Ground Zero: Project Rebuild

It's strange to think that in 8 months it will be 10 years since the September 11th attacks. Ask almost anyone where they were and what they were doing and I bet they can tell you. (I was sitting in my eighth grade choir class). Having been to see the Twin Towers in 2000 and having seen Ground Zero several years ago, I knew it was a place that needed to be revisited while I was here.

A few days ago, Amanda, Claire and I made the trip downtown. We ended up circling the entire grounds, stumbling into a few awesome buildings and learned about the progress being made at the Memorial Preview Site. Things have changed a lot since I had been there last and it is proving to be an exciting time to see those plans taking shape. In case you don't know or haven't seen, New York is actively working on some exciting projects of growth to rebuild the area around the towers. The first thing they are doing is building something called the Freedom Tower, which will be completed around 2013. It will stand at 1,776 feet day (anyone seeing an important date here?) and will serve as a beacon of freedom, hope and represent the strength of our people.

They are also currently working on the Memorial. Over 5,200 entries were submitted and the winning design, "Reflecting Absence" by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker was selected. It consists of two massive pools (complete with the largest man made waterfalls running down the four sides) set in the footprint of the original tower locations. The names of nearly 3,000 victims will be inscribed around the edges of the Memorial pools. Surrounding the memorial will be an eight-acre plaza with over 400 trees to create a tranquil setting for those to remember the victims. The trees were selected within a 500-mile radius of the World Trade Center site and from parts of Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. that were also affected that day. I would very much like to come back and visit what is sure to be a beautiful site.

There will also be a museum built to create an experience and accurate timeline of the events that happened on 9/11. The museum will be underground, on the site where the towers once stood and there will even be pieces of steel from the original buildings on display. I urge you to visit this site, it will keep you updated on all plans and projects regarding Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial. http://www.national911memorial.org/site/PageServer?pagename=New_Home

While it is hard to think of that day and what it means to so many people, I know that we are a better and a stronger country now. This rebuild is a symbol to the rest of the world that we will not back down, tolerate, give up or forget what has happened. It is a sign of freedom, strength, humanity, healing and everything that we hold dear. This is what we have been waiting for. A physical, tangible place to hold onto while taking the next step forward. While it is not yet completed and I know there is lots more to be done, I can say this, it definitely brings me hope for the future.


“Maybe the past is an anchor holding us back. Maybe, you have to let go of who you are to become who you will be.”---Sex and the City