Portland Public Art Committee votes to deaccession Jewel Box bus shelter

The Portland Public Art Committee held a special meeting to address conservation priorities and the long-standing maintenance issues surrounding the Jewel Box bus shelter. After reviewing a conservation report and discussing the high costs of upkeep, the committee voted unanimously to remove the artwork from the public art collection. The committee also approved the conservation priority projects for the upcoming year and accepted the minutes from the previous meeting.

Key points

• The committee voted 7-0 to move forward with conservation priority projects, which are already included in the current budget.
• The committee voted 7-0 to deaccession the Jewel Box bus shelter from the public art collection due to structural concerns and high maintenance costs.
• Staff noted that the Jewel Box has cost approximately $38,000 in maintenance since its installation in 2004, with annual costs around $5,000.
• The committee discussed the Metro bus rapid transit study on Congress Street, noting that a new shelter will be installed to replace the Jewel Box if it is removed.
• The committee voted 7-0 to approve the minutes from the July meeting, which had been delayed due to a lack of quorum at the prior session.

Next steps

• Staff will organize competitive bids for conservation projects exceeding $5,000 for a future committee meeting.
• The committee will coordinate with Metro regarding the replacement of the bus shelter at the Jewel Box location.
• The committee will continue to monitor the conservation priority projects as they are implemented.

Read the full transcript