What happens at Columbus Circle when (or if) the statue comes down?
Syracuse, N.Y.  Its been eight months since Mayor Ben Walsh announced the planned removal of the Christopher Columbus statue in downtown Syracuse. The statue still stands and theres no definite timeline for when it will come down. But meanwhile, a group of citizens appointed by Walsh is working on a plan for what comes next at the prominent plaza between the Catholic cathedral and the county courthouse. That plan includes a contingency option for what to do in case the statue doesnt end up being removed. Gregg Tripoli, executive director of the Onondaga Historical Association, is leading that group, along with Bea Gonzalez, an OHA board member and former city councilor. This month, theyll begin looking for proposals from designers for what the new space will look like. The working name for the reimagined site is Heritage Park. Tripoli said it will be developed as an educational park that pays tribute to a wide variety of people who have been traditionally marginalized or oppressed. [We will] expand that to a larger park that really celebrates the resilience of many of our marginalized communities -- to acknowledge that oppression has been part of our history and celebrate the many contributions of people who have experienced oppression, he said. That was something that everyone agreed on, regardless of whether the statue remains or not.  Tripoli said the advisory group will soon be looking for public input on some aspects of the park. The fate of the statue has generated harsh backlash from the Columbus Monument Corporation and others who see it as a slap in the face to the areas Italian American community. The statue was erected in 1932, paid for by Italian immigrants who were often victims of anti-immigrant hostilities. Since then, its become a symbol of pride in some communities. Last October, Walsh announced he would take the statue down and rename Columbus Circle. The Monument Corporation has produced video ads, lawn signs and billboards blasting Walsh, who is up for re-election this fall. Last month, the group sued the city and Walsh, arguing he doesnt have the legal authority to take down the statue. The city hired an outside law firm, Hancock Estabrook, to defend against that lawsuit. A court schedule outlined last week would extend that case through at least the end of October, unless its settled or dismissed earlier. Tripoli said the advisory group is planning for what to do at the park in the event the monument group wins that lawsuit and the statue remains. That would involve some sort of educational component explaining how the statue was erected as a celebration of Italian heritage, but came to be viewed by many others as a symbol of oppression. We will interpret whatever is there in a much more deep and involved way than currently, he said. We can deal with Heritage Park whether the statue is there or not.  If the statue comes down, the new park will include some kind of tribute to it, and what it symbolized to the Italian-American community, Tripoli said. He envisions an app on your phone that allows you to stand at the site and see what the statue looked like while it was there, along with education about its construction and why it was removed. Among other things, the advisory group is seeking a new home for the statue once its removed. Across the United States, there are about 95 statues of Columbus in public spaces, Tripoli said. In the last year, 37 of those have been removed or are slated for removal. Tripoli said Syracuse is unique in its effort to find a new home for the statue. Many end up gathering dust in a storage room somewhere. Tripoli said theres no taker yet for the 11-foot statue. He recognizes its controversial nature, especially now as its coming down. Wherever it goes, OHA will help ensure its moved properly and respectfully to a new location. No matter what happens with the monument, though, the park will be redeveloped. The towering Columbus monument is just one small part of the larger project, Tripoli said. So far, theres no set budget for the new park, according to Greg Loh, chief policy officer for Mayor Ben Walshs administration. Loh said he expects the city to use a mix of public and private money for the project, including funds from local and national philanthropic groups. Once theres a plan in place, it will need approval from the Landmark Preservation Board. The Public Arts Commission will help develop a plan for the removal and relocation of the Columbus statue. And the Common Council will need to approve any city spending on the new park. Ultimately, Tripoli said he views the project as a positive step for the community. Its not about the removal of the statue; Its about the development of a park that celebrates our rich history, celebrates who we are and how we got here, he said. It is a unifying, feel good project, and an important project for our community, that has issues over race and opportunities for our marginalized communities.