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$62 Million Earmarked for Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument Repair in Mayor’s Proposed Budget

January 13, 2023 | 4:08 PM - Updated on January 15, 2023 | 1:59 AM
in ART, HISTORY, NEWS, OUTDOORS, REAL ESTATE
50
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, 2019.

By Carol Tannenhauser

The proposed 2024 city budget released by Mayor Adams this week includes $62.3 million for the restoration of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument and Plaza in Riverside Park at 89th Street, according to the Riverside Park Conservancy.

That is significantly more than the $37 million to $54 million cost that the city’s Parks Department has estimated is needed to restore the marble and stone monument, which honors Union Army soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War. But the proposal unveiled by Adams now must go through a budgetary process that requires public hearings and eventual approval from the City Council.

Nevertheless, the park conservancy said the proposal is cause for celebration. The monument, dedicated in 1902, was last renovated in the 1960s. “This huge milestone comes after years of advocacy from Riverside Park Conservancy, elected officials and the public,” said Merritt Birnbaum, the new president and CEO of the conservancy. Birnbaum singled out City Council Member Gale Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side, as a “longtime champion, who launched a petition to save the monument last year that garnered thousands of signatures.”

The 20,000-square-foot, white-marble monument commemorates the 370,000 service members from New York who fought on behalf of the Union in the Civil War. A 2017 survey commissioned by the Parks Department found the structure to be in a near-catastrophic state of decay. The survey also said urgent work was needed to stabilize the surrounding hillside, embankments, and ceremonial plaza, which cover nearly two acres of Riverside Park.

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Alex
Alex
2 years ago

In the same budget $13 million (next year $20 million) will be taken from libraries. If I were king, I’d choose libraries

28
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ses
ses
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Also my very first thought when I read this!

1
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Andrew Satlin
Andrew Satlin
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Great point. Imagine what the libraries could do with another $50 million.

2
Reply
Bob
Bob
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

I absolutely agree.

1
Reply
Wijmlet
Wijmlet
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Libraries and school lunches and free education for 3-year-olds.

4
Reply
Eva
Eva
2 years ago
Reply to  Alex

Alex, one thing has nothing to do with the other. Not a zero sum game. This is great news for the community but not a panacea for all the problems in the city.

17
Reply
Joe
Joe
2 years ago

That is an absolute insane amount of money to repair an outdoor statue. Is anyone checking in these outrageous bids

17
Reply
Jay
Jay
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe

It’s not a simple “statue”.

And guess what? The results of the Civil War matter. The right side won.

5
Reply
Boris
Boris
2 years ago
Reply to  Jay

Will the results change if the monument didn’t exist?

1
Reply
NotImpressed
NotImpressed
2 years ago
Reply to  Jay

Did Joe suggest that the results of the Civil War don’t matter?

1
Reply
Ken
Ken
2 years ago
Reply to  NotImpressed

Certainly he did! If the only thing you can find to call this MONUMENT is “an outdoor statue,” then clearly you have no respect for what the monument memorializes — which is the sacrifice of Union soldiers & sailors in the war against Secession &, ultimately, Slavery.

2
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Joey
Joey
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe

It’s outrageous. Payback for the unions’ political contributions and votes. Scandalous.

3
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Carlos
Carlos
2 years ago

One would think that one of the many billionaires in the city would just foot the bill. Donald Trump has never donated to a charity – this would be a good place to start (though they wouldn’t put his name on it, plus the irony of him being involved with something honoring those who served is too much…)

3
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72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Carlos

The city budget is over $100 billion. About the size of the entire budget of the state of Florida. Many multiples of the fortune of a mere billionaire.

This memorial needs to be saved but I find the cost suspicious. Also when folks start complaining about an “austerity” budget, remember things like this are on tap. I’m glad we’re not facing a real austerity budget.

2
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Stute
Stute
2 years ago

I am very happy to learn that the Monument and grounds are scheduled for restoration/renovation. However, I am shocked at the amount allocated for the project. Whatever the plans might be or the proposed scope of the upcoming project, $62+million seems excessive, give all the cuts in the Mayor’s proposed budget. There must be a way to improve the Soldiers/Sailors memorial for less money!

9
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UpperWest Side Dad
UpperWest Side Dad
2 years ago
Reply to  Stute

I agree with your sentiment, especially when the estimates to repair are, according to the Park’s Department, less than what is included in the budget. I suspect that when construction is complete, the costs will actually come in closer to what is in the budget then was the estimates are (and I am assuming there are no cost overruns!)

2
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S G
S G
2 years ago

Great to hear…it’s a wonderful structure!

3
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Eleanor Seepes
Eleanor Seepes
2 years ago

Part of funds should come from nyc-uws resident soliciting

0
Reply
Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago

First, it’s not a zero sum game.

Second, maintaining infrastructure and public spaces is important for the well being of New Yorkers and the City itself. A city that let’s these things go to seed dooms itself.

Third, it is a one-time capital expense that should stabilize things for several decades; this is different from libraries, schools, police, fire, sanitation, etc. — operating costs that must be funded every year.

Finally, at a time when the country is reassessing the Confederate rebellion of the 1860s and rightly removing monuments to slavery-supporting seditionists, it is more important than ever to honor the memory of Union soldiers whose sacrifices ended slavery and saved the Union.

11
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Boris
Boris
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Are you saying that there won’t be any operating costs necessitated by this capital expense? I don’t know of any entity that responsibly spends such a substantial amount of capital without a plan to maintain its value. Sort of how it ended up in the predicament it’s in now.

0
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Mark
Mark
2 years ago

62 million? Are you kidding? I grew up in Riverside Park, and certainly come up a lot of my teenage friends, and I used to hang out and play at the monument. Some even climbed it. That doesn’t mean I have any professional knowledge on it, but if you told me 6 million I would feel it could be done for less, but 62 million? You could literally build a brand new one top to bottom.. I’m not big on conspiracy theories, and maybe I watch too many movies, but if the mayor made that decision, I want to know exactly who was awarded that amount? Because some thing here, well, it just doesn’t sound right

5
Reply
Jay
Jay
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

6 million is laughable. It’s not 1975.

2
Reply
Mark
Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Jay

I was suggesting that somebody possibly got 6 million in a suitcase, in order to approve setting outrageously high amount for this. I would really love to see a list of 100 important things that supersede the monument requiring this kind of renovation cost. Can you imagine how many after school programs and all kinds of wonderful things could be created, for this outrageous sum? At the very least, I am beyond curious to want to see an itemize list, as to how they came up with this kind of number, this is like a Powerball jackpot.

0
Reply
Katina Ellison
Katina Ellison
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

I agree with Mark that there is something suspicious about the high cost and it should be investigated. I first read about it in Gale Brewer’s newsletter; perhaps her office can help us understand how this high figure was arrived at. I do find it outrageous and I think of all the housing that could be built with those funds, and other desperately needed projects.

0
Reply
NewYorkerUWS
NewYorkerUWS
2 years ago

Great news!

1
Reply
ARA
ARA
2 years ago

First, credit to The Riverside Park Conservancy for their work on this. But that is a STAGGERING amount of money. A guess: the amount more reflects arcane city budget negotiations rather than the cost of the renovation. I live across from the monument and would love to see it made accessible, safe and renewed – but that cost is preposterous!!

4
Reply
Gail
Gail
2 years ago

Will the skate boarders still be able to skim across and erode the steps of the marble/stone $62M restoration?

4
Reply
DDion
DDion
2 years ago

Just for the fun of it—
In a bizzaro world of the south winning the civil war, this monument would be torn down as an affront to the people of the south.

0
Reply
Lynn
Lynn
2 years ago

I agree with both points of view. I am thrilled that the monument will finally be restored, but am appalled by the amount noted.

2
Reply
Will
Will
2 years ago

Adams taking money from kids and libraries is a new low. There’s a bloated budget for the NYPD that could have done without 63 mil for a fiscal year.

1
Reply
Kevin
Kevin
2 years ago

“The monument, dedicated in 1902, was last renovated in the 1960s.”

Maybe so, when literally regarding the monument itself.

But I could swear that ten or fifteen years ago the entire monument access area was fenced off for some kind of repair – maybe just to the surrounding “court yard” floor/blocks ? Any very local residents recall ?

1
Reply
Burtnor
Burtnor
2 years ago
Reply to  Kevin

It was fenced to clean off the appalling graffitti and keep vandals out. Also some low key repairs, but not what it needs. Since then it has been sort of cleaned a couple of times, which mostly seems to smear the dirt. Would be nice in addition to reclaim the plaza from the skateboarders who are something of a menace to older folks and children.

1
Reply
72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Kevin

It was fenced off to protect people from falling debris. I believe a substantial part is still blocked off..

2
Reply
Josh P.
Josh P.
2 years ago

This is amazing! Great news. Im pretty sure monument has been locked away for the entirety of the 15 years I’ve lived in the Upper West Side. The amount of money does seem absurdly high, in-line with New Yorks infrastructure costs being -10x other rich cities (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/nyregion/new-york-subway-construction-costs.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare)
Now, when are they going to fix the enormous cracks in the pavement that have blocked the promenade for the last -2 years?
… and how much for the West Park Church that our representative promised?

4
Reply
72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Josh P.

This should actually give people some sense that the estimates to rebuild the church on 86th are not that far fetched, as the church has plumbing, multiple floors, windows, roof, etc.

1
Reply
The Nerve
The Nerve
2 years ago

Do we have access to the competitive bidding process? When a skilled worker makes 100k that’s $50 an hour. This will take 20 men 31 years? Check my math.

2
Reply
Michael
Michael
2 years ago
Reply to  The Nerve

also materials, equipment costs need to be factored.

the 1960s mortar repair part equates to about $11m repair today. Unfortunately now the monument is held together by gravity no longer mortar.

I thought the most recent repair study that i am aware of, put it at $31m that was in 2019 I believe.

0
Reply
Lizzie
Lizzie
2 years ago

While I wish some of our illustrious billionaires had stepped forward to pay for this (really: if 65 people had each donated a million, we’d be there. And we KNOW there are way more than 65 people in this city who could cough up a million without missing it), it really needs to be done.

For those who whine that it’s just a statue and why does it cost so much: it’s an enormous structure with multiple stairways, plazas, balustrades and historic plaques and carvings. It’s built into a cliffside and is structurally precarious. Just stabilizing it is a massive undertaking.

0
Reply
72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Lizzie

People vastly over estimate the number of billionaires there are. It seems like daily someone says this elusive group of billionaires should pay for something. If this happened, I doubt they would be billionaires anymore!

We have the second highest taxes in the country. Our city budget could fund the almost entire state of Florida despite having far fewer people than Florida.

We need to look inward at our municipal priorities, cost structure and how we do business.

2
Reply
Upper Jess Side
Upper Jess Side
2 years ago

The comments here forget that this $62M budget is a capital expense. The way to think about it not $62M in one year but $1M over 62 years. That’s nothing to have a beautiful monument we can all be proud of. Investments like this pay off in spades.

3
Reply
Boris
Boris
2 years ago
Reply to  Upper Jess Side

That’s true but there is a gazillion such capital expenses that add up to a lot of current expediture. The capital budget of the MTA alone makes my head explode.

0
Reply
RWC
RWC
2 years ago

Time for some investigative reporting on why money is going to a statute.
Who has the contract and fixing it, Mayor Adams’s crooked friends? Who does he owe the favor to?
This seems so off!!
Outrageous. He wants to spend money on a statute when libraries desperately need funding and serve everyone in our communities.
What is wrong with this mayor?

1
Reply
Karen Peska
Karen Peska
2 years ago

I’m surprised 😮 this statute of the Civil War will be repaired and very greatful for it!

So many generations will see it and remind them of the Civil War.
Many history books today 2023 aren’t including things of the past!

1
Reply
Archie West
Archie West
2 years ago

It should be fixed. But where – WHERE – do these estimates come from??? Even the parks estimate is all over the place. Uh…maybe $37 million or it could be $54 million. Put it out for bid and publish the proposals received. Let’s unpack the estimate and the timeline. Let’s do this on each and every public funded project – it’s more useful than hearing more political posturing on here. This is real money! The NYPL spent $100 million they received from Schwarzman to rehab the 5th Ave library – but this structure is $60+ million?!?

1
Reply
Sidney Owl
Sidney Owl
2 years ago

$62M is a lot but the site covers 1/2 an acre and there’s a large underground component as well. A detailed study from 2017 is here and it’s only deteriorated since then. Check it out just for the photos:

https://www.nycgovparks.org/pagefiles/130/Soldiers-and-Sailors-CB-Presentation-2-22-17__5b7495b5ad4b2.pdf

They’ll probably have to remove every piece of the monument from the site for restoration, plus the fixtures like the fancy brass doors. There’s asbestos, PCBs and lead paint to be remediated. The roof needs a complete replacement. The structural assessment shows the building is transferring more weight on one side than the other, though in 2017 at least it wasn’t considered dangerous.

$62M is an estimate until the bid comes in. But no city employee union or otherwise makes money from the price of the project being inflated. A contractor might. Tell the Parks Department to start using design-build instead of lowest bidder contracting and the whole thing will come in faster and for less money. Lowest bidder contracting is terrible.

0
Reply
Eckersley
Eckersley
2 years ago

$62 million for this project is probably not wide of the mark.
Contrast that to the completely unrealistic outcry over the estimated cost of repair of West Park church at $55m.

0
Reply
Gretchen
Gretchen
2 years ago

This is , uh, monumental! This is a piece of our city and country’s legacy, which should stop being neglected and left to crumble. This white marble work of art is an historical landmark commemorating our soldiers and sailors who fought in the Union Army during the Civil War for our republic. It was designed by Paul E.M. DuBoy, the same architect who designed the iconic and landmarked Ansonia, both prime examples of the Beaux-Arts movement. I enjoy going there every year for the Memorial Day celebration to commemorate and honor our military. It should always be maintained and kept in good condition. Maybe the federal government should also chip in for its ongoing care and maintenance.

0
Reply
Dan Smith
Dan Smith
2 years ago

What a shameful and ridiculous price tag. I’m sure there is plenty set aside for grift and fraud, etc.

1
Reply
Pascha Pfeifetz
Pascha Pfeifetz
2 years ago
Reply to  Dan Smith

Monuments matter, they are symbols and they set a tone for our society. I’m glad that this is a priority for the city, and to rebuild it right is the only way.

0
Reply
Wijmlet
Wijmlet
2 years ago

Money could be far better spent helping people./

0
Reply

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