New London – Workers removed the facade of the building at the corner of State St. and Eugene O’Neill Drive on Thursday.

A mural depicting sperm whales painted in 1993 by Robert Wyland had fallen into disrepair, and will be repainted by the artist in April.

Wyland has also selected New London as the site for his announcement of the five winning cities, based on population sizes, in the 2023 Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge. The competition challenges mayors to get the largest number of residents signing a commitment to change habits that will conserve water and reduce harmful runoff.

The announcement is usually made in a large city, but New London will be the first small city to get that recognition.