COLUMBIA — After 16 years outside Columbia's city hall, visible rust and water damage are prompting the first major restoration of the iconic keyhole sculpture outside the building.
The city is spending $113,011 to restore "Keys to the City," which stands outside the Daniel Boone City Building. The project will include rust removal, new sealant and replacement of the sculpture's lighting system.
Sarah Dresser, manager of the City of Columbia's Office of Cultural Affairs, said the city has assessed the sculpture over the past several years after noticing rust along the top, fading and problems with its original LED lighting system.
"When we were able to do our assessment a couple of years ago and pull out a glass panel, you could see that water had really come into the interior of the sculpture, caused a lot of rust," Dresser said.
Crews will remove all of the sculpture's glass panels to address rust and apply new sealant to the interior and exterior. Work will also be done near the top of the sculpture to help prevent water from entering while allowing air to circulate.
The restoration will include replacing the sculpture's LED lighting system, which Dresser said has not worked for about three years. New access panels will be added to make the lights easier to reach for future maintenance.
Dresser said the structural portion of the project is expected to take three to four weeks. The city hopes to have the new lighting installed by the end of the year.
The project will be paid for through a combination of public art maintenance funds, including money from a maintenance account associated with "Keys to the City" and funding within the Office of Cultural Affairs' annual operating budget.
"Just so we're not putting a quick little Band-Aid on something, but we are really setting it up to be in a good spot where we won't have to come back year after year to deal with kind of recurring issues," Dresser said.
Artist Howard Meehan designed "Keys to the City," which was completed in May 2010. The sculpture is made of laminated glass featuring digitally enhanced photography, a powder-coated steel frame and LED lighting.
The artwork commemorates Columbia's history through images of local landmarks, notable residents and historical maps. Its keyhole shape serves as a passageway to city hall and represents the idea that an active and involved public is key to a successful community.
"Keys to the City" was created through Columbia's Percent for Art program and remains the largest project completed through the program.
Under the Percent for Art program, eligible city construction or major renovation projects with budgets exceeding $1 million can use 1% of the project's total budget for public art. "Keys to the City" was created as part of the city hall project when the building's addition opened in 2010.
Dresser said the Office of Cultural Affairs hopes to hold a public event once the new lighting system is working to celebrate the sculpture being lit again.
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