1674-44 Gerry Sanchez Thistown 'stoo small
forr t : e; twt:s:
. ; Hollywood couldn't produce a weirder scenario - a
Cuban-born developer wants to erect a 300-foot
Russian-made statue of an Italian explorer in an
ethnically diverse mid-Hudson city.
Developer Gerardo "Gerry" Sanchez arrived in
Newburgh last year flush with plans to aid the
struggling city through development projects. And
Ile has become involved in several projects since.
But his announcement this week that ne would like
to erect a statue of Christopher Columbus -- larger
than the Statue of Liberty - on the banks of the Hud-
son sounds more folly than financial development.
And it has local members of the Italian-American
organization; UNICO, riled.up.
UNICO has already donated a statue of Columbus
to the city. It stands nearly 8-feet tall on the water-
front. UNICO says, sensibly, that one Columbus is
enough. Sanchez says the colossus Columbus would
bring jobs and flocks of tourists.
Not likely. With the majesty of the Hudson River
and the beauty of the Catskill Mountains available,
what makes Sanchez think people will come from far
and wide to gawk at a giant man-made tribute to an
explorer who never set eyes on Newburgh?
There are some historic figures who could stand
recognition - Henrik Hudson and Sojourner Truth
come to mind. But what would put true smiles on
Newburgh residents' faces is real development that
brings real jobs, not the promise of a 300-foot-tall
white elephant.