City of Rochester
News Release
(Friday, April 12, 2013) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards announced today that the City’s Art Walk Extension Project has been awarded the Transportation Project of the Year by the New York State Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA).
“I want to congratulate Commissioner Paul Holahan and his staff in the Department of Environmental Services and all the private-sector partners who contributed to the tremendous success of this project,” said Mayor Richards. “Those of us who have been close to the Art Walk Extension for so many years are extremely pleased with the outcome and have long appreciated the value it adds to the Neighborhood of the Arts. It is gratifying when our perceptions are validated by outside judges who fully understand the complexity of a project of this magnitude.”
Mayor Richards also credited City partners in Artwalk Rochester, the Neighborhood of the Arts, the Village Gate and the Memorial Art Gallery and the Rochester Museum and Science Center for the success of the project.
The APWA Project of the Year Award series was established to promote excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by recognizing the alliance between the managing agency, the engineer and a contractor, who together have led to a successful completion of a public works project. City Engineer James McIntosh accept the award at an APWA ceremony Thursday evening.
Art Walk Extension is an “outdoor museum” along University Avenue between Union and Goodman Streets. The $9 million project was launched in 2009 and completed in September, resulting in a unique blend of the City’s investment in public infrastructure and the artistic expression of community stakeholders.
Art Walk Extension includes a new streetscape designed specifically to encourage pedestrian activity, combined with the works of more than 40 artists, totaling more than $350,000 in public art installations. Major works include pieces at the Village Gate shopping and entertainment center, the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG), which conducted an extensive renovation of its grounds in conjunction with the project.
“Even in the few months since the project's completion, it has been a delight to witness the increased interaction of pedestrians of all ages with artwork and amenities on the MAG grounds and adjacent artistic sidewalks,” said Margie Searl, the MAG’s Chief Curator. “Opening up MAG grounds in tandem with the Art Walk Extension Project creates a renewed neighborhood campus characterized by aesthetic distinction, architectural interest and civic engagement.”
Bergmann Associates was the prime consultant for the project, providing engineering, landscape architecture and planning services. Additionally, Bergmann Associates managed the local public art projects and assisted in the management of the non-local art installations.
“Our team is pleased and excited about the finished product, one that truly reflects a unique blend of art and science,” said Mark McAnany, PE, Bergmann Associates’ Project Manager.
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News Media: For more information, contact Paul Holahan, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services, at 428-6855.