Disappearing act: Murals on East Naples building are going, going, gone soon
The paint over in off-white on the interior side mural of the Ascent high rise under construction at Davis Boulevard and U.S. 41 East began Monday.
A worker high up on the scaffolding with roller in hand could not say how long it will take to cover up two matching murals on two sides of the building. It depends in part on the weather, he said, when asked.
The massive murals became a source of controversy in the community, with critics describing them as a "Kleenex box."
Art supporters and members of the Bayshore Arts District circulated a petition last year in hopes the murals could stay. The petition garnered 956 signatures.
Collier County deemed the vibrant floral murals as a code violation, with Commissioner Dan Kowal saying last fall they were effectively banned in the county years ago.
The developers of the luxury apartment development agreed in September to replace the murals with more low-key paintings in grey and white with a geometric pattern. That would be in keeping with what county staff originally saw in the architectural plans.
The murals were designed by a well-known artist who goes by the name DAAS, from Austin, Texas.
Kowal, whose district includes the site and who handled the issue on the county's behalf, previously said he was told multiple contractors were working on the high rise and one hand didn't know what the other was doing and the murals went up by mistake.
The Collier County Commission avoided having to take legal action to get the murals removed, or at least having to pursue a code enforcement case against the developers of the Ascent.
The Ascent is a joint venture involving the Dolben Co., GFI Development and SK2 Capital. It is a mixed use building with 270 luxury apartments that will include a restaurant and shops. A grand opening party is scheduled for April 3.
The project is part of the larger redevelopment, called Metropolitan Naples, in the Bayshore Gateway Triangle, on land that had been vacant for years.
The developer can't apply for the certificate of occupancy "until the mural is removed and repainted with the approved rendering," said Sarina Francis, an executive coordinator for Commissioner Kowal, on Wednesday. The certificate is required for move-in.
Amanda Jaron, founder of the Bayshore Arts District, a nonprofit whose mission is to encourage growth and development through creative placemaking, isn't happy about the removal of the murals.
She started the petition on change.org to save them. She lives and owns a jewelry store in the area, known for its creative vibe.
"Murals transform communities by building relationships, creating pride, and revitalizing neighborhoods. This building, located in a designated redevelopment zone with a mural overlay, marks a sad day for Collier County and the art community because this mural did exactly what it was supposed to do," she said in an email.
She added: "The win here is that it's forever branded as the 'Kleenex box,' and the building is now iconic for the lack of a mural, rather than the change it brought to this vacant corner. While this building had art that can be viewed by the public, it's art that was created on a private building with private funds in a redevelopment zone that allows for private murals."
Further, she stated: "Collier County needs to embrace the role of public art in development. Murals are more than just decoration; they foster collaboration and inspire change, which is exactly what this vacant land needed."
She pointed out that the county does not have an architectural review board, and she questioned the "approval process."
"There are two versions of the 'approved' mural on the design renderings. Both generated by AI on the submitted county document rendering. Either way, it will be Collier County's first AI designed mural in whatever design they choose to paint," Jaron said.
Many are delighted to see the murals go, saying they had no place in the community.
Harvey Brenner, a nearby resident, said he was tired of seeing the murals as he drove by the site, describing them as plain "ugly."
"The only comment to be made is that the building, plus the 'Kleenex box mural,' do not belong in our paradise we call Naples," he said.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Colorful murals on building that artists wanted to keep get painted over
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