Feb. 23--The bronze bust of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable still sits on the Magnificent Mile but has been temporarily moved from Pioneer Court to outside the Wrigley Building across the street due to upcoming construction for a new Apple store.
The bust set atop a granite pedestal was installed in 2009 north of the Chicago River and the DuSable Bridge to honor the city's founder at the site where he opened the first trading post.
The statue will be reinstalled at its original location on the east side of Michigan Avenue after the construction of the Riverfront Retail development is completed in 2017, Zeller Realty Group said in a news release. The Riverfront Retail project at 401 N. Michigan Ave. includes a glass-enclosed Apple flagship store. Construction will start this spring for the Apple store, a spokeswoman for the Zeller Realty Group said.
"Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable played a key role establishing the settlement along the Chicago River, which became the city we know and love today," sculptor Erik Blome said in the news release. "Working with Zeller Realty Group and the City of Chicago, we will ensure DuSable's statue remains in perfect condition and close to his home, allowing all visitors and residents to learn about his important place in Chicago's history."
Serge Pierre-Louis, president of the DuSable Heritage Association in Chicago, said the DuSable Coalition should have been consulted about the move and the public should have been notified ahead of time and given an explanation. He learned about the move only a few weeks before it was relocated last week.
"It's been there long enough for people to understand it is part of the history of Chicago. One cannot decide to move things around without involving all the parties that have an interest in the history of our city," said Pierre-Louis, who is leading efforts to also develop DuSable Park, honoring the city's first non-native settler on the east side of Lake Shore Drive, across from the Spire skyscraper hole.
Zeller Realty Group worked with the office of Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, and the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which was in close communication with Friends of DuSable and the Haitian Consulate during the transition, a spokeswoman said.
lvivanco@tribpub.com
