SUBJECT: CONTRACT FOR REPAIR AND REINSTALLATION OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE AND RELATED GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AND FUNDING SOURCES RESOLUTION AMENDMENTS

COUNCIL DISTRICT: City-wide

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council approve the following:

a) Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of General Services to execute an agreement with the Oakland Museum of California Conservation Lab for repair of the statue in an amount not to exceed $44,000; and

b) Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of General Services to negotiate and execute associated contracts with other specialty vendors for the transportation, installation and stabilization, as necessary, not to exceed an additional $21,000, for a total project cost of $65,000.

c) Adopt the following amendments to the Appropriation Ordinance and Funding Sources Resolution in the General Fund:

1. Increase the General Services Department Non-Personal/Equipment appropriation by $65,000

2. Decrease the Contingency Reserve by $5,000

3. Increase the estimate for Other Revenue by $60,000

BACKGROUND

On March 8, 2001, the statue of Christopher Columbus, situated in the City Hall lobby, was vandalized and severely damaged. The suspect was arrested and the case is being prepared for prosecution. The statue was removed from City Hall to the Oakland Museum Conservation Lab to be assessed for the extent of damage and to determine the best measures for repair.

The statue was a gift to the City of San Jose from the Italian-American Community, installed as part of the opening of the new City Hall in 1958 and dedicated on October 12, 1958. The statue has been attributed to Delfo Guidi, a member of the Fine Arts Academy of Tuscany and carved by the Miliani Marble Company of San Jose through its facilities in Pietrasanta, Italy. It has been a prominent feature in the City Hall lobby since that time.

ANALYSIS

The Oakland Museum Conservation Lab’s conservation treatment proposal is to repair and stabilize the statue. The Conservation Lab was selected because of its experience with object collections throughout the Bay Area, including restoration of the Sunol Water Temple, the statuary on the façade of Mission Santa Clara, collections from the San Francisco Asian and deYoung Museums, as well as the City of Oakland Museum collection objects.

The recommended proposal is to repair the statue with the exception of legs and shoes, which will be replicated in Italy. The fragments will be matched and reattached to the statue and any areas where pieces have been lost or destroyed filled in. The replicated legs and shoes will be attached. In addition, the statue will have a pin inserted anchoring the statue to its base to provide some stabilization in the event of an earthquake. The cost for the contract is $44,000.

This treatment should result in the repairs being structurally stable. The fills will match the original as closely as possible but may still be somewhat visible from normal viewing distances. The shoes and legs, where the greatest damage was sustained, will be replaced with new carvings to match the original.

Outside the scope of the conservation treatment contract but to be included in the project are transport of parts and of the statue as a whole, reinstallation, and any other stabilization measures needed on-site that are necessary. In addition, staff will be developing methods of securing the statue and providing an educational information/exhibit on the restoration.

Estimated Project Cost

Initial move (March 28) $4,725

Conservation treatment $44,000

Shipping and transport,

reinstallation, stabilization,

documentation, educational

exhibit, and contingency $16,275

TOTAL $65,000

The Conservation Lab offered two other alternatives: 1) the replication of only the shoes ($50,400), and 2) replication of the entire statue ($51,000). Of the first alternative, the cost would be higher as the time and effort to reassemble and stabilize the legs would be increasingly costly and the presentation would probably less than satisfactory. The legs were of a speckled but almost solid marble and the extensive damage would be obvious.

The second alternative does not include the cost for shipping the original statue to Italy and the replicated one back nor does it guarantee that the replication would be exact in carving or materials. It would delay the reinstallation while waiting for this piece to be recreated and shipped back. Overall quality control would be difficult because of the distance, and there would be no recourse if the completed piece were unsatisfactory.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

The staff has met with the Mayor’s Office and members of the Italian – American Community on the repair and the reinstallation, and will continue to meet with the community on their concerns. In addition, the staff has contacted members of the Arts Community for advice and information. Advice and assistance is being sought from Convention, Arts, and Entertainment Department as well as local experts.

COORDINATION

The repair project is being coordinated with the Mayor’s Office, the City Manager’s Office, the City Attorney’s Office, the Budget Office, the Finance Department, and the Public Works Department. Information is being shared with the Police Department and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

COST IMPLICATIONS

The City is seeking reimbursement from insurance to cover the costs of repair and reinstallation. The City is also seeking restitution as part of the District Attorney’s case. However, a $5,000 insurance deductible exists, which is proposed to be covered by the Contingency Reserve. Any potential reimbursements to the City will occur only after all actual costs are known, but are anticipated in Fiscal Year 2001-2002.

LARRY D. LISENBEE FRANCIS B. MCVEY

Budget Director Acting Director, General Services Department

I hereby cerify that there will be available for appropriation in the General Fund in the Fiscal Year 2001-2002 moneys in excess of those heretofore appropriated therefrom, said excess being at least $60,000.

LARRY D. LISENBEE

Budget Director