Village Reviewing Construction of a Norman Rockwell Sculpture in Village Center
Grandhaven, LLC. is requesting permission to build a Norman Rockwell sculpture, which will be a replica of the one in the Greendale Visitor Center.
The Planning Commission will review a request from Grandhaven, LLC. to build a Norman Rockwell sculpture near the intersection of Northway and Broad Street.
The sculpture will be a replica of the one in the Greendale Visitor Center.
Grandhaven, LLC. is the landlord to the Village Center shops and is owned by Roy Reiman, founder of Reiman Publications.
Norman Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator.
The painting on Norman Rockwell's easel will change based on which direction he is facing. The planned sculpture will have the ability to be turned. At times he may face the Village Hall so the painting will have a picture of Village Hall. If it's facing south of Broad Street then it will have a picture of the streetscape.
"It is our desire to place this statue outside as an added element of interest and history within the Village Center," wrote Anne Marie Pierce, Manager at Grandhaven, LLC., in a letter to the Village.
Grandhaven, LLC. will fully pay for the sculpture, maintain all planting and benches.
The Planning Commission will review the request.
jeff ircink
8:09 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
nice, but what's the significance of Rockwell to the Village? aside from Roy's interest? even is his company pays for it...why?
Viviana Buzo
8:40 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
That same question was asked at the meeting. Board members said that will be discussed throughout the review process.
Jason Dembosky
8:40 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Jeff, I believe Greendale is meant to be seen as a "Norman Rockwell" type of town.
Carole Jezek
8:30 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Well, it is a positive plan and adds charm. Negative thinking is not helpful. The Norman Rockwell Sculpture might be a positive influence. Hurrah for charm! Positive thoughts!
Lisa417
10:04 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Stating an opinion opposite of others is not negative thinking. I like Norman Rockwell, but do we really need a statue at the intersection of Northway and Broad Street? I don't think so. Greendale, please stop with the gaudy gimmicks!
wiscoleeds
10:23 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Doesn't this distort history? Won't future generations conclude that Norman Rockwell must be from Greendale, because why else would there be a statue of him here?
Did Mr. Rockwell ever set foot in Greendale?
Why not a statue of FDR or Eleanor Roosevelt?
Bren
12:12 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I agree with others here. There are other individuals of greater historical significance than a magazine illustrator (though of international renown). As Mark Tuffey suggests, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, who actually was in Greendale, or even Sir Ebenezer Howard, originator of the "Garden City" self-sustaining village concept that was used to create America's three greenbelt communities.
I was in Ricardo's yesterday, looking at the wall image of what I believe to be old Greendale. If so, those wonderfully quaint storefronts would be perfect now from a design standpoint. What a tragedy to turn downtown Broad street into strip malls.
Mr. Reiman, Grandhaven, may we focus instead on restoring what has been lost to us through lack of vision, and enhancing charm, tourism, and income in that way instead of homogenizing and "kitsching" up Greendale? We owe it to our country to preserve its heritage.
jeff ircink
7:30 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
i understand that Greendale is akin to a Norman Rockwell painting...Americana. that's i describe the town to people. still not sold on the statue outside...or the LED lights that the Board voted on w/o going through the planning commission, for that matter.