Palm Springs Arts Commission to Consider Moving Frank Bogert Statue to Village Green

Palm Springs' Public Arts Commission will review a request Thursday to relocate the bronze statue of former Mayor Frank Bogert from city storage to the Village Green, more than three years after it was removed from City Hall.

The Palm Springs Historical Society submitted the proposal in late October, offering to cover all costs for transport, installation, and long-term maintenance. The statue, created by sculptor Raymundo Cobo Reyes, has sat at a city maintenance facility since July 2022.

The statue's removal followed years of debate over Bogert's legacy. While supporters remember him as a veteran and civic leader who shaped modern Palm Springs, critics point to his heavily debated role in the Section 14 evictions that displaced families during his tenure as mayor. The city removed the statue after a Riverside County judge denied an injunction sought by the Friends of Mayor Frank Bogert group.

When the Historic Site Preservation Board approved the removal in February 2022, it recommended the city find a new publicly accessible location for the artwork. The city committed at the time to work with Bogert's supporters on relocation.

The Friends of Frank Bogert have endorsed the Historical Society's proposal. In a letter to the commission, group president Negie Bogert—Frank Bogert's widow—called Village Green "a suitable and respectful location" and confirmed the organization would help fund the move.

Public Arts Commission Chair Gary Armstrong noted in correspondence included in the meeting packet that because the original removal was a City Council decision, any relocation may require council direction as well.

The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Palm Springs City Hall. They also plan to discuss the deaccession of Pinwheel by artist Larry Lubow at the meeting.