2 min read

The city of Portland and Greater Portland Metro could soon tear down and replace the two-decade-old Jewel Box bus shelter on Congress Street after the Public Art Committee recommended removing the structure from its collection.

The Jewel Box — with its bending glass walls, aluminum canopy and cast iron base — was installed in 2004 and has been a visible landmark near Monument Square since. More recently, it’s fallen victim to vandalism and safety concerns stemming from poor ventilation and visibility.

The Public Art Committee voted unanimously Thursday to deaccession the piece after years of pouring money into maintenance. Kat Zagaria Buckley, the committee chair, said the structure is “by far” the most expensive piece to maintain among the city’s collection, averaging about $5,000 a year.

She said members didn’t feel like relocating the structure was appropriate, and that changing its design would not allow the artists’ original concept to stay intact. 

If the City Council ultimately signs off on the decision, the Jewel Box would be replaced with a new transit shelter. What it might look like has not been determined yet, but city staff say they’ve been coordinating with Metro officials.

Kevin Kraft, the city’s planning director, said Congress Street is part of a larger rapid transit study, which could recommend more enhanced bus infrastructure along that corridor. It could also see a temporary shelter stood up.

Kraft said the Jewel Box has been “an ongoing challenge for a number of years” because of graffiti, broken glass and more. He said the public art committee once approved replacing a window pane only for another one to break right after.

Zagaria Buckley estimated the committee has spent $38,000 to maintain it since 2004, and a recent estimate put renovations at another $32,000.

City staff said the design doesn’t allow proper ventilation and its roof line reduces visibility for surveillance.

Several committee members agreed that the piece of public art has stood the test of time for an installation that has also served as one of the most-used bus shelters in the city.

“20 years was a great lifetime for this piece,” committee member Phoebe Cole said.

Others said it’s been clear for some time that the shelter in that location needs to change, and it’s no longer serving its purpose as part of Portland’s public art collection.

Although the council will get the final say, Zagaria Buckley offered a eulogy following the committee’s vote.

“There comes a time where public need, site and artwork no longer align,” she said. “It’s important to recognize when public art no longer has a civic life. All art has a lifespan. Nothing, not even art, can last forever.”