City leaders, through work with historians and architects and engagement with community members, will again wrestle with what to do about the towering statue of the man the city is named after. The conversations will be part of the Reimagining Columbus project, an overarching initiative the city announced to “promote diversity in the city’s public art,” according to a news release from the mayor’s office. 

A grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for $2 million will fund the undertaking of how, when and where to bring back the statue, which sat in front of Columbus City Hall until summer 2020, when Mayor Andrew Ginther signed a directive to have it taken down and stored. Members of council voted Monday night on a $750,000 contract with Designing Local for the effort, the first money to be directly allocated from the grant fund.