NEW YORK (voa) – Six months after the World Trade Center towers crumbled under terrorist attack, two beams of light may soon rise in their place.
The temporary memorial, called a Tribute of Light, was announced Wednesday by the president of the September 11 Widows’ and Victims’ Families Association. Marian Fontana said the diffused, vertical beams of light, evoking the shape of the fallen towers, will shine each evening beginning March 11 – April 13.
Plans for a permanent memorial and reconstruction of the site are still under discussion. Crews continue to recover remains from the wreckage and clear away debris.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports the project but it has yet to receive final approval.
Architects, John Bennett and Gustavo Bonevardi responded swiftly to the tragic events of September 11th. Their proposal – Project for the Immediate Reconstruction of the Manhattan Skyline – was designed to fill the void in their city’s skyline with high-powered lights recreating the form and image of the lost towers.
They believed that this reconstruction would also fill the void in the city’s identity and help in the healing process. “We’re not trying to make a memorial; this is a rebuilding of our city’s skyline, of it’s spirit.” said one of the architects. Mindful that the project be realizable, that it inspire and not interfere with the rescue and recovery effort, they proposed that the installation be near, but directly not on, the actual site; one option, to float the lights in the New York harbor.
Together with their friend, Robert Hammond, they circulated their proposal amugst peers, politicians and others in a position to move the idea forward. The response was overwhelmingly positive. This was both a professional contribution to the relief effort as well as personal and cathartic reaction to the September 11th tragedies. Bennett said their proposal was “our way of saying ‘we’re back and you can’t hold us down” “Since we can’t save lives we tried to respond to public needs with architecture.”
Construction began on the installation of the searchlights in two 50-square-foot arrays on a lot bounded by Murray, West and Vesey streets. The cost of the memorial is more than $500,000 — coming from individuals, foundations and corporations.
