Altoona has put out a call for an artist to help transform the city’s historic downtown neighborhood with a new mural.
Altoona officials announced in a Jan. 26 news release they are seeking an artist to design and create a mural on the side of the Borseth Law Office building, 111 Second St. S.E., as part of a planned new pocket park. The city has turned attention to revitalizing the growing suburb’s sleepy historic core, starting with a small pocket park in a now-vacant lot near the bike trail that would draw visitors into the neighborhood.
The city is looking for submissions for the paid project by March 22. Artists are encouraged to incorporate Altoona’s history and community culture into their designs. The mural is expected to be complete by June 28. Further information is available on the city website.
“This mural will go far beyond just a decoration on a building wall, it will be a living tribute to Altoona and especially the Olde Town neighborhood,” Mayor Dean O’Connor said in a statement. “This mural will fill a towering blank canvas, showcasing the beating heart of both Olde Town and our greater community. We envision it being something that someone enjoying the park at street level can interact with and enjoy, but that also draws the eyes of nearby travelers and entices them into the neighborhood.”
The mural is expected to cost about $50,000 and is partially covered through grant funds. Officials hope to complete construction on the park itself, or at least the paving, before June, when the artist would begin work on the mural, city spokesperson Rachel Simon said. Further details are to be announced, though initial plans show landscaping, decor and seating.
More:First Avenue finish and a kayak launch at Spring Creek Park are coming to Altoona in 2024
The mural reflects Altoona’s latest investment in public art. Other recent projects have included a sculpture at the new roundabout at First Avenue North and Ninth Street Northwest and 20 corn statues that were placed all around Altoona to commemorate the city’s agricultural history.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.
