City is art smart regarding Fulton Street’s future

Concerns over the future of the artwork on Fulton Mall raised by renowned artist Joyce Aiken in her letter echo similar questions raised by other community members. We can assure everyone that the city is committed to protecting its public art.

Art restoration and reinstallation remains a fundamental component of the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project. The contractor selected will be fully obligated to finish all of the art restoration and reinstallation prior to final completion.

The change that has raised concerns allows the contractor to reach “substantial completion” and open up the street and sidewalk areas for public use while finishing the final touches on the art restoration and reinstallation.

The project will also clean, conserve and restore ALL of the art works on the Fulton Mall. Each piece will get special attention from a highly qualified professional conservator or the artist themselves.

The art will be reinstalled in the reconstructed Fulton streetscape and lend more visibility for the community to continue to enjoy these great pieces. As stewards of this project and citizens of Fresno, we have invested countless hours to ensure that all the art work on Fulton Mall will be celebrated features of the new Fulton Street.

Wilma Quan-Schecter, Fresno deputy city manager

Randall Morrison, Fresno deputy city engineer

This story was originally published September 26, 2015 at 5:52 AM with the headline "City is art smart regarding Fulton Street’s future."