Council Clears Removal of Alex Israel's Fin After $250,000 Payment

The Beverly Hills City Council approved ending the fine art covenant at 136 El Camino Drive on October 20 after the property owner paid $250,000, clearing a legal step toward removing Alex Israel's cobalt-blue sculpture Fin.

The Council approved Item E-23 as part of its consent calendar on a 4-0 vote. Councilmembers Rebecca Pynoos, Sharona Nazarian and Lester Friedman and Vice Mayor Mary Wells voted yes; Mayor Craig Corman was absent. The action is recorded in the October 20 regular meeting.

The payment was received October 1, 2026, according to the current staff report. The owner switched to the cash payment after considering donating the artwork to the city with an endowment.

Fin is painted aluminum, finished in high-gloss cobalt blue and mounted on a white marble base. It stands just under seven feet high. The city's report identifies the installation at 136 El Camino in 2023, when a covenant between the city and building owner was signed and notarized.

A representative of Arka Properties Group contacted the city in October 2024 on behalf of the building owner, who no longer considered the sculpture compatible with the lobby and entrance. Staff worked with the representatives while they considered donating the piece or paying an in-lieu fee.

A donation would have required an endowment covering restoration, transport, installation and maintenance. The report says a conservator found damage during a 2025 site visit, significantly increasing the anticipated endowment costs.

The property's representatives confirmed September 30, 2026, that they would abandon the donation plan and pay the required fee. The report gives the sculpture's current appraised value as $100,000 and its value at installation as $250,000. The applicable municipal code requires the higher amount.

The city deposited the $250,000 in its restricted Fine Art Fund, which may be used for acquisition, maintenance and promotion of the municipal art collection.

Council approval does not establish that the sculpture has already been removed. The staff report calls for the City Attorney's Office to prepare a termination document for notarized signatures and recording. Once that process is complete, the owner may decide what to do with the artwork, including removing or demolishing it.