Workers are preparing for the relocation of the 106-year-old Confederate monument currently standing in front of the old Hillsborough County courthouse.
- Crews dismantling plywood barriers around statue
- Platforms, scaffolding to move statue going up next
- Monument will be disassembled into 26 pieces
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On Aug 31, crews began taking down the plywood that has surrounded the monument over the last few weeks. For the next couple of days, workers will build the platforms and scaffolding they’ll need to take down the memorial.
The monument will be disassembled into 26 pieces.
Hillsborough Director of Real Estate and Facilities Josh Bellotti said the move could present a challenge.
“We're dealing with a monument that's over 100 years old which is made of marble, which is very brittle, and there are some areas that already show signs of cracking," Bellotti said. "So we have to be very careful and deliberate as we take apart the various pieces of the monument so we can protect them for reassembly."
Bellotti said the monument was originally constructed by pinning together its 26 parts. He said moving it as one piece could damage the monument and the utility lines that are underneath the memorial.
Crews will start disassembling the monument itself after Labor Day.