RTM Rejects Gift of George HW Bush Statue

A third of three big decisions made by the RTM on Monday night was whether to accept a gift from Scott Frantz for design, construct and install a statue of George HW Bush to be located in the existing circle of the front walkway outside the front entrance of the Havemeyer Building at 290 Greenwich Avenue.

The resolution had been modified to a substitute resolution, offered on behalf of the Selectmen’s office. The substitute resolution reflected that the gift was from just one person, and excluded reference to “other donors” and was changed from a cash gift to a statue.

The gift was a statue valued at $100,000, including a $10,000 maintenance fund, though the maintenance would be the town’s responsibility.

The P&Z commission had approved the location outside the Havemeyer front entrance after two previous locations were rejected.

First the Historic District Commission rejected the proposed location outside the historic post office by the World War I obelisk.

Then there was a proposal to locate it near the other monuments to fallen service members along Greenwich Avenue on the lawn in front of the Havemeyer building.

Ultimately P&Z voted favorably on a suggestion made by Nick Macri to put the statute in the circle occupied by a tree in front Havemeyer entrance.

The Budget Overview Committee voted in favor: 9-2-1 on the substitute resolution.

The Finance Committee voted in favor: 9-2-1.

The Education Committee voted against the substitute resolution: 10-0-2.

Rubin said the Education Committee’s vote was not against George HW Bush.

“He was a wonderful president, a war hero. He was inclusive. He was bi-partisan….He wanted a nicer, gentler country.”

He said objections were primarily against the location, especially given the historic building’s future is uncertain.

The offices have been located in the Havemeyer building for decades. The building dates back to 1892 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In July 2024 First Selectman Camillo established a Havemeyer RFP Evaluation Committee. Their preference was the “Eagle/Peebles” proposal to renovate and convert the historic building into a 71-room boutique hotel, restaurant, and event space, but feedback from the community was negative.

This past April the Greenwich Board of Education voted 7-1 to approve a $250,000 interim appropriation to fund preliminary architectural and engineering work to study relocating district administrative offices out of Havemeyer to an addition at the back of town hall.

The Land Use Committee voted in favor of the substitute resolution: 8-4-0

The Legislative & Rules Committee’s vote on legal order was 6-3-1. Their vote on the substitute resolution was 9-0-1.

The Parks & Rec Committee voted in favor 9-3-0.

Postpone Indefinitely?

D8 chair Cheryl Moss shard a motion from D8 to postpone the decision on the item indefinitely.

She said the motion was not about the legacy of George HW Bush.

“Suggestions that this motion is an insult to President Bush and his family and all veterans is a statement of pure hyperbole and couldn’t be further from the truth,” Moss said. “But honoring a man well is not the same as placing a statue anywhere, at any time and in any manner.”

She said D8 had deep and substantive concerns about whether the process was followed.

“Placing a permanent statute on the Havemeyer lawn raises serious questions about the long term use of that site. A permanent installation of this nature could limit future redevelopment, constrain the functional and aesthetic options for the property, and might ultimately be seen as an impediment rather than an asset.”

“This location was not chosen through a deliberative community driven process. The HDC first rejected the site on the WWI memorial obelisk and suggested the Havemeyer lawn. P&Z then rejected siting the statue next to the other monuments along the street, with one issue being the memorials are for fallen heroes.”

She said the location in front of the entrance to Havemeyer had been a last resort.

Moss said Greenwich has a public arts policy that formally involves a cultural arts advisory committee, charged with vetting public art gifts and location decisions.

“This is not a formality. It is a safeguard designed to ensure that gifts of public art serve the community well and are placed thoughtfully,” Moss said. “This committee has never convened to review this or any other proposal.”

“Instead we are told that the First Selectmen exercises discretionary authority to accept gifts of this kind without consultation with advisory committees or effected departments. That may be technically permissible, but the existence of a power is not the same as the wisdom of exercising it, particularly for a permanent installation that will stand in a public space for generations.”

“We are asking this body to pump the brakes, to allow the process to work as it was designed to work.”

Mr. Rubin said D3 took up the motion to postpone indefinitely and had agreed by unanimous consent.

Genny Krob from district 8, talked about the uncertainty of the future of Havemeyer.

“The ultimate use of this prime town property is as of yet unknown. It makes no sense to erect a new memorial directly in front of the main entrance to a building which is on the market.”

Ms Krob said while public comment was allowed during HDC and P&Z meetings, there was no public hearing related to the proposed siting.

She suggested Town Hall would be a better location.

Molly Saleeby agreed and suggested a statue of Bush could be part of a redesigned Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, incorporated into plans the start and situated to be seen from land and sea.

She said as proposed, the statue would compete with the historic building’s entrance and prominent Romanesque arch.

“It’s not good business practice to touch this property until its future, much discussed, is decided. I believe President Bush deserves better. The building and its environs are in disrepair. There is peeling paint. Steps to the front circle where the statue would be are broken. There are large sidewalk cracks and a chipped flagstone landing.”

Sam Rosenfeld from D1 said George HW Bush had shied from the word hero and declined to boast about his military service during his Presidential campaign in 1987.

He recommended placing the statue at Greenwich Town Hall to commemorate his public service as President and quoted Bush’s 1989 inaugural address with his inspiring words, “There is but one just use of power: to serve the people.”

Scott Kalb urged the RTM to vote on the substitute resolution rather than approve a motion to postpone indefinitely.

“If you feel like you’d like to see this in a different location, or you want it to come back, or have a different process, vote no.”

Lucy von Brachel said the concerns being raised could have been avoided.

“If the First Selectman’s public art policy had been followed, experts from the Bruce Museum, the Arts Council and the Historical Society would have been involved,” von Brachel said. “The public would have had a role.”

“There was no call for artists. In fact, there is no sculptor. The bronze would be passed from a 3D rendering of a painting pulled from the internet, a Jeffrey Bass portrait used for the cover of John Meacham’s biography. Although the town did not initially ask for permission to use Mr. Bass’s work, Mr. Bass generously granted permission and waived his fee.”

Ms von Brachel recommended pausing and seeking guidance from professionals at local art and history organizations.

First Selectman Camillo objected to the motion to postpone indefinitely and said process had indeed been followed.

“We went to the Historic District Commission several times. They voted unanimously for this. We listened to their thoughts. Los of people in the public had a chance to speak, some did. Then we went to Planning & Zoning – again it was unanimous.”

Camillo said many other locations had been considered and rejected, including Town Hall, which was the original Greenwich High School.

“President Bush had no connection. He didn’t go to that school. He went to school in Greenwich, but not that school,” he said.

“Why is it in Veterans Plaza Park, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. Because, as you heard, he was the youngest fighter pilot in World War II. He grew up here in town and spent the first 18 years of his life here. Not only that, he was shot down, and hew lost his two crew mates. He almost died and just eluded capture, I’m sure you’ve seen the video where a submarine picks him up in the South Pacific.”

Camillo said legitimate concerns had all been answered, including maintenance after Mr. Frantz added a $10,000 fund for maintenance.

As for uncertainty about Havemeyer’s future, he said Mr. Frantz had been willing to include funds to move the statue if its location became an issue down the road.

“Every single box has been checked,” Camillo said.”Let’s vote this up or down tonight.”