Put It Above Ground

Two weeks ago at Assembly Speaker Silver’s hearing Westfield America Inc. was brought up a couple of times. The PA and Silverstien made it seem that they were no longer involved.

Questions about the deal that bought them out were raised as was the odd “right to first refusal” that Westfield had been granted.

Most of the questions were left unanswered and most of the speakers spoke as though Westfield would be a non factor.

As you can see from the article below that is not the case.

As with everything that goes on at Ground Zero nothing is as it appears.

We need to keep an eye on how this plays out as it seems there may be much more to this then we have been led to believe.

We will keep you posted.

If anyone has any additional details please feel free to share them

Westfield may be back at World Trade Center

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=reutersEdge&storyID=2006-05-23T025552Z_01_N22419118_RTRUKOC_0_US-PROPERTY-WESTFIELD.xml 

For additional related articles go to

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23 

To All,             

Monday is Memorial Day. I have attached a poem written by my father during the Korean War. My Father was a part of the Greatest Generation and served in Germany at the end of World War II. My older brother was a student during the Korean War and needed something written for Memorial Day.

This is what my dad wrote 

IF THE DEAD COULD TALK 

 We can include the soldiers in Viet Nam, The Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq and every where else these brave men and women died to protect our freedom. For most of us Memorial Day has become just a holiday that marks the beginning of summer. On Memorial Day take a moment and remember if it weren’t for the sacrifice of these brave men and women we probably would not be here today. So say a prayer so they don’t think we don’t care and if you happen to run into a member of the armed forces take the time to say thank you. 

Dennis 

P.S.      My dad passed away 13 years ago. My mom died in 2004 and we sold the house where I grew up. In cleaning out the house I found my dad’s army cap. To honor my father my 10 year old son James wore it in the Great Kills Memorial Day Parade last year.   

What We Owe The Fallen

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-05-24-memorial-day-edit_x.htm

Capitalism soars, socialism sinks at former WTC

By DEROY MURDOCK
Scripps Howard News Service
25-MAY-06

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=MURDOCK-05-25-06

9/11 DISCUSSION GROUP
PART OF
STATEN ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL

SATURDAY JUNE 3, 2006

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

As part of the Staten Island Film Festival, Where to Turn will be holding a open discussion group which will preceed the screening of three 9/11 films at the College of Staten Island.

This will be a reunion of sorts as we are inviting all of the participants from the St. Clare’s WTC Outreach Group as well as 9/11 service providers from around the city.

Topics will include

The WTC Memorial
The Recovery Process at the Deutche Bank Building
The Recovery Area at Fresh Kills
The WTC Health Registry
Ongoing and Ending Programs and Benefits
9/11 Documentation Project
Upcoming Events including
The United in Memory Memorial Quilt Exhibition at St. Johns (9/9-9/11)
5th Anniversary Memorial Mass at Mt. Loretto (9/9)
Plans for 5th Anniversary

All that attend are welcome to stay and view the three films 9/11 films selected for the Festival (see attached)

We have 100 free tickets for family members (first come first serve)

If you would like to attend either the Discussion Group or the films (or both) please call us at 347-273-1371 to make a reservation.

Support Organizations wishing to participate can e-mail us at info@where-to-turn.org

It would be nice to see everyone again. Hope to see you there.

Dennis

9/11 FILMS

A FACE TO A NAME

CATEGORY: Documentary Short / Short Film

Showing Saturday June 3, 9pm at the College of Staten Island - Williamson Theatre

Directed by Douglas Sloan
Running Time: 6 minutes

This film captures a moment in time by documenting the phenomenon of the Bellevue Hospital’s “wall of prayers.” Sloan says, “It is my hope that it will allow viewers to spend a few moments quietly getting to know the people who perished on 9/11, and also to recall a unique moment in our lives.”

IN BETWEEN

CATEGORY: New Filmmaker

Showing Saturday June 3, 9pm at the College of Staten Island - Williamson Theatre

Directed and Written by Deborah Twiss
Produced by Stann Nakazono and Deborah Twiss
Running Time: 94 minutes

In this supernatural drama, several people living in NYC find their lives turned upside down by the tragedy of 9/11. A mysterious man is sent to help each of these people come to terms with their confusion and frustration. In the end, the reality of the situation is exposed and the path of each person’s life is changed forever.

THE ROUTINE

CATEGORY: Dramatic Short / Short Film

Showing Saturday June 3, 9pm at the College of Staten Island - Williamson Theatre

Directed and Written by Bob Giraldi
Produced by Patti Greaney and Carol Case
Running Time: 5 minutes

THE ROUTINE is a moving depiction of the daily life of a single mother and daughter in Tribeca in the wake of 9/11. The film debuted at Sundance Film Festival in 2002 and won the Best Drama Award at the 6th Annual Los Angeles International Short Film Festival.

Above is an interesting idea. Leave the slurry wall exposed. Create a nice Memorial Park. You could add features to this basic idea.

Names of Victims on the Wall

Bring back artifacts. The Facades and the Globe or even the Staircase

This would also solve many of the issues especially the cost.

It would bring the Memorial above ground.

Respect the footprints

Make available access to the Slurry Wall.

Allow for the elimination of the random placement of names.

Allow for the return and display of artifacts.

Give the families 24/7 access to the Memorial.

It would also eliminate the safety and security issues associated with the current plan.

The landscaping of the area could also create a buffer between the park and the surrounding streets.

This could also be done at a fraction of the cost.

This picture appeared in an article of the Gotamist (see link below)

Plans, Plans, and More Plans for Memorial Cost Cutting

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/05/25/plans_plans_and.php

Something to think about.

Eight Plans to Cut Costs at Ground Zero

If Wall is to Stand as a Monument It Needs Help Standing

For these and other related articles go to

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23

THE PICTURE ABOVE DEPICTS

A) THE AVERAGE COMMUTERS MORNING COMMUTE

B) THE NEW PATH STATION AT GROUND ZERO

C) AN ARTIST’S RENDITION OF THE WTC MEMORIAL

If you guessed C (which you probably did not) you would be correct.

This is right off the LMDC website.

To give yourself a better feel for what it will be like try to imagine another 1,000 people in the picture. (or any subway station at rush hour)

This is what the LMDC considers the “Memorial Experience”

Unfortunately I do not think that it made it into the presentation on the current 15 City WTC Memorial Tour.

Probably didn’t have room for it with all of the aerial views of the waterfalls and surrounding trees.

And I am sure that the presentation does not include Arad’s own vision of “Reflecting Absence”

http://www.renewnyc.com/images_WMS/memorial_final/multimedia/movie2.asf

OUR LOVED ONES DESERVE BETTER

Please Sign Our Petition

It was stated in yesterday’s New York Newsday’s article “Weld criticizes WTC Memorial as hole in the ground” that
“The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation soon will present suggestions to change the design and cut costs”.

We find it very interesting that at a point in time when the Memorial Foundation is considering changing the design and has held up raising funds that it’s President is in Hartford Connecticut offering presentations about the memorial to high school students, builders, union leaders, corporate officials and the Junior League.

One really has to wonder what exactly she is presenting.

Also wouldn’t have it been a nice idea to present to the 9/11 families first to see if any of our recommendations are even mentioned in her presentations or is it just the same PR piece with aerial views and the pretty trees that we have seen 1,000 times before.

You can look at this two ways

One, that it is just another example of how this whole process continues to be mishandled. One should have an agreed upon plan before making any presentations.

Or

Two that the Foundation and the LMDC have no intention of modifying the plan and will continue with the current design and state that the Memorial Museum should be addressed as a separate item and not included in the $500 Million budget.

The first option would not surprise me but with its track record the second option seems more likely.

We need to make sure that this does not happen.

We need to continue to stress the safety and security issues and get our signature count over 15,000 on our petition.

Although Weld’s comment was harsh it is one that appeared repeatedly on our petition comments.

One would think that the Memorial Foundation’s time and money would be better spent here in New York seriously looking to modify the design to create a safe secure and dignified above ground memorial.

Unfortunately we have been looking at a hole in the ground for the last four years.

A hole in the ground is pretty much another way to describe a “void” which is one of the words Arad has used to describe his design. 

To view related articles click link below

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23 

Human Remains Remain at Ground Zero - We Must Recover Them - Not Ignore Them!”

Dear 9/11 Families,

Nearly one month ago, 9/11 families, joined by Sen Chuck Schumer, stood at GZ to express their grief and anguish that human remains still remain at GZ.

After nearly five years, 700 remains have now been found in the Deutsche Bank alone, by sympathetic construction workers and concerned former firefighters, but far more needs to be done.

We need to call in the federal agency JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) to expand the search from the Deutsche Bank to the entire perimeter of GZ.

We need a comprehensive team of Forensic Anthropologists and other professionals to do the actual search, review, and analysis.

The federal government has been contacted, but local officials ( the Governor and Mayor Bloomberg) must agree to call in the JPAC team.

Please call City Hall at 212-788-3000 & ask Mayor Bloomberg to support the JPAC effort to find the 42% of our loved ones who remain missing at the WTC

or by mail

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

212-788-3000 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)

FAX (212) 788-2460
E-MAIL:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html