Update: The statue is back

The "Genius of Water" is back on Fountain Square, Feoshia Henderson reports:

DOWNTOWN – She just wanted to be left alone.

The Genius of Water epitomized actress Greta Garbo’s famous plea for solitude with a quiet return to Fountain Square Saturday.

The city’s iconic statue came back downtown after nearly a year away because of the square’s ongoing $42.7 million redevelopment.

The statue made its way down Fifth Street at about 12:30 p.m., with a Cincinnati police escort. She was outfitted with golden sunglasses and a maroon-colored head scarf, and was pulled onto Vine Street by a red truck. A few dozen people gathered to watch as the Genius of Water appeared to float, with the help of a crane, onto her pedestal in the center of the square. Workers at nearby businesses walked onto the street to catch a glimpse.

Many were caught off guard by the event, which hadn’t been publicized. Several took photos with cell phone cameras, while others called friends and family to let them know what was happening.

Three men with Megen Construction Co. bolted down the statue onto the historic Tyler Davidson Fountain shortly after 1 p.m. People scattered and work resumed at the square. She was covered by a tarp late in the afternoon.

Marion Haynes, 25, and his fiancée Jessica Niblock, 23, were among those who knew about the planned return. They were at Fifth and Vine about a half hour early.

The couple recently bought a condominium downtown.

“I’m really interested in keeping up with the square,” Haynes said. “I saw there was going to be some secret ceremony and it piqued my curiosity.”

The 9-foot tall Lady had been at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) is overseeing the square renovation. The organization decided to not announce the statue’s return because construction at the square has been difficult for crowds to maneuver, said communications director Kevin Armstrong.

There will be a public dedication Oct. 14 where the Genius of Water will be prominently featured, Armstrong said.

As for the sunglasses and scarf?

“We were going for a whole ‘40s theme: the Lady makes a low-key return,” Armstrong said. “We were just trying to have some fun.”