For the first time in 50 years, a Grand Rapids' landmark and sculpture, “La Grande Vitesse" by Alexander Calder, is getting a makeover.

Better know as "The Calder", the sculpture was installed on the large concrete plaza surrounding City Hall and the Kent County Building in 1969.

MLive reports that the 43-foot tall structure will have its paint removed starting in August as part of a $300,000 restoration process:

Once the layers of paint are blasted off, down to the steel, a crew will apply three new coats of paint. The final coat will be an acrylic polyurethane in Calder red -- the original color, expected to look less orange than in recent years."

Events planned at Calder Plaza during the time of the restoration will continue, with portions of the The Calder blocked off at a time.

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