Students from Mexico and the Uni­ver­sity of North Texas have teamed up to de­sign a public art project for the Fry Street area.

Four students and one faculty member from the Universidad Autónoma del Esta­do de México came to Denton last week to work with a dozen students in UNT’s Col­lege of Visual Art and Design on the project.

Courtesy Photo

Art students from the University of North Texas and the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México look over their ideas. They are designing an art display for Fry Street Village, United Equities' new development at Fry and Hickory streets.

Houston developer United Equities Inc. wants the art in its development on the corner of Fry and Hickory streets, scheduled to open next summer.

Students and faculty have been studying the history of Fry Street and trying to put down on paper their ideas of how to commemorate that history in the display.

Robert Milnes, dean of the College of Visual Art and Design, said the project has been interesting.

“We’ve always conceptualized this project as a story about the university and the Fry Street music scene, but when we get people in from the community, that’s not their story.”

Milnes said that story is more about the homes along Oak Street and the area that was built up in the 1920s and earlier.

He said he welcomes all the input and hopes the art display will tell all those stor­ies.

In addition to the design experience students are receiving, Milnes said he is excited about the partnership with the Mexican university, as it provides another example of UNT’s international relationships.

United Equities sponsored the joint project with a $2,500 donation to the university, said Rafael McDonnell, a UNT spokesman.

An art supply store, Artisan Santa Fe, also donated some materials.

United Equities, which plans to build restaurants, shops and a pharmacy on the corner of Fry and Hickory streets, is planning two parallel walls, 60 feet wide and 20 feet high, to be part of the development.

Those walls will serve as the canvas for the students’ project.

Tim Sandifer, of United Equities, said it is important for Denton not to lose the historical significance of Fry Street, and he believes this display will help preserve it.

“This is something I dreamed up because if I take my daughter back to the University of Texas, it’s changed. Austin has changed,” Sandifer said. “That’s true in Denton, too. I think this project will give people something familiar when they bring their children back to UNT.”

The students will meet with the developer and the community today at 3 p.m. in Room 338 of the UNT Art Building. There, they will present their initial ideas, and the developer and the community can give them feedback.

Milnes said that, because space is limited, people who want to attend should call the college ahead of time at 940-565-4001.

During the next three days, the artists will refine their ideas using the feedback they receive and create a more thorough concept for a final presentation on Thursday.

If United Equities approves one of the concepts, the company will pay to have the art produced.

MATTHEW ZABEL can be reached at 940-566-6884. His e-mail is mzabel@dentonrc.com .