Public Sculpture Commission seeks council support to relocate Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt memorial

The Newport Public Sculpture Commission asked the City Council to endorse a plan to move the Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Memorial from its current Broadway location to a site in front of Empire Tea & Coffee on Bellevue Avenue.

Federico Santi, chair of the commission, reviewed the memorial’s history and its damaged condition, saying years of vandalism and disconnected plumbing have left the fountain inoperable. "The restoration of the AGB Memorial will involve either buying the original base back from the local antique dealer or having a new base made at considerable cost," Santi said, and the commission proposed a new placement that would accommodate utilities and reduce vandalism risk.

Santi told the council that the commission met with the Tree and Open Space Commission and received support; he also said some Off Broadway business owners oppose the move while others favor it. Councilors asked whether the memorial could be restored in place; Santi said practical issues (lack of utilities and overhanging trees) make in‑place restoration challenging.

This item was presented as a communication, not an action item; the council voted to receive the communication and no formal relocation vote was taken that night. Councilors requested additional information and noted the commission will need city approval and state permission to relocate the memorial because of underlying property and permitting rules.

What happens next

The council received the commission’s communication; the commission will continue outreach and return with any formal requests that require council approval and any state permissions needed to relocate the memorial.