Iconic NYC public library lions to get cleanup
NEW YORK (AP) — Patience and Fortitude, the two iconic marble lions that stand outside the entrance to the New York Public Library, are getting a grooming.
Library officials announced on Monday that starting early next month, workers will be busy cleaning the statues and repairing cracks and chips. They said the maintenance is needed about every 10 years because of wear and tear caused by winter weather and traffic exhaust.
The $250,000 project is expected to last nine weeks. It's being paid for by a corporate grant from the New York Life Foundation and hundreds of private donations.
The lions were installed outside the 42nd Street library in 1911. They'll be covered by plywood enclosures while the work is done.