As Waukegan city officials seek artists to create projects in the downtown area and embark on a plan to revitalize Jack Benny Plaza, there is hope those efforts will be a precursor to development in the city’s central business district.
Currently seeking bids from artists to create a distinctive sculpture for the downtown area and wall paintings on four designated buildings, along with public ideas about Jack Benny Plaza, officials hope the upgrades will draw developers’ attention and public interest.
Mayor Ann Taylor said creating excitement in the downtown area with an improved plaza and art covering currently tired walls, as well as an attention-grabbing statue, will create that kind of excitement. Developers notice such situations, she said.
“We’re getting ourselves ready for economic development,” Taylor said. “We’re an art community, especially downtown. We hope this will draw the interest of developers. It’s all part of the plan for economic development.”
The city is seeking proposals from artists in independent but related efforts for a distinctive sculpture and four outdoor wall paintings in downtown locations to bring people to the area, as well as generate developers’ interest.
Grant money will fund the art projects and hopefully the plaza renovation. Rachel Cantin, an assistant planner for the city, said both art projects — $125,000 for the sculpture, and $160,000 for the wall art — are part of the Energy Transition Community grant.
Cantin said the closure of the NRG coal-burning power plant on the city’s lakefront cost a large number of jobs and qualified Waukegan for the grant. Economic development is one of the permitted uses. Both art projects will assist toward that goal.
City engineer Jesus Alquicira said the Benny Plaza project is in the early stages and drawing public suggestions. He is working with a $600,000 budget and plans to apply for an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant.
Dubbed the “Waukegan Identity Sculpture,” Cantin said the city does not want to limit an artist’s creativity. The artwork should be something that exudes the qualities of the city, so people will think of Waukegan as soon as they see it. The submission deadline is Sept. 18.
“It should be a dynamic exhibit relating to downtown which will engage the community and energize people in the area,” she said. “It could be large letters, or an image which personifies Waukegan.”
Not wanting to call wall art a mural — there are several already in downtown Waukegan — to avoid placing limits on artistic creativity, Cantin said building owners do have conditions in some cases. She has some general thoughts.
Wall paintings are requested for the Waukegan Public Library, City Hall, the Puerto Rican Society at 150 South Sheridan Road and the El Potosi grocery store at the northwest corner of Grand Avenue and Genesee Street.
An artist who wants to paint an external wall of the library should make it family-friendly, inclusive, evoke curiosity, spark imagination, community and reading. Cantin said art outside City Hall should have a message of diversity, inclusion, progress, the future, the lakefront, Lake Michigan, birds and nature.
Once a lighthouse, she said the painting on the Puerto Rican Society should have some kind of impression of both the territory’s flag and the American flag. It should tell a story of the organization’s history. There are no guidelines for El Potosi.
Requests for proposals for the wall painting must be submitted by Sept. 30.
While events are currently held at Jack Benny Plaza, like the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting, Taylor said she wants it to become a place where people will gather. The effort to collect public comments will be a guide.
“We want people to sit there and enjoy their lunch,” she said. “It should be a comfortable place where people can enjoy people-watching. It’s part of our history, but we also want it to move Waukegan forward.”
Alquicira said improving public access is one goal. The statue of Jack Benny will remain as it is and where it is. Benny grew up in Waukegan before becoming a radio and television show host with long-running shows on both. His statue faces the Genesee Theatre, where he returned to perform after he became a Hollywood star.
Since the city held an open house in mid-August to gather ideas from the public, David Motley, Waukegan’s public relations director, said individuals filled out suggestions on forms there and more than 30 responses were sent online.
Niya Simone, the city’s public relations specialist, said some of the ideas offered by the public included green space, art, more lighting, live performances, additional seating and native plants.
