COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Christopher Columbus statue is a step closer to removal from the grounds of Columbus City Hall.
The Columbus Arts Commission, which advises the city on art in public spaces, met to discuss what will go in its place.
The commission voted unanimously to support Mayor Andrew Ginther's order to remove the statue.
On June 18, Ginther announced the statue would be removed saying it does not represent the values of the city.
The statue will come down without a public hearing as the mayor has the power to order the removal without one, according to the city attorney's office.
The Christopher Columbus statue was a gift from the people of Genoa, Italy in 1955.
The city has selected two companies to remove and restore the statue.
McKay Lodge is known for its restoration of statues and Smoot Construction, a minority-owned company in Columbus, will be removing it.
The city says it hopes to have the statue removed in a few days.
The city will store the statue while the commission decides where the statue will end up.
The Columbus Arts Commission said there will be public input as to what replaces the statue and which artist will be selected.
The mayor also asked the commission to evaluate the city's art collection for diversity and inclusiveness and review city symbols including the flag and seal.
Last week, Columbus State Community College removed its on-campus statue of Christopher Columbus.