Thirteen prominent local organizations help launch streetcar public art project

TAMPA, Fla. (June 24, 2015) – Thirteen prominent local organizations, including Yacht Starship, Tampa International Airport, and Tampa Convention Center, have joined to help launch a streetcar-themed public art project in downtown Tampa. The project, which will create and install 20 to 30 brightly painted streetcar sculptures, is led by Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Tampa Bay’s artLOUD! initiative.

The sculptures, which are being produced by fabrication company Icon Poly and painted by local artists, will be completed by early fall. The creation of the 4-foot-long streetcar sculptures begins by creating a 3-D computer model and then making a 3-D foam model to create a mold. Icon Poly, which has done work for similar public art projects around the country, created 155 dolphin sculptures that were placed around Clearwater starting in 2012.

The new program, titled the Streetcar Sculpture Challenge, provides local businesses and citizens the opportunity to highlight a historical aspect of the city through public art.

“Our mission is to create more public art for downtown, and with this project we want to highlight the culture and history of our city, focusing on the legacy of our streetcar system,” said Kristin Mora, a real estate attorney with the Pettit Worrell law firm and a member of CREW Tampa Bay’s artLOUD! committee.

In addition to sponsoring two sculptures in the Channelside area, Yacht Starship is taking a leading role in supporting the project by hosting a preview party with a display of the finished streetcars on Oct. 15.

Other sculpture sponsors include The Dohring Group; Construction Services of Tampa; Cushman & Wakefield; Tampa Downtown Partnership; Coppertail Brewing/Pepin Distributing; Channelside District Community Redevelopment Area; Tampa Housing Authority, and CREW Tampa Bay.

CREW Tampa Bay is continuing to accept $1,500 sponsorships for streetcar sculptures, and each sculpture will include a plaque on the base crediting the sponsor and the artist. The deadline for sponsorships is June 30, with the product completion slated for mid-September.

About CREW Tampa Bay

CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Tampa Bay is the premier business networking organization dedicated to supporting the achievements of women in commercial real estate in the Tampa Bay area. It seeks to influence the success of the commercial real estate industry by focusing on fulfilling four key initiatives: business development, leadership development, industry research and career outreach. CREW Tampa Bay is the association of choice for the most powerful and influential professionals, both women and men, in the commercial real estate industry.