Don't fret, hipster cowboys, because the Sunset Junction Saddle—the $125,000 art installation set to permanently adorn the Jiffy-Lube-adjacent traffic triangle where Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards meet—is on its way to Sunset Junction soon, according to a statement released today by the office of Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, who reps the area. Worry set in that the project, officially named BLOOMRS, was a lost cause when press materials for this week's groundbreaking of a big street improvement project at Sunset Junction did not mention the public art piece, says Eastsider LA. (A recent tweet also said that the city had dropped the project.)
The statement from O'Farrell's office ends by clarifying that the $1.725-million streetscape improvement project is just phase one: "A second phase of the streetscape will start later in the year, with the construction of a 13th District-funded permanent architectural installation at Sunset Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd.," the release adds.
BLOOMRS, designed by artist Heather McGinn of the local firm All That is Solid, has been fighting for life for a long time. The woven steel saddle was selected nearly four years ago over other submissions for a public art installation at Sunset Junction. Originally, it was budgeted at $100,000, but later it was discovered that the costs to create and place the piece would add up to more like $125,000. After some back and forth, the Los Angeles City Council gave the green light to the additional funds. Now, finally, it looks like it's going to become a reality.
· City of Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Sunset Junction Improvements [Mitch O'Farrell]
· Silver Lake Saddle still missing in action [ELA]
· Silver Lake's Giant Saddle Plaza Finally Moving Forward [Curbed LA]
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