Restoration work on the May 4 Memorial is nearing completion, after it sustained damage in a storm last August, according to Joseph Graham, university architect.
Initially, the repairs were estimated to take between five- and six-months after approval to proceed with the project, but it took longer than expected. It had been the university鈥檚 intention to have the repairs completed by May 4, 2024.
鈥淭he lead time for the stone didn鈥檛 allow for the repairs to be completed before May 4,鈥 Graham said.
A quarry in South Dakota produced the Carnelian granite used in the memorial鈥檚 construction and repairs to six panels in 1991.
Intense winds from the August storm brought down several large branches that struck and damaged the granite memorial, which was officially dedicated on May 4, 1990, as part of the 20th commemoration of the day four students were killed and nine wounded by Ohio National Guardsmen who opened fire during an anti-war demonstration.
Of the memorial鈥檚 137 panels, 17 required replacement or about 12 percent of the memorial, Graham said.
Before the restoration began, the university secured samples of the granite, which had to be quarried. Because granite is a natural stone, there is a strong resemblance to the existing granite, but some variations occur across batches and time.
Kent State has connected with the memorial鈥檚 designer and architect, Bruno Ast, who expressed regret to hear of the storm damage but was pleased that the university is restoring it. The memorial鈥檚 environmental design was developed from a concept submitted by Ast to the university鈥檚 National Design Competition in 1986.