By the end of 2025, the Sister Cities Bridge will be “In Full Bloom.”
That’s the name of a new public art project to be installed on the downtown pedestrian bridge. Its composition is that of a lilac tree in a vibrant scheme of colors blooming from an overturned millstone. The tree blossoms with flowers made of fragmented pieces of the city’s popular Flower City Mark logo. Swirls of flower petals and leaves stretch outward along the footpath.
Boston-based design firm Arrowstreet submitted the concept, which was selected out of a pool of 50 proposals received by the city in response to its City Mark Capital Art Project. Submissions came from across Greater Rochester and New York state, from across the country and five international design firms.
The city sought qualified artists back in June to create an art installation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Flour/Flower City Mark.
Lee Green, the city government’s first graphic designer, created the flower-like logo in 1975. The intent was to unify all city departments under one logo, but the mark since has become synonymous with Rochester, featured heavily in everything from T-shirts to tattoos.
The total cost of the bridge art project is expected to be $590,000. The Rochester City Council unanimously approved the contract with Arrowstreet in December.
“Just as a flower reaches its peak in full bloom, Rochester is flourishing, evolving from its industrial roots into a thriving, forward-looking city,” Arrowstreet’s proposal reads. “Our installation celebrates this transformation, highlighting the city’s resilience, adaptability, and bright future.”
City Engineer Holly Barrett said Arrowstreet’s proposal was both artistically and structurally the right choice for the project.
“We wanted this beautiful, artistic vision, but also needed someone that knew how to work with structural engineers and contractors and fabricators on large-scale structural pieces,” Barrett said. “Really combining that artistic vision with the structural elements of it helped us dial down to a short list.”
The Arrowstreet proposal was selected by a jury of ROC the Riverway advisory board members, including muralist Shawn Dunwoody and glass artist Nancy Gong.
“It’s a unique challenge to build an urban-sized, meaningful-sized piece of art on a bridge in the middle of a river,” said city spokesperson Barbara Pierce.
Founded in 1973, Arrowstreet is no stranger to high profile public arts projects. Under its belt are a mosaic of hardcover books making up the Boston skyline installed at the Boston Central Library in Copley Square, and a sea glass mural of swimming codfish displayed on Atlantic Avenue on Boston’s waterfront.
The art installation is meant as a finishing touch to the city’s renovation of the Sister Cities Bridge and nearby Austin Steward Plaza, formerly known as Major Charles Carroll Plaza. Both are part of the ROC the Riverway urban revitalization initiative. The plaza project cost over $20 million — $12 million of which came from the state’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative. It was completed in July. The Sister Cities Bridge renovation cost $6.6 million —$5.2 million of which came from the state, and was
Barrett said the art project makes a firm declaration of city priorities.
“This really, in my opinion, not only celebrates the City Mark, but also celebrates that we are a city of art,” Barrett said.
