James Lofley, of the Purchasing Department, Carries Some of the Submissions to the Planning Office; Heavy Work If You Can Get It!

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,557)

Interest in the redesign project of Congress Square Park has been high, possibly breaking records for the number of submissions of qualifications for the two part project. Last December, the city issued RFQs for landscape designers and for visual artists in an open call reported herein. The response to both aspects of the project was possibly because of the high visibility of the location – the Park is located beside the high-end Westin Hotel and across the Street from the Portland Museum of Art on Congress Street.

The City’s planning department has partnered with the Portland Public Art Committee, Chair Lin Lisberger, and the Friends of Congress Street, David LaCasse President,  to administer the Redesign.  Caitlin Cameron, Urban Planner, for the City is the contact person from city hall.

One hundred and nine (109) submissions were received at the purchasing department at city hall as of Thursday, January 28, afternoon – the deadline. Ninety-seven of those submissions were from visual artists and twelve were from landscape designers.  The twelve are: Balmond Studio, Balmori Associates, BETA, Callahan & LeBleu, CRJA, Deandstudio, Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture, PRESENT Architecture, Standard Issue, Terry DeWan & Associates with Olin Studio WRT and Zaad Studio.