Grant From Castaldi Fund Will Add Sculpture To North Buffalo Plaza
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
A sculpture will be part of the North Buffalo Street plaza thanks to the Castaldi family.
The Warsaw Board of Works and Safety approved a grant agreement and check for $150,000 to the city Friday from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. The grant was made from the Castaldi Family Memorial Fund for the purchase of public artwork recommended by the Warsaw Public Arts Commission.
Suzie Light, CEO of the Foundation, said, “The Castaldi Family Memorial Fund is a designated fund held at the Community Foundation, and the purpose of that fund is to provide support funds to the city of Warsaw restricted for the express and sole purpose of commissioning artwork as recommended by the Warsaw Public Arts Commission.”
The Arts Commission recommended a sculpture created by artist Osman Akin, of Brooklyn, N.Y., to be placed at the North Buffalo Street plaza within 40 to 50 feet of the water feature known as the Castaldi Fountain, Light said. The plaza and fountain are part of the North Buffalo Street renovation project and are next to Center Lake and Center Lake Park.
“The water feature is intended to be handicapped-accessible and the Castaldi family is really interested in that because Lawrence Castaldi ... was a longtime community member who advocated for accessibility for all people,” Light said.
The intention of the Castaldi family and the Arts Commission is that the artwork would be installed before Oct. 31.
Light said the grant is a “restricted” grant and that the city did not apply for the grant. The grant simply came from the Castaldi Fund for the city.
George Clemens, Board of Works member, said it sounded “awesome.”
City attorney Scott Reust explained that the grant would be made directly to the city and then the city would contract with the artist, Akin, to produce and install the sculpture next to the water feature.
Reust said he looked over the grant agreement and the contract with Akin and both looked “really good. I think it’s wonderful that the Castaldis are so generous.”
Arts Commission member Stephanie Salyer explained how and why they chose Akin for the creation of the sculpture.
“During our committee meetings, we decided that we wanted to work on a virtual art tour as far as an art trail. And at that time, we reached out to the Fort Wayne Arts Area and they were collecting art for a project they were doing and Osman was a part of this,” Salyer said.
The Warsaw Public Arts Commission liked Akin’s design so the members reached out to him.
“He was willing to meet with us. We’ve talked with him on the phone, and presented us with what he had put in the Fort Wayne show,” Salyer said. “As we got to talking to him a little bit more, we talked about our plan for the virtual art trail. He went about designing another piece for us personally that was kind of meaning Warsaw. So we’re real excited. It’s a really neat piece and we’re excited to add it to the park down there.”
Salyer said Akin’s piece will be the second art installation in the area.
Clemens asked if the artist feels he can have it completed by the Oct. 31 deadline.
“He wants to get it done before it’s cold,” Light said.
Reust asked City Planner Jeremy Skinner if that deadline worked with the city’s timeframe on the Buffalo Street project.
“We’ve been working on this project for four years in the making obviously, so it’s been a long project to get from point A to point B,” Skinner said.
The advertisements for the bids for the plaza goe out to the newspaper on Monday. Skinner said it is hoped the project will be awarded at the Board of Works meeting June 21.
“Until we bid it out, until it’s awarded, until we talk to the contractor on the timeframe, that’s the target date we have given the contractor that we’re hoping it will be ready to be placed,” Skinner said.
Light said the artist’s piece is restricted to the $150,000 grant.
A news release from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation states the Castaldi Family Memorial Fund was created by the Castaldi family as a tribute to their parents, Lawrence and Ruth Castaldi. They moved to Warsaw in 1954 when Lawrence opened up a Mentone plant for Midwest Spring Manufacturing Co.
The couple were very active in the Warsaw community. Lawrence was among the local leaders who helped establish Kosciusko Community Hospital, where Ruth volunteered for 30 years.
Lawrence was named Warsaw’s Man of the Year in 1967. He was the first president of the United Way of Indiana and later awarded its highest honor in recognition of his leadership, contributions and spirit of volunteerism.
Lawrence served on many local volunteer boards during his life, including Cardinal Learning Center, Grace College, Bowen Center, Kiwanis, Junior Achievement, Rozella Ford Golf Course, Kosciusko County United Way, Chamber of Commerce and KCH.
Ruth delivered Mobile Meals until she was 90 years old, volunteered at Kosciusko County Historical Society and was active in her church.
The Castaldis had four children: David, Diana, Rebecca and Loretta.
