delay and two failed bids. And now, it might have a new home.
Nicol Killian, the city’s assistant director of community development, suggested Tuesday that the project might move to city streets.
The project features laser-cut steel panels intended to capture the essence of life in Durango. Contractors first rejected the installation in May.
The Durango Creative Economy Commission plans to alert the community that the project is still on, members said Tuesday.
The creation and installation of the 20 metal panels, depicting Durango icons such as a bear, latte and train, was funded by a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and $25,000 in funds and in-kind contributions from the city.
The project deadline, originally set for May 31, has been extended to Sept. 30.
“I know we can’t be the only ones in this position right now where we can’t use the grant – because everyone’s so busy that nobody’s bidding on these smaller projects,” said Killian.
She could not be reached for comment Tuesday after the meeting.
About $15,000 remains from the NEA grant, and Killian said she would reach out to the organization to further extend the project’s timeline.
“The pieces are completed, and at the end of the day if we need to go back to City Council and say, ‘We need another $15,000 because we lost this grant because we took so long to get this installed.’ I’m willing to do that for this project,” she said.
She plans to consider less costly means to install the artwork.
Under a revised plan, Killian said, the project might be installed on city streets in spring.
Moving the location away from the U.S. Highway 550/160 median might spare the city the expenses of meeting Colorado Department of Transportation and traffic control criteria, Killian said.
Still, she said she was not sure that a move would ensure a successful project bid.
“Things happen, we’re OK, we’ll do whatever you want to do,” artist Bryce Pettit told the commission.
Pettit and Allison Leigh Smith were selected to fashion the panels.
They tapped into the ideas of 400 residents, students and six local artists to design the panel cutouts, according to the project’s website.
“When the bid didn’t come in the second time, we were ready to go, ‘OK, we’ll move it,’” Leigh Smith said at the meeting. “I didn’t even think of the fact that we might not get a bid for elsewhere.”
