Bull City Rising: Plensa/DPAC/Goodmon: It's a go (if City Council says so)
The City would be able to operate the light on a schedule of its choosing, but with one key caveat: the 7,000 watt light would have to be operated at least during the nights of scheduled DPAC performances. An operating schedule is important for at least one reason: the City of Durham would need to keep our friends over at RDU briefed about just when the artwork would be active, lest some triple-7 straight outta Heathrow try to land on the Downtown Loop: The Federal Aviation Administration has been consulted and has provided an advisory that the Raleigh-Durham International Airport control tower should be notified when the light beam is turned on, either through a written schedule sent to the tower by email or fax, or through a telephone call to the tower 2 hours prior to the beam being turned on in the case of a variation from the written schedule. Capitol Broadcasting would pick up all the installation and commissioning costs for the work, with the annual electrical bill expense for the installation -- a cost that could run as much as $3,400 per year -- being absorbed by the Durham Performing Arts Center's budget. Meanwhile, the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the artwork would be paid by the City, a cost that is estimated to cost between $4,500 and $6,500 through most of the estimated 25 year life of the work.I've not been publishing on this blog lately, but this was just too crazy not to mention. What a waste. Perhaps I should reactivate this blog, after all. It looks as though the city could use a good wallop upside the head when it comes to sustainability. Or at least a word from a voice of sanity.
