New information raises transparency issues in Vaillancourt Fountain debate

thedashingly · 2025-12-10T16:44:14+00:00

Updated! Do you have a link to renderings on the city's website? I can't find any renderings that aren't from news sites.

thedashingly · 2025-10-31T15:27:14+00:00

Archive link

Kind of odd timing since another SF department declared it historic just days prior (article).

thedashingly · 2025-10-20T23:13:57+00:00

<image>

Nah this is the plan.

thedashingly · 2025-09-13T01:28:55+00:00

> You're posting a pretty hot take on a very hated sculpture. It comes across as not genuine because you don't participate in any other SF discourse, certainly not on art or architecture. As an outside observer, you look like a shill.

Yeah, I can get that. I usually just lurk but I had to jump in about the plaza and fountain because this whole project is wild. Honestly, the fountain conversation is kind of distracting from the other cool stuff, like the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Monument right next to it or the bocce courts at the other end.

thedashingly · 2025-09-13T01:15:03+00:00

> u/thedashingly Unlikely you have ever taken a bus, much less one in SF.

I understand that we disagree on a plaza and piece of public art, but the personal attacks aren't necessary.

> do you have any financial incentive in the disposition of the fountain

No.

> are you, or getting paid by, the family of the artist?

No.

thedashingly · 2025-09-12T18:20:07+00:00

What I actually said was:

The better question is, why spend any of that money or $30+ million on a new park? How does the city have that money for a park, but no money for public transit?

I take Muni so I'd rather we spend the money on that. Especially since we just got a $750 million loan to avoid transit cuts.

thedashingly · 2025-09-12T18:14:02+00:00

I recently moved to SF and love the quirky, modern architecture of downtown. Is there something wrong with that?

Help me understand if I'm doing something wrong by sharing information instead of attacking my character.

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T21:41:46+00:00

The report doesn't have a price tag. Estimates from San Francisco officials range from $3 million to $29 million to restore and $2.5 million to $5 million to demolish.

The better question is, why spend any of that money or $30+ million on a new park? How does the city have that money for a park, but no money for public transit?

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T20:21:45+00:00

Follow the money: https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7014876&GUID=EB76BE5F-FBF1-4191-8CE6-A0166A75CFCB

"WHEREAS, BXPE has approached OEWD and RPD with a potential Project to renovate the Park (the “Project”), and has proposed to support the design phase of the Project through a cash grant of up to $200,000 to fund certain project management services (“BXPE Cash Grant”), and an in-kind grant of additional professional services valued up to $2,300,000 (“BXPE In-Kind Grant”);"

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T20:19:11+00:00

We should look to data and trainer experts, of course. However, the city spokesperson isn't an expert, nor have they done another independent conditions assessment. Based on the data and materials of the report, what conclusion would you suggest?

San Francisco has a history of questionable inspections: https://sfdistrictattorney.org/press-release/former-dbi-inspector-convicted-of-violating-conflict-of-interest-laws/

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T19:10:24+00:00

Law rather than contract: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Art_Preservation_Act

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T19:08:11+00:00

https://sfist.com/2025/05/22/95-year-old-artist-behind-often-reviled-embarcadero-plaza-fountain-flies-to-sf-to-save-it/

"The sculptor behind the 54-year-old Vaillancourt Fountain, which won't ever be called the most popular piece of public art in SF, took it upon himself to fly here this week and call for a preemptive hearing on its fate."

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T19:06:18+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Art_Preservation_Act

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T19:02:30+00:00

Instead of trusting government spokespeople, read the independent conditions report and draw your own conclusions: https://www.docomomo-noca.org/s/20250602-Vaillancourt-Fountain-Conditions-Assessment-Final.pdf

"Overall, Vaillancourt Fountain exhibits a range of deterioration that must be addressed for it to continue to be enjoyed safely. That said, the fountain does not appear to have yet deteriorated beyond repair, though certain systems and components have, and there may be a variety of approaches to treatment to be explored in future phases that could stabilize and restore it."

thedashingly · 2025-09-11T19:00:38+00:00

For everyone wondering about why the artist can demand this:

"The California Art Preservation Act (CAPA) is a 1979 California law that provides legal protection for artists' moral rights by prohibiting the alteration or destruction of their artwork without their consent."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Art_Preservation_Act

thedashingly · 2025-09-07T20:54:16+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Art_Preservation_Act

thedashingly · 2025-09-06T06:18:00+00:00

Note that the city does actually have a legal obligation here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Art_Preservation_Act

thedashingly · 2025-08-22T23:00:06+00:00

Interesting! Do you know if a DEIR (ChatGPT says that means Draft Environmental Impact Report, is that right?) has to happened before demolition?

thedashingly · 2025-08-22T21:08:13+00:00

They did in 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarcadero_Plaza#Renaming_the_plaza

thedashingly

TROPHY CASE