Philadelphia authorities approve the transfer of Rizzo statue's custody back to the committee responsible for initially bestowing it on the city for restoration and relocation.
The Frank Rizzo statue, originally donated in 1998 and removed from its public site in the spring of 2020, is set to be returned to the Frank L. Rizzo Monument Committee. The statue, which has been the subject of controversy due to the former mayor's controversial legacy, will undergo repairs and be relocated to a private location.
The city's process for returning the statue is called deaccessioning, a term included in the original donation documents from the late '90s. The exact new site has not been publicly disclosed, but it is described as a safe and secure location on private property.
According to the settlement between the city and the committee, the statue will be displayed only on private property, either indoors or behind fences or walls to block public visibility. If a future proposal seeks to position the statue on public land, such placement would require Art Commission approval.
The statue will be refurbished before relocation, with an estimated $80,000 to $85,000 allocated by the city for repairs. Committee representatives and Rizzo's family have expressed satisfaction that the statue will "see the daylight again," though no further details on the location have been released for security and privacy reasons.
The base of the statue requires a structure resembling steps for its relocation. Michael Minsky, who represented the Frank L. Rizzo Monument Committee, stated that the statue will be refurbished and cleaned before it is moved.
The decision to return the statue has been met with mixed reactions. Jody Della Barba, who was Rizzo's secretary and now chairs the committee responsible for refurbishing and relocating the statue, described the decision as a "triumph for the people of Philadelphia." On the other hand, then-Mayor Jim Kenney declined to comment on the decision to return the statue.
Frank Rizzo Jr., the late mayor's son, is happy with the Art Commission's decision to return the statue to the committee. However, he believes Kenney's decision to take down the statue was a vendetta against his family. The campaign "Frank Rizzo Down," launched in 2017, citing inequality and police brutality under Rizzo's administration, has been a significant voice in the calls for the statue's removal.
In the end, the Frank Rizzo statue will find a new home in a safe, private installation not at its original prominent public site, following legal settlement terms and city regulations. The exact location remains unknown, but the statue is expected to be accessible to the public in some capacity.
The Frank Rizzo statue will be relocated to a safe, private installation after undergoing repairs, following legal settlement terms and city regulations, making it inaccessible to the public at its original prominent public site. This move has been a subject of discussion in the realms of politics and general-news, sparking both support and opposition from various Philadelphia residents and leaders.
