9/11 Memorial Sparks Protest

New York - Construction on a memorial at the World Trade Centre site began on Monday, spurring protests from some relatives of September 11 victims who said the project failed to honour their dead.

Officials arguing it was time to move on held a low-key groundbreaking for the $490m memorial. Later, dozens of relatives of the 2 749 people killed there gathered nearby, shouting, "No underground memorial".

The Coalition for 9/11 Families complained that the memorial didn't occupy a large-enough area, or "footprints," of where the twin towers once stood, didn't have enough exits and was being hidden below ground level. They filed a lawsuit late last week to halt construction.
Honouring precious people
The group's spokesperson Anthony Gardner said: "These footprints evoke what was lost, as well as the human drama that took place at this site on September 11 in a way that no museum or no memorial ever could."

Rosaleen Tallon, 34, whose firefighter brother, Sean, died in the rescue, had spent the past five nights demonstrating.

She said: "The world is watching to see how we honour these precious people."

The memorial, "Reflecting Absence" followed a design competition attracting more than 5 200 entries from 63 countries.

It would include two reflecting pools, a waterfall and the names of the victims of the attacks on the twin towers.

Rebuilding the site had been beset by problems. The WTC Memorial Foundation still had to raise $200m to reach its $500m target before the memorial and its 9 300-square-metre museum could be completed.

International Freedom Centre

Last year, a dispute killed the proposed International Freedom Centre after some families of the dead feared that some exhibits might be seen as anti-American.
A project to rebuild 30 000 square metres of office space on the site had yet to begin construction.

Stefan Pryor, president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, said time had run out for consultation on the memorial. "There has been abundant planning. ... It's time we begin to build."

Thomas Johnson, 65, whose investment banker son, Scott, died in the World Trade Centre, said it was impossible to accommodate the views of all the relatives.

He said: "The critics represent a minority of these families. There's different ways of expressing grief and one of the ways is through anger."

A Leader is chosen for the 9/11 Museum

By ROBIN POGREBIN, The New York Times, February 8, 2006

Seeking a leader to guide a much-disputed 9/11 museum into existence at ground zero, officials announced yesterday that they had settled on Alice M. Greenwald, an associate director for museum programs at the Holocaust Museum in Washington. In Ms. Greenwald, the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation sought someone seasoned in addressing a highly charged chapter of history to plan the museum. The museum's future has been uncertain for months. Part of Daniel Libeskind's original master plan for ground zero, the building was originally to be shared by the International Freedom Center, a nascent organization dedicated to human rights, and the Drawing Center, a SoHo-based exhibition spaced devoted to works on paper. Both organizations were forced off the site under pressure from relatives of 9/11 victims who questioned whether their programming would be sufficiently patriotic. In a telephone interview yesterday from Washington, Ms. Greenwald, 54, said she was not daunted by the potent influence of the family members but welcomed their input in conceiving the museum. "They have to have a privileged voice in the process," Ms. Greenwald said. "By the same token, you have to create a narrative that allows your visitor to come in and understand what happened. It's a partnership." At the Holocaust Museum, "we deeply value the authentic voice of the survivor," Ms. Greenwald added. "The way you integrate those voices is part of the challenge." Because the two cultural institutions originally chosen for the museum were eliminated, many of those involved in the downtown rebuilding effort have expected that the institution would become primarily a visitor center with some 9/11-specific exhibits. Ms. Greenwald dismissed that idea. "If it is, I'm the wrong person for the job," she said. "I don't think of museums as places that just hold artifacts." Ms. Greenwald began working at the Holocaust Museum as a consultant in 1986, serving as a member of the original design team for the museum's permanent exhibition. "I don't think I would have considered leaving had I not had the fundamental belief that this museum has the potential to have the same level of moral significance," she said of what is to be called the World Trade Center Memorial Museum. "We need to say, what's our goal, who's our audience, what's the big message we want people to take away, what do they need to know?" Ms. Greenwald said. She added that she hoped to build a "programmatic consensus" although there would inevitably be some "creative tension." "We're going to focus on memorialization, we're going to focus on loss," she added. "I don't know what the meaning is going to be." Initial reaction seemed positive. Monica Iken, founder of September's Mission, whose husband, Michael, died in the south tower of the World Trade Center, said yesterday that Ms. Greenwald "has done an exemplary job at the Holocaust Museum." "She has told a very painful story and memorialized those millions who were killed in a horrific way," she said. "We hope that she tells the difficult story of Sept. 11 just as well." Gretchen Dykstra, the president and chief executive of the memorial foundation, said that Ms. Greenwald seemed ideally suited to the post, for which Ms. Dykstra said some 35 people applied and 8 were interviewed. "She is a woman of real depth and thoughtfulness," Ms. Dykstra said. "It's a challenging set of circumstances because people died here." Ms. Dykstra defined the museum's purview as "anything that has to do with the telling of the story and the interpretation of 9/11." Both she and Ms. Greenwald said it was too soon to specify an operating budget or to discuss the specific content of the museum, which will devote 65,000 square feet to exhibition space, compared with the Holocaust Museum's 36,000 square feet. Ms. Greenwald will be paid $300,000 a year, officials said. Of the $500 million budget for the memorial and museum, $100 million has been raised so far, Ms. Dykstra said, and another $200 million is to be transferred to the foundation from the development corporation. The foundation is not yet raising money for a planned performing arts center at ground zero that is being designed by Frank Gehry, Ms. Dykstra said. Still, the development corporation is interviewing candidates for a director's position for the institution, said Stefan Pryor, president of the corporation. The building is to be shared by the Joyce Theater, which presents dance, and the Signature Theater Company, an Off Broadway Theater Company. Asked about the fate of the Freedom Center, which did not survive at ground zero, Ms. Greenwald said, "My gut reaction is that it may have been an incredibly creative idea that was woefully premature." Might the 9/11 museum then also qualify as premature? "This is a museum of memory," Ms. Greenwald said. "And when you're talking about memory, it is never too soon."

9-11 Museum Exhibits

These museums offer comprehensive exhibits which chronicle the events of September 11th. Each exhibit contains primary materials from that fateful day; whether it is video footage of the attacks, artifacts, or photographs.

New Jersey
New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park
PlaceNewark, NJ 07102
(973) 596-8500
http://www.jerseyhistory.org/

New York
City Lore: The New York Center for Urban Folk Culture
72 East 1st Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 529-1955
http://www.citylore.org/

Columbia University Oral History Research Office
Columbia University
801 Butler Library
535 W. 114th Street, MC 1129
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-7083
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/oral/

Here is New York Archives
http://hereisnewyork.org/gallery/

Municipal ArchivesDepartment of Records and Information Services
31 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007212)
NEW-YORK
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vitalrecords/home.shtml

Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street
New York, NY 10029
(212) 534-1672 http://www.mcny.org/

New York City Fire Museum
278 Spring Street 10013
New York, NY(212)
691-1303
http://www.nycpolicemuseum.org/

New-York Historical Society
2 West 77th Street
New York, NY 10024
(212) 873-3400
http://www.nyhistory.org/

New York State Museum Cultural Education Center
Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12230
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/

Project Rebirth
PO Box 901
Peck Slip Station
New York, NY 10272
(212) 346-1482
http://www.projectrebirth.com/about.html

Staten Island Historical SocietyHistoric
Richmond Town
441 Clarke Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10306
(718) 351-161
http://www.newyorkled.com/nyc_events_Staten-Island-Historical.htm

Trinity Church/St. Paul’s Chapel
209 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
(212) 233-4164
http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/

Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress, American Folklife Center
Thomas Jefferson Bldg, Rm LJG49
101 Independence Ave.
SEWashington, D.C. 20540-4610
(202) 707-55510
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/

Red Cross Museum
1730 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 303-4498
http://www.redcross.org/museum/

Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of American History
National Mall
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C.
(202) 357-1729
http://americanhistory.si.edu/

World Trade Center Redevelopment Timeline

WTC Memorial Mission Statement

The memorial mission statement serves as a compass to guide not only the creation of the memorial, but also its evolution through the ages.Memorial Mission Statement For the World Trade Center Site:Remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001.
Respect this place made sacred through tragic loss.

Recognize the endurance of those who survived, the courage of those who risked their lives to save others, and the compassion of all who supported us in our darkest hours.

May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized and the spirit reawakend be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.Memorial Program Guiding Principles and Elements:The memorial program is comprised of Guiding Principles and Elements. The Guiding Principles are the aspirations that must be embodied within and conveyed through the memorial. Program Elements provide memorial designers with a list of specific elements that should be physically included in the memorial, without prescribing how or inhibiting creativity.Notes from the Draft Memorial Program CommitteeThe memorial program drafting committee began and ended its task by invoking the letter and spirit of the mission statement. The committee discussed how to translate the goals of the mission statement into concepts and program elements for a design competition. It was essential to the committee that the program provide clear guidance, while also allowing for the most creative response possible by designers.This balance was achieved in the program document through the careful consideration, and phrasing, of each program concept and element. Particular attention was devoted to discussing individual representation of victims, the interpretation and meaning of sacred space, the power of the footprints and the authentic character of elements and artifacts that survived. The program drafting committee wants the memorial and site planning processes to influence and be coordinated with one another for mutual benefit. The memorial program will be used as one of the criteria for the site plan selection. Once the memorial designer is selected, both the memorial designer and site planner will work together to integrate their efforts.Memorial Program for the World Trade Center Site Program Guiding Principles:The memorial is to:-Embody the goals and spirit of the mission statement-Convey the magnitude of personal and physical loss at this location-Acknowledge all those who aided in rescue, recovery and healing-Respect and enhance the sacred quality of the overall site and the space designated for the memorial.-Encourage reflection and contemplation; evoke the historical significance and worldwide impact of September 11, 2001-Create an original and pwerful statement of enduring and universal symbolism-Inspire and engage people to learn more abou tthe events and impact of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993; and evolve over time Program Elements:The memorial should: Recongize each individual who was a victim of the attacks-Victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania-Victims of the 1993 terrorist bombing of the World Trade CenterProvide a space for comtemplation-an area for quiet visitation and contemplation-an area for families and loved ones of victims-separate accessible space to serve as a final resting-place for the unidentified remains from the World Trade Center siteCreate a unique and powerful setting that will-Be distinct from other memorial structures like a museum or visitor center-Make visible the footprints of the original World Trade Center towers-Include appropriate transitions or approaches to, or within, the memorialConvey Historic AuthenticityThe memorial or its surrounding areas may include:-Surviving original elements-Preservation of existing conditions of the World Trade Center site-Allowances for public ceremonies and celebrations

WTC Redevelopment Timeline

The amorphous plans for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site were given a reference point on the Fourth of July 2004, when the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower was ceremoniously laid. The event was meant to kick off the clamor of construction and deconstruction to take place in the months and years ahead. Most of the building in the immediate future will be focused on the substructures of the towers, to be completed by 2009, and the revitalization of the transportation systems converging in Lower Manhattan. Construction on the Reflecting Absence memorial begins in 2005, and should be significantly finished by 2009. The Freedom Tower, also known as “Tower One” or the “1776 Tower,” is set to be completed in 2007, with all the steel built and retail centers on the bottom floors open by 2006. When contacted, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation could not confirm completion dates for the other towers, since funding and designs continue to be ephemeral components of the process. However, the LMDC is concerned with dedicating maximum assistance to redeveloping the site. Deconstruction of the Deutsche Bank building will begin later this year, and will be the future home of Tower 5. Calatrava’s beautiful permanent WTC PATH terminal will open in 2006. The new Fulton Street Transit Center by Grimshaw, linking MTA Subway, PATH, and pedestrian tunnels downtown, will open in 2007. Construction of Fulton and Greenwich Streets through the WTC center site is slated for completion by 2009, though the LMDC would not commit to those plans. The rebuilding of West Street along the eastern slurry wall of the World Trade Center site is equally uncertain. Lower Manhattan will soon be a bustling transportation hub, but a web of new construction until at least 2015. Please check back here for updates on the redevelopment timeline.

2004
July 4th Freedom Tower cornerstone laid
Deutsche Bank Building deconstruction begins

2005
Slurry Wall permanent reinforcement complete
Deutsche Bank deconstruction complete
Reflecting Absence Memorial construction begins

2006
WTC PATH terminal opens
Freedom Tower steel and retail complete

2007
Fulton Street Transit Center opens
Freedom Tower complete

2008
Construction of Fulton and Greenwich Streets through WTC complete (possibly 2009)

2009
WTC PATH and Fulton Street Transit Center fully complete and linked by pedestrian connections.
Reflecting Absence Memorial Mostly Complete
Based on information provided by the LMDC website as of 7/19/04

Kentucky Cyclist raises Money for Sept.11 Charities

Traveling down dusty roads and dodging cars on busy interstates and highways, a Kentucky cyclist is making his way across all 50 states to raise awareness for 9-11 charities.
Don Boehly, 50, stopped to spend Saturday night at the Brookhaven Fire Department's central station. He has cycled 15,302 miles in support of heroes who have fallen in the line of duty, including law enforcement, firefighters and troops in Iraq. "This station is the 167th one I have spent the night at," Boehly said. He has visited over 800 police and fire stations during his tour, which has taken him across 32 states. The tour is also to show appreciation to different private organizations that reach out to individuals and families who have lost loved ones. "It takes incredible courage to be a police officer, firefighter, or one of our troops in Iraq," Boehly said, "They go through a lot of training and have to keep good health for what they do." Boehly will finish his tour when he arrives at Ground Zero in New York City on Sept. 9. There he will donate his bicycle to the Fire Department of New York.