Overview
- The commission voted 8–5 to authorize taking down the 1971 concrete artwork at Embarcadero Plaza.
- City and building inspection reports cited severe deterioration, failed pumps, asbestos and lead hazards, and ADA noncompliance, leading to a summer closure.
- Disassembly may begin after the California Art Preservation Act’s 90-day notice, which gives artist Armand Vaillancourt an opportunity to propose alternatives.
- After removal, the sculpture will go to an undisclosed storage site for up to three years as officials consider repair, relocation, repurposing or deaccession, a prospect that concerned some commissioners.
- Cost figures reported by officials differ, ranging from roughly $2.68 million to $4.4 million for removal, with the broader Embarcadero Plaza renovation estimated at about $29 million to $32.5 million.