Sidewalk Art - Bessemer Area and Downtown Area

The City of Pueblo is soliciting design proposals from individual artists or a team of artists to be considered for the creation of sidewalk murals at two separate areas in the City; the Bessemer area and the Downtown area. The Bessemer area is approximately 410 linear feet of sidewalk next to Ray Aguilera Park on Northern Avenue. The Downtown area consists of five (5) separate areas that are located close together, totaling approximately 1,109 linear feet of sidewalk.

The City of Pueblo was awarded a Revitalizing Main Streets Grant for Asphalt Art and Gateways. The award was revised from the original application in that the surface art will be placed on the sidewalks rather than the street asphalt within the right of way.

The Bessemer Area and Northern Avenue corridor from the intersection of Taylor Avenue through the commerce district to Orman Avenue is approximately one mile in length and focuses on the places where the Bessemer community comes together to work, shop, recreate and live. It is a four-lane street with concrete sidewalks and parallel on-street parking on both sides of the street (width permitting). The ROW along Northern Avenue is variable, generally ranging from 45 to 65 feet in width. Several assets in the commerce district provide a firm foundation for future investment, including a rich variety of attractive historic buildings within a compact and walkable corridor; easy access to Interstate 25; and Ray Aguilera Municipal Park with sports fields, swimming, and playgrounds. It is notable that this park recently received significant funding to improve its street and open space lighting. A community engagement exercise has vetted Bessemer residents’ desire for a Quality of Life Initiative in the neighborhood. Strategies touch upon the often intangible aspects of community building which create a positive image for the area and its residents. These include: building a shared sense of community pride and concern; increasing opportunities for social interaction and community involvement; leveraging individual efforts by working together with a common purpose; and improving the physical condition of the public realm. The specific projects on Northern Avenue detailed in this application focus on the neighborhood vitality planning committee's objectives to make the neighborhood a safe and attractive walking environment through the built environment, and to communicate Bessemer's remarkable story through temporary and permanent public art installations.

Pueblo’s Downtown is a shopping, dining, working, and entertainment destination. The Pueblo Downtown Association is a membership organization dedicated to raising awareness of Pueblo’s historic Downtown as a unique and attractive place to live and work. They organized themselves in the early 2000s to develop a strategy to enhance downtown Pueblo through beautification, activities and promotion of business. Their master planning includes placemaking to make downtown Pueblo’s streets more appealing, and welcome projects that help their cause. They have used multiple art installations (art wrapped traffic control cabinets, flowers and plants, decorative benches, and historical lighting) to revitalize the streets.