At the November 1, 2021 Schenectady City Council Committees Meeting, Council Members were about to vote on a Resolution to return Lady Liberty to Liberty/Gateway Park. The Mayor left the room, but his City Corporation Counsel Andrew Koldin told Council members that he had looked, and did a search within the  Comprehensive Plan for Gateway Plaza, and could find no place where there is any mention of the Liberty Statue Replica being returned to Gateway Plaza after construction was completed. He added that he found nothing saying to return or not return, relocate or not relocate the replica.

Well, that must have been a very quick search by Mr. Koldin. We did a closer search several years ago, and have been saying at this website, in Letters to the Editor, and statements at Council meetings, that the Plan approved by the Council and signed by the Mayor in 2013 provided that the Liberty Statue was to be returned to Gateway-Liberty Plaza after construction, and therefore we wanted Her returned “as promised”. Here is the easy-to-find proof.

 . . [L] detail from Plan rendering showing Lady Liberty “relocated” within the Plaza along State Street.

MASTER PLAN of the GATEWAY PLAZA PROJECT: Shown on the COVER of the Final Comprehensive Plan for Gateway Plaza, and within the Plan Document: Item #6 in the Legend says “Relocation of Liberty Replica” and shows its designated relocation spot in the Plaza along State Street.

DETAIL FROM MASTER PLAN

. . Above, in a detail of the Master Plan design, I have labelled in blue the spot for the proposed relocation of the Liberty Statue, per #6 in the Master Plan.

Explanation Given to Advisory Committee in “Kick Off” Session says – The Statue of Liberty . . . may be moved, but should be incorporated into the project.”

EXPLANATION GIVEN IN PUBLIC SESSION re LADY LIBERTY being placed near State Street.  

REFINED OPTIONS A  & B, GIVEN TO STEERING/ADVISORY COMMITTEE, EACH SHOWING “RELOCATED STATUE OF LIBERTY” along State St. on the Master Plan plat.

LINE ITEM IN PLAN BUDGET SHOWING $20,000 to RELOCATE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY in the PLAZA

Why did Andrew Koldin feel he needed to deny there being a directive in the Final Gateway Plaza Plan to return Lady Liberty? My best guess is so he and the Mayor could argue that not returning the Lady to Her Home did not violate the Plan the Council and Mayor had approved in 2013.