Was this any way to deal with a damaged work of art?

In the “F.Y.I.” column of the Metropolitan Section of the Sunday September 8, 2013 New York Times, a reader noted that when he was recently wandering though northern Central Park, he came across a piece of what looked to be Jenny Holzer’s 1989 sculpture “Benches” in an area that is used for storing old trees, mulch, and rocks. A Times investigation uncovered the fact that in December 1989, the artwork which had been damaged by vandals “beyond immediate repair” was taken to a storage facility to be dealt with at a later date. The piece was forgotten for years until it was moved outdoors. Because of the investigation, the piece will be returned to Holzer’s studio. Was this any way to deal with a damaged work of art?