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Nearly a decade in the making, Maryville's downtown streetscape project will be officially dedicated Thursday during ceremonies set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on the courthouse square.
Completed this summer, the renovation includes new sidewalks, re-paved streets and period-style lampposts. Other components embrace lamppost-mounted flower baskets, seasonal banners and new landscaping on the courthouse lawn.
Highlighting this week's event will be the unveiling of three large, abstract welded steel sculptures installed on concrete nodes extending from sidewalks along Main Street, Third Street and Fourth Street.
The artworks were sculpted by Northwest Missouri State University alumnus Dustin Koopman and are part of a six pice series titled "Fusion," which was temporarily installed last April on the lawn east of the J.W. Jones Student Union.
Cut, shaped and welded by hand, the sculptures were inspired by the "pod" forms found in the work of Northwest sculpture professor Glenn Williams as well as Koopman's own early exposure to industrial metal fabrication in the Nebraska factory manage by his father.
In making the Fusion sculptures, Koopman fabricated steel sheets into square boxes and sweeping arcs that were then assembled into completed forms through what amounted to trial and error. The artist did some clay modeling, but avoided the now-common practice of creating virtual facsimiles on a computer.
"It is intended for the viewer to feel slightly dwarfed by the pieces and drawn in by the contrast of surfaces and visual interest of each piece," Koopman said. "I want people to think all these pieces are slightly loose and might come down on them."
Thursday's streetscape celebration will begin with an invitation-only dinner at A&G Restaurant followed by the public program and unveiling, set to take place around 7 p.m.
The celebration will continue with a performance by the Loose Change Band, which will perform hits from the classic rock era along with county and R&B standards. Bleacher seating will be limited, and those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
The concert is part of the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce's Downtown Sounds series. The Maryville Hy-Vee supermarket will provide refreshments throughout the event.
The streetscape project is the result of a years'-long effort by the Campaign for Community Renewal, a volunteer citizens group that raised more than $2.7 million through a combination of government grants and donations from local corporations, businesses and private citizens. Planning and fundraising began in 2003 and construction spanned three years.
Nearly a decade in the making, Maryville's downtown streetscape project will be officially dedicated Thursday during ceremonies set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on the courthouse square.
Completed this summer, the renovation includes new sidewalks, re-paved streets and period-style lampposts. Other components embrace lamppost-mounted flower baskets, seasonal banners and new landscaping on the courthouse lawn.
Highlighting this week's event will be the unveiling of three large, abstract welded steel sculptures installed on concrete nodes extending from sidewalks along Main Street, Third Street and Fourth Street.
The artworks were sculpted by Northwest Missouri State University alumnus Dustin Koopman and are part of a six pice series titled "Fusion," which was temporarily installed last April on the lawn east of the J.W. Jones Student Union.
Cut, shaped and welded by hand, the sculptures were inspired by the "pod" forms found in the work of Northwest sculpture professor Glenn Williams as well as Koopman's own early exposure to industrial metal fabrication in the Nebraska factory manage by his father.
In making the Fusion sculptures, Koopman fabricated steel sheets into square boxes and sweeping arcs that were then assembled into completed forms through what amounted to trial and error. The artist did some clay modeling, but avoided the now-common practice of creating virtual facsimiles on a computer.
"It is intended for the viewer to feel slightly dwarfed by the pieces and drawn in by the contrast of surfaces and visual interest of each piece," Koopman said. "I want people to think all these pieces are slightly loose and might come down on them."
Thursday's streetscape celebration will begin with an invitation-only dinner at A&G Restaurant followed by the public program and unveiling, set to take place around 7 p.m.
The celebration will continue with a performance by the Loose Change Band, which will perform hits from the classic rock era along with county and R&B standards. Bleacher seating will be limited, and those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
The concert is part of the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce's Downtown Sounds series. The Maryville Hy-Vee supermarket will provide refreshments throughout the event.
The streetscape project is the result of a years'-long effort by the Campaign for Community Renewal, a volunteer citizens group that raised more than $2.7 million through a combination of government grants and donations from local corporations, businesses and private citizens. Planning and fundraising began in 2003 and construction spanned three years.
