Oakland Park celebrates topping off of the Sky Building
From David Volz
The City of Oakland Park celebrated a major milestone recently with the topping-off of the Sky Building.
Many people gathered at the future home of Oakland Park’s City Hall to commemorate construction reaching the top floor of the building and recognize everyone who has contributed towards this significant accomplishment.
The Sky Building is an innovative mixed-use project that will support local businesses and create a vibrant destination downtown. Through a public-private partnership with NR Investments, Oakland Park will be the landmark tenant in a new City Hall on Park Lane East.
Moving City Hall is a symbolic step to relocate services across Dixie Highway to the west side of Oakland Park to strike a greater balance of operations where more of the City’s population resides. The Sky Building will include residential units, “live/work” spaces, commercial space, and public parking. The project is expected to enhance property values downtown and spur further investments to create new retail, office, entertainment, dining, and housing opportunities. The project also supports transit-oriented development that will improve the quality of life in Oakland Park by promoting mass transit, walkability, and sustainability
New signature art piece unveiled in Coral Springs
From David Volz
A new signature public art piece in Coral Springs is bringing new meaning to the city’s tagline “Everything Under the Sun.”
“The Living Story of Coral Springs” was unveiled at the Museum of Coral Springs History in front of City Commission, staff, and members of the public art and historical advisory committees. The piece was installed in honor of the city’s 60th Anniversary, celebrated in 2023, after the City Commission approved the Public Art Committee’s selection of the artist earlier this year.
The Corten steel-paneled sculpture features engraved images and words that tell the story of Coral Springs, the surrounding areas, and its history. The installation consists of six, 6-by-8-foot panels, arranged in pairs of two, and presented in an open-book style that allow sunlight to pass through and project playful shadows onto the surrounding concrete pad.
Each panel progresses through the city’s early beginnings “On the Edge of the Everglades” and follows the city’s story “Looking to the Future.” The three panel groupings represent past, present, and future and serve as an extension of the adjacent Museum of Coral Springs History.
Artist Casto Solano, who worked with city staff and committee members to create the piece, was also present at the event. Solano is a Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain-based artist whose critically acclaimed exhibitions span across Europe and the United States. Beginning as a visual artist who focused on canvas paintings of vivid landscapes, Solano’s foray into the medium of Corten steel has resulted in sculptures that are characterized by their striking blend of natural, rusted textures and precisely crafted shapes, evoking a sense of timeless beauty and raw elegance.
