CITY OF KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — One of Katy's iconic geese sculptures will land in the city's historic downtown square after the Katy City Council authorized a bid for the work Tuesday night.
The statue, originally placed at the Interstate 10 intersection with Pin Oak Road, had to be moved when the Texas Department of Transportation began an overpass expansion project. The council voted in March 2024 to authorize $62,000 to develop a plan on where and how to place it in the square and had the statue placed in storage.
On Tuesday, the council reviewed renditions of what the final sculpture and landscaping would look like and awarded a $325,000 bid to D.L. Mecham Corporation of Houston to do the work. The $387,000 total project cost includes the $62,000 authorization for plan development.
"They're already all together," Ward B Council Member Janet Corte said. "They just have to be transported."
Dennis Spellman, Covering Katy News
The Katy geese sculpture was along I-10 near the American Furniture Warehouse.
Corte says they will also need underground electrical work prior to installation.
The sculpture will be placed in the southwest corner of the square directly across from City Hall. Work is expected to be finished by the annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival, Oct. 11-12.
City leaders have been redeveloping the downtown historic square for years to attract downtown visitors. On Wednesday, city officials cut the ceremonial ribbon to a visitors center that will be only a few yards from where the geese sculpture will be located.
Edd Hayes, whom the Texas Legislature designated as Official Texas State Sculptor, created the sculpture. The sculpture is one of three around Katy. The others are along Interstate 10 at Highway 90 and Interstate 10 at Katy Fort Bend Road. Hayes will be cleaning and sealing the sculpture as part of the sculpture relocation.
"I think it's going to be a wonderful addition," Corte said. "This is the final piece to the puzzle. The events that I've been to out there, I see how people are using the plaza, and it's just turned out to be a very family friendly, flexible space that really brings a lot of people together."
City Administrator Byron Hebert described the statue placement as an "amen moment" for the square. Council Member-at-Large and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris said the sculpture would not only improve, but transform, the downtown area.
"I'm very happy to see this get done," Harris said.