NORFOLK, Va.– The City of Norfolk will begin restoring the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial starting Wednesday.
The memorial sits at the corner of Brambleton Avenue and Church Street.
The project is set to be completed in early 2021.
The restoration project will repair structural components and exterior panels after a structural engineer found the steel supports and granite panels have deteriorated.
A contractor will start disassembling the memorial on Wednesday.
During the work, a temporary road closure will be in place for the northbound lanes of Church Street through the end of October. Motorists should follow all posted signs.
Crews will work between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with off-duty police and flaggers assisting with traffic.
City officials says access to residences and businesses will be maintained.
Once the memorial is assessed and repaired, another lane closure will take place for crews to reassemble the memorial.
The granite memorial stands at 83-feet tall and is inscribed with quotations by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as a reminder of the importance of civil rights.
It also serves as a site for the City’s annual ceremony honoring Dr. King, where participants march to the memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony.
