World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Get Closer to Its Goal

The Board of Directors for the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation met on Tuesday and received good news from its Chairman, Mayor Michael Bloomberg. They are $50 million away from their $350 million goal to finance construction of a memorial and accompanying museum.

The World Trade Center Memorial and Museum will honor victims of the World Trade Center bombings in 1993 and the attacks of September 11, 2001. Although the project is estimated to cost more than $700 million, the government is expected to make up the difference. Donors from around the world ranging from individuals to corporations have contributed, including American Express, which gave $10 million.

The board selected Thinc Design, a local firm, to carry out the project along with Local Projects, LLC. Michael Arad and Peter Walker created the winning design, Reflecting Absence. An online image of the plan portrays an area that will certainly be one of honor. Two pools with flowing walls of water will now exist where the two towers once stood. The names of each victim from both tragedies will be included in the scene. Surrounding them will be Swamp White Oak and Sweet Gum trees.

The Memorial Museum will contain state of the art equipment. It will include interactive exhibits, artifacts, and other educational material. Accounts from survivors, emergency personnel, and others will give the visitor a deeper understanding of what occurred during the bombing and attacks.

Things have not always looked up for the project. Last year, some families sued in an effort to stop construction claiming that the site should be preserved due to its hallowed nature. A judge disagreed. Controversies also arose last fall when families learned of the plans to list the names of the victims in random order. Some feel that employees of companies housed in the towers should remain together. Also of concern is an evacuation plan for the area since some security experts fear that the site remains a target for terrorists.

The organization has also had some internal issues, and last year its leader resigned over budget battles and design plans. At one point, politicians from both New York and New Jersey became uneasy with the skyrocketing costs and moved to cap it at $500 million. Two months after it started, construction of the project stopped while financial disagreements were resolved. It resumed several months later.

The foundation hopes to have the project opened in 2009. Once this occurs, its function will change from the current role to of one of management and perseveration of the site.