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Renovations Begin on Metropolis, IL Superman Statue
Renovations to the iconic Superman statue in Metropolis, IL are scheduled to begin this Friday following the selection of two companies by the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce to complete the project.
Following fundraising efforts which ultimately raised over $100,000, the statue was officially unveiled on June 5, 1993 and stands proudly in full color in front of the Metropolis Courthouse building on Superman Square.
The first part of the renovation project will involve the blasting of glass beads on the statue by West Ky. Painting, LLC of Paducah, KY to safely remove several layers of paint down to the original bronze base. Following the removal of all existing paint, Blackhound, LLC of Lawrenceville, GA will then apply a three-layer marine grade coating of paint to the statue which is rated to last between 20 to 25 years.
The blasting and new paint application is anticipated to take approximately one week to complete. During this time period, scaffolding will be placed around the statue and no visitors will be permitted into the immediate area for photo-ops.
Beginning in Spring, 2021, additional renovations will include improvements to the Superman shield base surrounding the statue as well as painting of the railings, mortar repairs, reapplication of shadowing on existing memorial bricks, and the placement of up to 700 new memorial bricks currently be offered for purchase by the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce to help fund the project.
A rededication ceremony is scheduled to take place during the annual Superman Celebration in June, 2021.
