Back in May, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the William Penn statue on top of City Hall was in need of some sprucing up. City officials tell Curbed Philly that the makeover, which could take up to one month, will begin September.
Initially the whole process was scheduled to begin in August, but that date has been pushed to September 14, says Margot Berg, public art director for the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.
That’s when scaffolding will begin to go up, a process that will take about two weeks. "The conservation work will begin the week of September 26," Berg says.
By conservation work, Berg means scrubbing the 37-foot-tall bronze statue with detergent and checking the statue for signs of wear and tear. After patching up any spots, the statue will be waxed and buffed.
It’s been 12 years since William Penn had its last cleaning. In total, the entire restoration will cost $250,000.
During the restoration, the City Hall observatory deck will be closed, so be sure to mark your calendars.
- The William Penn statue is getting a makeover [Curbed Philly]