REPUBLIC URBAN PROPERTIES HONORS HARRIET TUBMAN WITH STREET NAME CHANGE AND ART MEMORIAL AT GATEWAY AT MILLBRAE STATION
This memorial will be a landmark honoring arguably one of the most important African American woman in history.”
MILLBRAE, CA, UNITED STATES, February 23, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- WHAT: — In honor of Black History Month, Republic Urban Properties2 announces a major roadway, South Station Road, at the Millbrae BART station will be renamed Harriet Tubman Way. Republic Urban Properties, the master developer building the new Gateway at Millbrae Station1, worked with BART to spur the name change to honor Tubman’s legacy. Bevan Dufty, a member of the BART Board of Directors, was instrumental in sponsoring the name change, recognizing its impact as a tangible reminder of Tubman’s contribution to freedom. — Michael Van Every, CEO and President of Republic Urban Properties
Additionally, Republic has joined forces with the NAACP San Mateo to commission an art installation at the site. This permanent, freestanding outdoor art piece will further commemorate Tubman’s history as an abolitionist.
The NAACP San Mateo invited Redwood City Councilman Michael A. Smith to join the art memorial project steering committee. “Choosing to honor the legacy of Harriet Tubman represents an important step forward for the City of Millbrae, San Mateo County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. To fully recognize the community’s diverse residents who’ve had legacies associated with exclusion and racism is an important step forward in healing the wounds of those wronged by history. We’re stepping into a new, more equitable point in time for our community and our Nation as well,” said Smith.
Two renowned Bay Area artists, Kristine Mays and Cheryl Derricotte, are currently working on proposals. The memorial will be awarded to one artist in mid-March.
Mays is a sculptor who uses heavy gauge metal wire often found on construction sites. “Harriet Tubman has been my heroine since I was 6 years old. What a dream to be able to honor her this way if given the chance,” she said. Mays was chosen from 140 Black artists to create an installation in Atlanta for “MARTA Artbound” (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority).
Derricotte, a visual artist whose primary medium is glass, is excited at the possibility of bringing Tubman’s history to life through glass and metal. Given Tubman’s work freeing enslaved people through the Underground Railroad, it’s “so fitting” that this sculptural tribute will be housed at a vibrant, new community destination located at the intersection of two real-world trains, BART and Caltrain, Derricotte said.
Commissioning a memorial to Harriet Tubman was a natural fit for Republic Urban Properties corporate ethos, said West Coast president Michael R. Van Every. “Republic Urban Properties is known for building landmarks across the country. This memorial will be a landmark honoring arguably one of the most important African American woman in history,” he said.
Harriett Tubman once proudly pointed out to Frederick Douglass that in all her journeys she never lost a single passenger. “Harriet Tubman Way, along with the art piece at the center of our new public plaza, will be a reminder to the community and the thousands of commuters who pass through the site each day of Harriet Tubman’s contributions,” said Melissa Durkin, Republic Urban Properties senior vice president of development.
The final art memorial will be unveiled in mid-2022.
WHEN:
Call, email or text the media contacts below to:
- Get in touch with interviewees
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WHERE:
Gateway at Millbrae Station
200 Rollins Rd, Millbrae, CA 940303
Location renderings and photos are also available, art installation design coming soon.
WHO:
- Michael Van Every, President & CEO, Republic Urban Properties
- Melissa Durkin, Senior VP of Development, Republic Urban Properties
- Michael A. Smith, NAACP San Mateo Art Memorial Project Steering Committee, and Redwood City Councilman
- Kristine Mays and Cheryl Derricotte, Artist Finalists
- Bevan Dufty, Member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors
MEDIA CONTACT:
Claire Sulek, PRxDigital Silicon Valley
(408) 605-5734 | claire@prxdigital.com
OR
Terry Downing, PRxDigital Silicon Valley
(408) 838-0962 | terry_downing@prxdigital.com
About Gateway at Millbrae Station:
As part of the BART's initiative to encourage Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Gateway at Millbrae Station is a neighborhood-defining community delivering quality spaces for people to live, work, shop, and dine. Located at the Millbrae BART Station, this project will enhance the surrounding community and assist in developing sustainable transit ridership.
About Republic Urban Properties:
As the West Coast Division of the Republic Family of Companies, Republic Urban Properties is known for developing quality real estate throughout the United States. Gateway at Millbrae Station will incorporate 152,000 square feet of office space, a 320-unit apartment building, 80 veteran-preferred affordable housing units, 163-room hotel, and retail space into the Millbrae BART station. With its proximity to the Millbrae BART and Caltrain stations, Gateway at Millbrae will be a model for integrating housing with vital access to public transportation.
Claire Sulek
PRxDigital
+1 408-605-5734
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1 https://gatewayatmillbraestation.com/
2 https://www.republicfamilyofcompanies.com/about/republic-urban-properties/
3 https://goo.gl/maps/LfSvxQrCY9HGvThk7