Helena, Mont., is considering charging commercial developers a construction fee on projects to fund public art.
The City Commission has asked its attorney to provide an opinion on whether it has the authority to assess the fee. The fee would apply to new construction or alteration of nonresidential buildings of at least 20,000 sf.
A current proposal would assess the fee at 1% of the construction cost. Developers with projects large enough to incur a fee greater than $25,000 would have the option to have public artwork placed on the site instead of paying. The art would have to be visible from the street or sidewalk, or be placed in an open area of a development that is accessible to the public.
One commissioner estimated that a 1% fee could yield $670,000 for the city over two years.
Related Stories
Products and Materials | Aug 8, 2024
EPA issues $160 million in grants for clean manufacturing of steel, other construction materials
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide 38 grant recipients with nearly $160 million to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials and products.
Green | Aug 7, 2024
Major cities worldwide set building performance standards
Cities around the world are setting building performance standards (BPS) as a key measure to cut emissions and meet climate targets, according to a report from JLL.
Codes and Standards | Aug 6, 2024
New tool helps with selection, installation of heat pump water heaters
A new web-based tool by the Department of Energy offers comprehensive information about how to size, select, and install electric heat pump water heaters (HPWHs).
Regulations | Aug 4, 2024
Diversity rules largely ignored on Boston construction projects
Not a single construction project in Boston over the past four years has met all the rules intended to diversify the construction industry and increase the number of city residents working on construction sites, according to a report in the Boston Globe.
MFPRO+ News | Aug 1, 2024
Canada tries massive incentive program to spur new multifamily housing construction
Canada has taken the unprecedented step of offering billions in infrastructure funds to communities in return for eliminating single-family housing zoning.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Jul 31, 2024
Shipping containers converted into attractive, affordable multifamily housing in L.A.
In the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, a new affordable multifamily housing project using shipping containers resulted in 24 micro-units for formerly unhoused residents. The containers were acquired from a nearby port and converted into housing units at a factory.
Geothermal Technology | Jul 29, 2024
Rochester, Minn., plans extensive geothermal network
The city of Rochester, Minn., home of the famed Mayo Clinic, is going big on geothermal networks. The city is constructing Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) that consist of ambient pipe loops connecting multiple buildings and delivering thermal heating and cooling energy via water-source heat pumps.
Smart Buildings | Jul 25, 2024
A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun
Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.
Codes and Standards | Jul 25, 2024
GSA and DOE select technologies to evaluate for commercial building decarbonization
The General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy have selected 17 innovative building technologies to evaluate in real-world settings throughout GSA’s real estate portfolio.
Office Buildings | Jul 22, 2024
U.S. commercial foreclosures increased 48% in June from last year
The commercial building sector continues to be under financial pressure as foreclosures nationwide increased 48% in June compared to June 2023, according to ATTOM, a real estate data analysis firm.
