Village to Unveil World’s Largest Glass Mosaic
Artwork Will Honor St. Vincent’s Donors, Volunteers and Staff

   SAN DIEGO — The world’s largest glass mosaic mounted on the west-facing wall of Villa Harvey Mandel, a St. Vincent de Paul Village affordable housing complex, will be unveiled on Sunday, September 28, at 10 a.m. at the corner of 16th Street and Imperial Avenue.

   The artwork, titled "Neighbors Helping Neighbors: A Tribute to Donors, Volunteers & Staff" was designed and erected by Botti Studio of Architectural Arts, a Chicago-based company whose ancestry dates back to late 16th-century Italy.

   The mosaic stands 72 feet tall and stretches 42 feet from side to side. Each section of stained glass, mounted on prefabricated cement slabs, measures 3 feet by 5 feet. The complete work is comprised of 226 slabs whose total weight is more than 6.75 tons.

   Father Joe Carroll, president of St. Vincent’s, says a visual representation of the Village’s appreciation for its supporters is long overdue.
"Since 1982, the people of San Diego have stood by St. Vincent’s and supported the life-changing services we provide our needy neighbors," he says. "A proclamation of this magnitude symbolizing our thanks – while significant in proportion – is dwarfed by the caring and community-minded people of this great city who have made a significant difference in the lives of thousands of children, families and single adults who have found themselves homeless."

   The mosaic features the many ways Village supporters have contributed to the organization over the years. Likenesses of volunteers accompanying children to summer camp, a doctor treating a patient, a foster grandparent comforting an infant and other displays of outreach adorn the piece.
The 3,024 sq. ft. mosaic is visible from as far away as Coronado and will bid adieu to Padres fans as they leave Petco Park heading east on Imperial Avenue.

   For more information (media only) on the unveiling of the world’s largest mosaic, call (619) 525-1608.

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