‘Self Made Man’ statue reinstalled in downtown Batavia

BATAVIA – The city-owned “Self Made Man” statue has a new home in front of the O’Sole Mio restaurant on North River Street in downtown Batavia after being damaged and knocked off its pedestal in 2011.

The 750-pound bronze sculpture, which depicts a man carving himself out of stone, was donated to the city in 1996. The statue, previously located in front of the parking garage on North River Street, was reinstalled this week in its new location.

“It’s nice to see it back,” said Steven Lockwood, co-founder and gallery director of Water Street Studios in Batavia, who was walking near the statue Thursday morning. “It’s awesome seeing more artwork around town.”

Sometime before 8:24 a.m. April 24. 2011, the “Self-Made Man” sculpture was knocked off its pedestal.

The three men charged in the vandalism of the statue in November 2011 – brothers Theodore R. Bittner and Thomas E. Bittner, both of Batavia, and Steve L. Piron of Sandwich – pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct for damaging the statue, but their attorney said it was an accident.

“They did not knock it over intentionally,” their attorney, Cathy Cavins, said at the time. “They were climbing it to take a photo. People have been climbing the statue for years. I think the foundation was improperly installed or it deteriorated. Their weight should not have been sufficient to knock it over.”

The three agreed to pay the city $4,900 for repair costs, along with $3,500 in police investigative costs and court costs.

Cavins said her clients had offered to pay for repairs after the incident.