Public Art Master Plan

The Feathers Three (2024-2026) by Kirk Seese

As of Jan. 17, 2024, visitors to the Botanical Gardens can enjoy a new sculpture while taking in the exhibits of plants and flowers. Titled “The Feathers Three” and created by visual artist Kirk Seese, the work stands more than 14 feet tall and is comprised of steel, medium density overlay board and acrylic sealer. The sculpture is on loan for two years through the City of Port St. Lucie’s Art in Public Places Master Plan.

Nouveau Crane (2023-2025) by Lee Bell

Beginning Dec. 4, 2023, visitors to Port St. Lucie City Hall will be greeted by a sandhill crane sculpture standing more than seven feet tall. Titled “Nouveau Crane,” the sculpture was created by artist Lee Bell and is on loan with the City for two years as part of Port St. Lucie’s Art in Public Places Master Plan.

Minsky Gym mural (2022) by Eduardo Mendieta

A large-scale public mural in Port St. Lucie celebrates culture and diversity through sports and recreation at Whispering Pines Park. The vivid “City for All People”-themed mural is located on the exterior wall of Robert E. Minsky Gym, facing Southwest Darwin Boulevard.

The mural showcases four multicultural children playing a variety of sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball and football, and enjoying the park amenities. On either side of the children are depictions of a mother and grandmother watching from the sidelines and an elderly man basking in the sun on a park bench. The colorful background, inspired by Seminole Patchwork, is a stylized sunset honoring the Native American people who settled in Florida in the 18th century. The word “community” dramatically overlays the vibrant 81-foot-tall section of the mural (81 feet 2 inches wide x 10 feet 2 inches tall).

IMAG_NE (2021)

At the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens a 14-foot wide interactive sculpture by Australian artist Emma Anna. This art installation spells “imagine,” minus the second “I,” in oversized Scrabble tiles. This absence operates as a blank canvas, inviting the audience to physically engage with the work in order to complete the word.

Spinnakers at Veranda (2021)

Located at the Becker Road roundabout at the entrances to Veranda Gardens and Veranda Preserves is the work of artist David Harber. This dynamic, large-scale sculpture sits on a gently raised base where the spinnakers are elevated. Although the first impression of the sculpture is an abstract interpretation of “sails” catching the wind, the overall goal of the entire piece from base to the sails is one of movement and the environment – wind, water, soil, the sense of movement, and as important, the play of light.

Relate (2020)

Michael Szabo’s graceful bronze and stainless-steel sculpture resembling orchid leaves is slated for permanent installation at the Bayshore Boulevard and Selvitz Road roundabout. Lighting will give motorists a dramatic view after dark.

Dark Planet & Mantel (Gatlin Blvd., 2018)

Privately commissioned by MIDFLORIDA Credit Union, Sculptor David Harber, transformed raw nature into geometry, creating a play between the tactile and the visual with two large modern outdoor sculptures. The Dark Planet fountain is a tantalizing water feature made from hundreds of black puddle stones, carefully positioned to form a perfect square. The spherical water fountain is displayed as if floating on a large reflective pool. Water gently tumbles over its surface of glistening dark pebble stones creating a water feature that is both an aural and visual delight. 

Mantle has a delicate latticework with hundreds of bronze petals internal illumination. The glow suggests an inner life force, even more dramatic at night. 

Crosstown Parkway Bridge Guy Harvey Sculptures (2018)

Thousands of motorists a day see the corner towers of the Crosstown Parkway bridge. The towers feature the Indian River Lagoon in a tile marine scene by famed marine artist Guy Harvey. The graceful metal seagrass sculptures on top were created by American Bronze Foundry, directed by Charles Wambold. The design was created by a visualization artist from the design team RS&H. The tile work for Guy Harvey’s art, by Porcelains Unlimited, cost $128,827 while the seagrass sculptures cost $198,647. They were paid out of the Crosstown Parkway budget.

Duo (2017)

Grove Park apartments, at 2033 S.E. Lennard Road, privately purchased a curving bronze sculpture by Charles Strain called Duo after approval by the city council. Abstractly representing two people within its beautiful curving lines, it is easily visible to anyone driving by.

Hydra

Home developer Del Webb installed an elegant sculpture by David Harber called Hydra at the entrance to its community in Tradition on the southwest corner of Village Parkway and Open View Drive in Tradition.

Indian River Lagoon Mural (2014)

Visitors to City Hall, 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd., can see a painting by muralist Shannon Paul Wiley of the Indian River Lagoon reflecting big puffy clouds in its waters. It is one of the oldest pieces of public art in Port St. Lucie.

For the purposes of the Art in Public Places program art, artwork or work of art means an original physical work created or produced by an Artist. Artwork may be free-standing or integrated with the work of other design professionals into a building or site. Artwork may be new or may be an existing work of art.

Artwork may include, but is not limited to:

1. Sculpture: Free-standing, wall supported or suspended; kinetic, electronic; in any material or combination of materials.
2. Murals or portable paintings: in any material or variety of materials.
3. Fiber works, neon, glass, mosaics, photographs, prints, calligraphy, earthworks, any combination of forms of media, including light, sound, literary elements, film, holographic images, and video systems; hybrids of any media and new genres.
4. Furnishings or fixtures, including, but not limited to gates, railings, lighting, street lights, signage, seating, if created by artists as unique elements or limited editions.
5. Artistic or aesthetic elements of the overall architecture or landscape design if created by a professional artist or a design team that includes a professional visual artist. Such design elements may include pools, paths, benches, planters, and fixtures and vegetative materials where designed by a professional visual artist and/or are an integral part of the artwork by the artist.
6. Temporary artwork or installation that serve the purpose of providing community and educational outreach.
7. The incremental costs of infrastructure elements, such as sound walls, utility structures, roadway elements, and other items if designed by an artist as a co-designer.

Art in public places provides meaning to our public spaces, reflects the history of our city, adds uniqueness to our neighborhoods, and humanizes our built environment. Public art provides the intersection between our past, present, and future, and also has the power to transform our city because our neighborhoods gain social, economic, and cultural value through public art.

• Social Value: When people see themselves reflected in their civic spaces, they have a sense of attachment that allows them to feel ownership and respect.
• Economic Value: Enhancing the identity and character of Port St. Lucie through public art directly supports cultural tourism and economic development strategies, which can attract and retain residents.
• Cultural Value: Public Art has the power to create uniqueness through the reflection of the local history and culture which gives communities a sense of place and identity. Public art provides a visual mechanism for understanding other cultures and perspectives, creating social cohesion and encouraging civic engagement. Though the reinforcement of culture, public art acts as a catalyst for unity and social engagement.

The City of Port St. Lucie has a dedicated Art in Public Places that was created in conjunction with the City’s ordinance, Chapter 162, which requires applicable private development to dedicate 1% of the project construction costs (over $100,000) to public art on their site, pay the 1% into the Art in Public Places Fund, or a combination of on-site artwork and contribution to the Fund. The Art in Public Places Fund is used to implement permanent public art throughout neighborhoods on city property. The Public Art Master Plan, adopted in March 2021, helps to identify goals and priorities for the Public Art Fund. The City of Port St. Lucie's Art in Public Places Program helps in creating strong, beautiful places that will draw people together and meet the needs of residents and visitors alike.

The Public Art Advisory Board considers the following criteria in recommending approval or disapproval of a work of art:

Applicable Projects:

• All private non-residential development projects and all residential development projects with more than ten units, including new construction, or the renovation or improvement of an existing building where 50% or more of a building is being modified, renovated, expanded, rebuilt or improved by construction.
• The provisions of this section apply to new development or new construction within existing planned developments.

Requirements:

All applicable private development must choose one of the options below within 90 days of the issuance of the first building permit or site work permit for a subdivision plat for any portion of the project in order to comply with the public art requirements.

Option 1: On-site Artwork

• Requirement: The developer must either submit documentation of the escrow of funds for a work of art valued in an amount not less than 1% of the total construction costs (up to $100,000) and submit an application for approval of the work of art in compliance with this chapter.
• Encouragement of Local Artists: If a local artist (from St. Lucie or one of the surrounding counties) is commissioned, the developer is only required to spend 90% of 1% of the total construction costs.

Option 2: Contribute to Fund

• Requirement: The public art assessment must be paid in full prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy except for subdivision plats which are required to submit the public art assessment in full at the time of recording of the final plat.
• Encouragement of Contribution to Fund: In order to give the city opportunities to implement projects in public places, developers are encouraged to contribute 80% of 1% of the total construction costs for deposit to the art in public places funds.

Option 3: On-site Artwork and Contribute to Fund

• Submit documentation evidencing the escrow of funds for a work of art valued in an amount less than 1% of the total construction costs and contribute 80% of the balance of the public art assessment (1% of the total construction costs) for deposit in the art in public places fund.

As a part of the City of Port St. Lucie's strategic goal to promote vibrant neighborhoods, the Neighborhood Services and Public Works departments worked to wrap utility boxes as a creative way to spread beauty and artwork in the community. These wraps transform plain, metal boxes into works of art in public places.

• Utility Box Cover Art Fact Sheet(PDF, 473KB)
• Phase 1 List of Artists & Artwork(PDF, 5MB)
• Phase 2 List of Artists & Artwork(PDF, 7MB)
• Crosstown Pkwy List of Artists & Artwork(PDF, 6MB)

Funding

• No taxpayer money is used for this project.
• Because residents and businesses have increased recycling efforts, the City is using recycling revenue to fund the project. This is one way the City is giving back to the community.
• Each location costs about $400 to wrap, which includes labor, materials, and installation.
• The more residents recycle, the more of these types of projects can be accomplished.

The Public Art Advisory Board has seven members and two alternates and members must live in Port St. Lucie for at least a year.

Membership includes the following:

• Organizational Representatives
• A representative of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce
• A representative of the Treasure Coast Builders' Association

Whenever possible, the remaining members should be representative of one or more of the following classifications:

• Architect, or interior designer;
• Landscape architect or land use planner;
• Professional in the field of art;
• Art or architectural historian;
• Art educator;
• Artist