A controversial monolith that the city plans to build on North Walnut will not be finished this year.
Interim Director of Parks and Recreation Tim Street confirmed Monday that the project is paused while the city reassesses its direction.
“We don't have a clear update on exactly where we're going with this at the moment,” Street said. “However, we are looking at different aspects of the project, considering what we've heard from the public, and the Board of Public Works and other folks in determining how we can best move this forward.”
Two weeks ago, the board of public works again did not take action giving the city right of way to begin installation.
The lack of action followed several weeks of protest from critics who objected to the monolith’s cost and appearance.
Now, Street said because of the delay, weather conditions will make finishing the monolith unfeasible until 2024.
“When we started this process a number of weeks ago and went to the Board of Public Works, it was anticipated we'd be able to get a fair amount of work done before the end of the year,” Street said. “Weather can affect concrete installation and other aspects of the project, so we're assessing that as part of the project overall, the gateway itself and looking to find our best path forward.”
Street said the city has no clear direction forward but is speaking with architects at Rundell Ernstberger Associates about potentially changing the design.
Bloomington made two contracts with companies involved in constructing the monolith: $395 thousand with bo-mar Industries, a metal fabrication shop in Indianapolis tasked with building the monument, and $575 thousand with Reed and Sons Construction, a Bloomington-based general contracting firm hired to install it.
Street said it’s unclear whether those contracts will fall through.
The Board of Public Works is not scheduled to discuss the gateway monument at its meeting this Tuesday.
