• The Restoration is expected to take 6-9 months and the process begins with dismantling the Monument and fountain piece by piece and being transported to the foundry of Karkadoulias Bronze Art, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• The parts and pieces undergo the time-consuming cleaning procedure of stripping away all the interior debris from the original casting of the Monument (Monumental Bronze never gave consideration to the damage the sand and wax residue could have over time)
• The interior will receive a protective chemical coating
• The numerous layers of paint will be removed with a method using powdered glass, walnut shells and/or baking soda. This part of the restoration will be the most time consuming and costly.
• All cracks, chips, and deterioration will be repaired; some by brazing with a matching zinc alloy.
• The exterior of the Monument will receive a protective chemical coating to help preserve the new restoration
• The interior of the Monument will be fit with a stainless-steel frame supporting all the points of stress (similar to that recently done to the Statue of Liberty). This will also allow the Monument to rest on the frame rather than itself.
• All plumbing inside the monument/fountain will be replaced with non-corrosive piping and tubing.
• The concrete base and basin will be refurbished by the city of Grand Rapids and reengineered for structural integrity as needed to support the monument when it is reassembled.

The plumbing leading up to the fountain will be repaired or replaced and reconnected by the City of Grand Rapids.

See a similar monument that was restored in Iowa!