The rendering shows what the proposed AIDS monument will look like in the West Hollywood City Park. (rendering courtesy of the city of West Hollywood)

“STORIES: The AIDS Monument” has long been in the planning stages for the city of West Hollywood, which is partnering with the Foundation for the AIDS Monument for the structure. At the Feb. 21 City Council meeting, West Hollywood city staff informed the council that only one bidder came forward as a potential contractor for the project, and the reported $14 million quote and specifications did not meet the city’s expectations. The council uniformly rejected the lone bid.

The council, however, approved an amended contract with the firm that designed the initial drawings for the monument, LPA, Inc. The project architect is Michael Barker, and Dan Tobin is the artist behind the monument.

“Staff has looked at the history of the project and is now recommending that we produce a very specific set of construction documents, specifications, product selections with very specific directions, and pursue a more conventional design, bid, build process. [We hope this] will increase those who might be interested in constructing the monument and give the city a much tighter pricing,” West Hollywood Urban Design and Architecture studio manager Ric Abramson said.

The city also expressed that staff should work with the artist to make the monument more efficient and cost effective. Abramson projected a five-to-six-month process to finalize the design, and then another few months to accept bids from construction companies. Construction would likely take another 10 to 14 months.

In the project’s early stages, before the city officially was involved, it was anticipated to cost $2.5 million. It then went up to $5 million, and the city got involved to close the gap for the foundation.

“I think people have to understand that. What we don’t want is a money pit … where it just keeps growing and growing and growing into something that we just never anticipated,” Meister said. “I really appreciate staff saying, ‘Hey, wait, we can’t just move forward with what’s coming back to us,’ and to make some adjustments in order for us to have the project we want but also [be] affordable.”

“Everyone has been working really hard to figure out a way to jumpstart this project again,” board chair of the Foundation for the AIDS Monument Irwin Rappaport said. “It’s taking longer than any of us have wanted, but we’re also very committed to it in terms of the importance of it. We’re doing lots of good things in the community in the meantime, gathering lots of stories, telling stories, educating the public and we look forward to then having a space in which to have people come and see this beautiful work of art in the city.”

“We still feel the sense of commitment to this project,” Councilman John Heilman said. “We’re eager to see it in the ground as well. There are delays, but we will carry on.”