Hoboken To Unveil New Statue Of Frank Sinatra

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken is rife with homages and images of its native son Frank Sinatra, who grew up in the mile-square city after his birth in 1915. But there's never been a statue of the crooner there — until now.

This Sunday, on what would have been the late singer's 106th birthday, Tina Sinatra, Joe Piscopo, and other dignitaries will be part of a celebration to unveil a bronze sculpture of the crooner at Sinatra Park in Hoboken.

The festivities will kick off in the park, located on the Hudson River, at 1 p.m. The celebration is open to the public, the mayor's office said.

The park is a seven-block walk north of the Hoboken train terminal.

The 6-foot bronze sculpture of Ol' Blue Eyes is the work of artist Carolyn Palmer, who has sculpted Pope Francis and Thomas Jefferson. But she may be best known for her Lucille Ball piece that replaced a prior infamous version colloquially dubbed "Scary Lucy."

Palmer's Sinatra sculpture features the crooner leaning against a lamp post. It was delivered to the Hoboken waterfront this week (see more photos here).

Sinatra spent his early years on the west side of the city in a house at 415 Monroe St. that has since burned down. That site is now marked with a bronze star, as well as "Frank's Place" Condos.

Sinatra passed away on May 14, 1998.

The six-foot bronze statue is one of two public art installations installed in the city this year, Mayor Bhalla's office has said, the other an interactive public art exhibit by resident Greg Brehm called Operation Sit-in.

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