Coral Springs may dedicate $68,000 from its public art fund to support new interior and exterior mural projects at the Cornerstone development on University Drive and Sample Road
Coral Springs, Florida – A colorful addition may soon brighten the landscape of the new Cornerstone development at University Drive and Sample Road. City officials are considering a proposal to allocate a total of $68,000 from the Public Art Fund to support two distinct mural projects designed to enhance the emerging downtown district.
According to city documents, the Coral Springs City Commission is set to vote on the funding this week. The proposal outlines two separate art installations — a $30,000 contribution for two interior murals by Miami-based artist Sonny Behan, and a $38,000 allocation for an exterior mural by Illinois artist CJ Hungerman. Both projects will be located in the north building of the Cornerstone complex, near the site of the future Coral Springs Museum of Art.
Behan’s work is planned to feature prominently inside the Modera Coral Springs complex, an upscale mixed-use section of Cornerstone. His series includes three murals with a total cost estimated at about $127,000, but the city’s funding would cover only two of them — those situated in public areas that qualify under the city’s art visibility standards. The murals selected for support, titled “Feature Wall 1” and “Paseo Mural,” will showcase a Florida panther and a roseate spoonbill. These creatures, both symbols of rarity and strength, are intended to reflect South Florida’s connection to nature and resilience.
City officials said Behan’s murals aim to complement the pedestrian walkways that run through the Modera building, bringing life and identity to the new development. His artwork, known for its vibrant tones and layered storytelling, is expected to be completed by early 2026, giving residents and visitors a fresh cultural attraction in the heart of Coral Springs.
The exterior mural by CJ Hungerman takes a different artistic approach. His large-scale piece, to be installed near the Coral Springs Museum of Art, features black-and-white geometric patterns and abstract floral shapes. Hungerman’s distinctive style — often a mix of visual rhythm and surreal design — has already earned praise from the Coral Springs Public Art Committee and the Coral Springs Museum of Art, both of which have endorsed the project.
Funding for the murals will not come from city taxpayers. Officials clarified that the Public Art Fund is financed through developer fees collected under the city’s art requirements for new projects. “All the funding comes from the Public Art Fund, which collects fees from developers rather than tax dollars,” officials confirmed in city documents.
Developers of the Cornerstone project have already contributed more than $418,000 to the Public Art Fund as part of those requirements. The fund is designed to ensure that as the city continues to grow, it does so with an emphasis on cultural and aesthetic value, blending modern construction with public creative expression.
If approved, these murals would mark another step forward in Coral Springs’ ongoing effort to transform Cornerstone into a vibrant cultural hub. The city’s long-term vision for the area includes dining, shopping, entertainment, and art — all interwoven into a walkable urban environment that reflects the community’s diverse character.
By early 2026, if all goes according to plan, residents and visitors could find themselves walking past Behan’s bold wildlife imagery inside the Modera building and gazing at Hungerman’s striking exterior patterns nearby — both serving as new landmarks for a city that continues to invest in creativity and civic pride.
