NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Norfolk officials say a monument honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a city intersection is deteriorating and there’s some concern about the structural steel components.
The monument stands on a small island at the busy intersection of East Brambleton Avenue and Church Street.
On Oct. 1, the city sent a structural engineer to the MLK monument after discovering a granite piece of the monument had fallen off, city spokeswoman Lori Crouch said. That piece that fell was recovered, and it didn’t damage anything.
The monument needs repair because the adhesive holding the granite panels in place has deteriorated over time.
Now, some other panels are also loose.
“There is concern about deterioration of the structural steel components,” Crouch added.
The restoration process will begin October 14 and is expected to continue into early 2021, she said. There will be a temporary road closure in the northbound lanes of Church Street through the end of October. Signs will be posted.
There will be another road closure once the memorial is repaired, so crews can reassemble the memorial.
Click here for more information about the project.
This image shows a section of granite on the MLK monument at a busy intersection in Norfolk fell off. The City of Norfolk confirmed a structural engineer inspected the monument on Oct. 1, 2020 after the discovery. (WAVY photo) 
This image shows a section of granite on the MLK monument at a busy intersection in Norfolk fell off. The City of Norfolk confirmed a structural engineer inspected the monument on Oct. 1, 2020 after the discovery. (WAVY photo) 
This image shows a section of granite on the MLK monument at a busy intersection in Norfolk fell off. The City of Norfolk confirmed a structural engineer inspected the monument on Oct. 1, 2020 after the discovery. (WAVY photo)
The granite memorial was dedicated in 2000. It is 83-feet tall and is inscribed with quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
