Four statues of bishops were placed as sentinels at the entrance to Bishop Street in the 1970s when the block underwent a total facelift and began a renaissance on the Near West Side. The bishops are down now, but not out.

A Bishop Street resident had the concrete bishops removed and their brick-covered pedestals demolished this summer because a truck had struck one of the pedes-tals last fall and damaged it. Now the block’s residents are trying to raise money to build new supports for the bishops, which are stored in a garage.

The University Village Association (UVA) is holding the funds raised; the UVA’s not-for-profit status allows contributors to deduct donations as charitable contributions.

With about $4,600 pledged, the UVA has approximately $3,600 in hand, said UVA Executive Director Dennis O’Neill, who picked up loose bricks after they had been lying on the ground for weeks.

UVA President John Walsh, who lives near Bishop and builds housing in the community, designed new pedestals for free. The UVA asked residents to examine the design to make sure they like it, although a construction start date remains uncertain.

Demolition took place after close examination showed all four pedestals had been victims of the weather,Walsh said. Freezing and thawing had caused the bricks to deteriorate. Another problem, O’Neill said,was that the pedestals were not anchored in the ground.

Frank McMahon, who lives on the street, agreed and said the original work “was very shoddy.” He added, “They were ready to fall down.” McMahon pledged $1,000 toward new pedestals, “with the understanding of high quality.”

Not everyone agrees.Tom Wolfe, who also lives on the block, said the original pedestals needed only minor work. “I am a licensed contractor. I know concrete.” Plus, he said, the concrete interiors were reinforced with steel rebar. Twelve bricks were dislodged from the one pedestal. “It just needed 12 bricks replaced and all four pedestals tuckpointed,” Wolfe said. “I would have gladly done it for free.”

“All of a sudden they were taken down,” said Antoinette Hansen-Anguiano. “No meeting was held with the community.”

She said all the residents of the block should have been consulted before the bishops were removed, questions whether reconstruction of all the bases is necessary, and wants to see the bids.

“I am all for restoration,” Hansen-Anguiano said. “I have no problem with that.”

Wolfe also is irked the statues came down without a demolition permit. “I need a permit for everything I do in the city,” he said.

O’Neill said Ald. Daniel Solis (25th) will help get whatever permits are necessary.

People also disagree about what the little statues represent. Walsh said the bishops actually are giant chess pawns. Oscar D’Angelo, who was president of the Near West Side Conservation Community Council when the block was rehabbed, said they are bishops made of poured concrete. Wolfe said that, despite the lack of crosses, “They are bishops.

I play chess. I know.” O’Neill calls them bishops and said they are in “fine” shape.

For information, call the UVA at (312) 243-3773.

—Susan S. Stevens