ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- On Monday night, the Elmira City Council voted to approve a new sculpture that will be located at Riverfront Park. This was the second vote because the first attempt was voted down earlier this month.

The Elmira Public Art Commission recommended the new sketch and then the City Council voted on it. Since the vote was approved, now work can begin.

"We did have two council members that did vote against it. However, Even though they voted against it, we still were able to pass that with five yeses and two nays," said Elmira City Manager, Michael Collins.

The two council members who voted against the sculpture were Nick Grasso (First District) and Corey Cooke (Second District).

The new sculpture will resemble Mark Twain's Quarry Farm home at the base of a tree, with books on the end of the tree's branches. The sculpture will be made of stainless steel and cast bronze. It will be four feet wide, by four feet long, and about eleven feet tall. The sculpture is expected to cost $25,000.

Collins said the money comes from Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funds. 

"We received the downtown revitalization initiative back in 2016 of $10 million. So this $25,000 that is being paid for is through the DRI money. I know that there was a concern about the money having to be spent by a certain time. Certainly, as the DRI closes, we do have to have the money spent," said Collins.

Collins said the sculpture is expected to be completed by the end of December 2023.

The sculpture will be located closer to the intersection of West Water Street and North Main Street.