Detroit's peculiar affection for its very own RoboCop monument concludes successfully, 15 years after a divisive crowdfunding initiative commenced it.

A statue looming 11 feet tall (3.3 meters) and weighing 3,500 pounds (1,587 kilograms) has been drawing fans since it began standing guard over the Motor City on Wednesday afternoon, after about 15 years in the making. Even in a snowstorm in the dark, people were driving by to see it, said Jim Toscano, co-owner of the FREE AGE film production company where the bronze-cast statue now stands bolted near the sidewalk.

“RoboCop” hit theaters in 1987, portraying a near-future Detroit as crime-ridden and poorly protected by a beleaguered and outgunned police force, until actor Peter Weller appeared as a nearly invincible cyborg, created by a nefarious corporation bent on privatizing policing.

Detroit once resisted any suggestions of its former reputation as a dangerous metropolis, and the film, which gained a dedicated fanbase, leading to two follow-ups and a remake, did not improve its perception.

However, circumstances have shifted. The rate of violent offenses has been declining for a considerable period. Homicide numbers have dropped below mid-1960s levels. Furthermore, municipal authorities raised no objections regarding the statue's placement, according to Toscano.

“I think there will be a lot more acceptance,” Toscano said. “Detroit has come a long way. You put in a little nostalgia and that helps.”

The statue initiative seems to have commenced circa 2010 when Detroit Mayor Dave Bing was mentioned in a social media post that referenced Philadelphia's monument to boxer Rocky Balboa and suggested RoboCop would be a “GREAT ambassador for Detroit.”

Bing responded via Twitter, stating that no such intentions existed. However, some residents of Detroit embraced the concept, funding it through a 2012 Kickstarter initiative that garnered over $67,000 from more than 2,700 contributors globally, with Detroit artist Giorgio Gikas completing the sculpture in 2017.

Then, it got stuck, stored away from public view.

The Michigan Science Center, located in Detroit ultimately nixed plans to host the sculpture in 2021, made this decision due to challenges stemming from the coronavirus pandemic and a requirement to reallocate museum funds. Authorities in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, expressed interest, aiming to commemorate Weller, who was born in their city, by placing the statue near the police department or within a public park.

The search for a suitable home for RoboCop remained in limbo until about three years ago when Toscano’s company bought a building in Eastern Market, an open-air produce market, shopping and entertainment district just northeast of downtown. Toscano says he thought they were “kidding” when he was contacted by the creator of the statue idea and Eastern Market officials. But he and his business partner gladly came on board: “It’s too unusual, too unique, too cool not to do,” Toscano said.

Toscano, 48, says he’s only viewed the first “RoboCop” movie.

“It wasn’t a big film in our house,” he admitted. But if there is one iconic line uttered by RoboCop that fits this moment, Toscano said it would be “Thank you for your cooperation.”

On Thursday, James Campbell approached the monument and informed three photographers: “I own this. Do you guys know that?”

Campbell mentioned he contributed $100 to the initial Kickstarter drive more than ten years ago, which qualifies him as a ”.038 percent proprietor of this sculpture.”

“I’m here to see this big, beautiful, bronze piece of art,” he said. “What a piece of cinematic history to represent the city of Detroit.”

When questioned about RoboCop's suitability as a city emblem, Campbell stated: “He’s a cyborg crime fighter! In the movie, in the futuristic Detroit, he’s there to save the city. He’s a symbol of hope.”