For media inquiries call:
Scott Warner
(703) 744-7824

NEWS LINKS

" A journey for 9/11" Charitable Walk
June 21, 2008
After 2,827 Miles, Retired NFL Great George Martin’s Historic “a Journey for 9/11” Charitable Walk Reaches California, Last of 13 States on Route Journey to End in San Diego on Saturday, June 21 Coast-to-Coast Journey Raises $4+ Million in Cash and Pledged Services So Far for Thousands of Heroic Ground Zero Workers Now in Severe Medical Distress New York, NY, June 4, 2008 – Retired NFL great George Martin will tomorrow cross from Yuma, AZ, into California, the 13th and final state of his historic cross-country “a Journey for 9/11” walk to benefit thousands of ailing Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers. When he reaches the state border, Mr. Martin, who is likely the first African-American athlete to walk coast-to-coast on a charitable fundraising initiative, will have trekked 2,827 miles on foot. He has raised a combined $4+ million in cash and pledged medical services for seriously ill 9/11 workers from all 50 states. Mr. Martin’s 3,020-mile trek is scheduled to end on Saturday, June 21, 2008, in San Diego , CA . (Note: Details about special events planned for the finish line and completion of the Journey will be announced separately.) The former New York Giants football star and co-captain of the Super Bowl XXI championship team started walking west from the George Washington Bridge in New York City on September 16, 2007. His path can be tracked daily via a GPS system accessible at www.ajourneyfor911.info. “As physically and mentally challenging as this Journey has been, it pales in comparison to the everyday hurdles that thousands of seriously ill 9/11 workers now face every day,” said Mr. Martin. “I walk a mile, or 10 miles, like it’s nothing, and many of these heroic people who helped heal our nation cannot even walk up the steps in their own homes due to severe respiratory and other ailments. And some are dying. Although the walking portion of our Journey will soon conclude, there is much work to be done. Many are without adequate health and disability insurance, and these heroes need our nation’s help. I will continue raising money and awareness on their behalf. It’s unconscionable that these brave, selfless individuals aren’t getting all the medical assistance they need.” The Medical Problems of Working at Ground Zero Mr. Martin, on leave from his position as vice president of sports marketing at AXA Equitable in New York, is raising funds to provide medical monitoring and healthcare for 9/11 responders who are suffering from chronic bronchial disease, leukemia and other cancers, post traumatic stress disorder and other serious medical conditions stemming from their service at Ground Zero after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Three major medical institutions (see below) will match in healthcare services all the money raised by the Journey.* Medical studies indicate that working at Ground Zero led to serious, long-term medical problems for tens of thousands of 9/11 responders. A study by Mt. Sinai Medical Center found that nearly 70 percent of the 40,000+ 9/11 responders have suffered lung disease and other health problems. One in five has low lung capacity, five times the normal rate. One in eight developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Source: NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene). The rate of those developing asthmatic conditions after exposure to Ground Zero is 12 times the normal adult rate. “This is truly a national problem,” says Mr. Martin, who noted that more than 10,000 people who live outside of the NY, NJ and CT tri-state area are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry, including people from all 50 states. In October 2007, Mr. Martin walked through Washington, DC, where he met with several members of the U.S. Congress who are advocating legislation for additional funding for 9/11 healthcare programs. For more information, visit: http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1468&Itemid=61. For more information on the status of federal 9/11 healthcare legislation, visit: http://maloney.house.gov/documents/911recovery/backgroundmemo.pdf About George Martin, the Route and the Journey Team George Martin was a star defensive end and co-captain of the Super Bowl XXI Champion New York Giants (1986). During his 14 NFL seasons (1975-1988), the longtime Giant scored eight touchdowns -- seven of them as a defensive lineman, which set an NFL record that stood until 2007. Mr. Martin is a former president of the NFL Players Association. On his Journey, Mr. Martin has passed through portions of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, before entering California tomorrow. Mr. Martin, now 55, trained more than three months for this trek and has lost more than 40 pounds since it began. Throughout his travels, he is accompanied by a security officer; an advance person/technology specialist who is documenting and routing the Journey; and a driver who trails in a customized SUV. In addition to walking, Mr. Martin visits schools, fire houses, police stations, government offices, and other places where he raises awareness about the plight of Ground Zero workers. For his charitable efforts, Mr. Martin was named one of ABC News’ 2007 “Persons of the Year.” In December 2007, Mr. Martin received the prestigious Heisman Humanitarian Award, and last month he broke from the Journey route to accept an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey in recognition of his lifelong commitment to community service.

Where to Turn
April 11, 2008
Dear Friends, As of Friday, April 11 at 11:59 p.m., the Church Street entrance to the WTC PATH station will be closed. There will be no access to Gate 10. The new entrance to the WTC family trailer will be through Gate 4 at Vesey and Church Streets. Please pass the word to those you feel appropriate. Thank you. Norma Manigan Manager, Public Relations Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

9/11 FAMILIES FOR A SECURE AMERICA
August 5, 2007
The families and victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and other violent crimes committed by illegal aliens www.911fsa.org 9/11 FAMILIES FOR A SECURE AMERICA NEWSLETTER August 5, 2007 9/11 FSA MEMBERS SPEAK IN MORRISTOWN, NJ IN SUPPORT OF MAYOR’S IMPLEMENTATION OF FEDERAL AUTHORITY FOR LOCAL ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAW UNDER SEC. 287g On July 28, a New Jersey immigration reform group, the Pro America Society led by Robb Pearson, held a rally in support of Mayor Donald Cresitello. The mayor has applied to the federal government to permit the Morristown Police Department to enforce federal immigration law. (This is known as 287g authority.) As a result of his actions the open borders lobby has viciously attacked Mayor Cresitello, and the rally was held to let Americans show their support for his efforts to enforce the law. Approximately 400 supporters of the Mayor came to the rally, and among the speakers were three members of the 9/11 FSA Foundation board of directors: Ed Kowalski, Dan Smeriglio and Peter Gadiel. The rally was a great success. The increasing frequency and growing attendance at these rallies demonstrates Americans’ building anger and frustration over the failure of their government to protect us from predatory illegal aliens. I think it fair to say that more and more politicians are getting the message. This was confirmed by the recent defeat of the Comprehensive Amnesty bill despite the enormous financial resources applied by the open borders lobby and the unrestrained pressure brought to bear by Pres. Bush, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, et al. That the open borders lobby believes the tide is turning against them was brought home to us by the viciousness displayed by counter protesters at our rally and the threats of violence they made beforehand. To insure our safety it was necessary to have over one hundred city, county and state police officers present to keep the illegals and their allies from attacking us. Forty of the officers were in riot gear. There were four mounted officers and two helicopters. While the open borders mob held a rally of their own nearby (naturally without interference from us) they sent some of their members to attempt to prevent us from holding ours. They stood across the street with sound amplifying equipment and throughout the entire two hours of our rally endlessly screamed at us “KKK,” “racists,” “Nazis,” and other lies. Many waved red flags and recited that well known communist slogan: “workers of the world unite.” Shortly after the beginning of our rally several of them proved that police protection for us was necessary when they rushed at our sound system and attempted to sabotage it so that we would not be able to be heard. There’s no telling what they would have tried if there had not been such a sizeable police presence. I am sure that while they were calling us Nazis, KKK and fascists that they did not see the irony in the fact that their violent attempt to silence us were exactly the same techniques used by Hitler’s Brown Shirts to prevent anti-Nazis from speaking prior to the Hitler takeover of Germany. It is also important to note that among the counter demonstrators calling us names were people from the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the so-called “peace group” known as Code Pink. In its coverage of the event, the NY Times gave another example of how it distorts the facts about illegal immigration. In an article on July 29 entitled “Unrest and Arrests at Immigration Rally” the Times said that police in riot gear and a fence were there to “separate the rival demonstrators.” The implication is that if the police weren’t there our side would have been on the attack as much as the open borders rioters. The fact is that the police were there to protect us from them. And although the Times noted that there were five arrests, it was careful not to mention that all of those arrested were from the open borders mob. The statements of Ed, Dan and Peter are available for viewing on YouTube.com. You can hear the screaming from the demonstrators who tried to silence us. Both Ed and Dan are powerful speakers and worth your time to hear. 9/11 Families for a Secure America PO Box 156 Hawley, PA 18428-0156

CLINTON, SCHUMER ANNOUNCE $55 MILLION IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO EXPAND HEALTH COVERAGE FOR 9/11 EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
June 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 20, 2007 Contact: Nina Blackwell (Clinton) (212) 688-9559 Risa Heller (Schumer) (212) 486-3627 CLINTON, SCHUMER ANNOUNCE $55 MILLION IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO EXPAND HEALTH COVERAGE FOR 9/11 EMERGENCY RESPONDERS Funding Comes as Thousands of Patients are Seeking Treatment for 9/11 Related Illness, with Numbers Rising Every Month Funds to Expand Treatment to Residents, Office and Commercial Workers, Volunteers, Students, and Other Individuals Call for Focus on Long-Term, Comprehensive Solution to Screen and Monitor all Individuals who were Exposed to the Environmental Hazards at WTC Site WASHINGTON, DC – Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer today announced that a key Senate Committee has included an additional $55 million in federal funding to address the mounting health needs of those individuals who were exposed to the environmental hazards released as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks upon the World Trade Center. The funding, which comes in addition to the $50 million that was provided in the recent Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, was included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations Bill by the Senate Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. The bill now moves to the full Senate Appropriations Committee where it is expected to be approved on Thursday. “I am very pleased that this additional funding is coming to help those who have continued to suffer from the lingering results of the 9/11 attacks,” Senator Clinton said. “We continue to hear tragic stories from first responders, office workers, residents, students and others who are crippled by diseases and health problems resulting from exposure to toxic substances released by the attacks. While the Administration has not yet provided the necessary funding for these 9/11 health treatment centers, those of us close to this issue are keenly aware that without this funding, they are constantly under the threat of having to close their doors altogether. It is our national responsibility to care for those who did our country proud in the hours, days, weeks and months following that horrific attack. We cannot let 9/11’s living victims down. We will do everything we can to fight to get the funding that is needed to continue these vital health tracking and treatment services.” “These workers were injured serving our nation in its greatest time of need, and now America must fulfill its responsibility to care for them in their time of need,” Schumer said. “I am pleased to see this funding going to the men and women who risked life and limb to bring America back after 9/11, but our work is not complete. More of our heroes develop debilitating diseases every year, yet we must still scratch and claw for every penny needed to take care of them. That is not right. We will continue to fight for full funding for our first responders to ensure they receive the attention and care they deserve.” Specifically, the $55 million will go towards treatment, screening, and monitoring activities administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to help those individuals who were exposed to the environmental hazards released on and after 9/11. The bill also includes language requiring the Department of Health and Human Services, through NIOSH, to expand the program beyond responders and rescue workers to entities that would provide services to residents, office and commercial workers, volunteers, students, and other individuals who were exposed. Existing programs to serve those who were impacted include the centers in the Mt Sinai Consortium and the program run by the New York City Fire Department. Finally, the bill approved today encourages the development of a long-term, comprehensive solution to screen and monitor all individuals who were exposed to the environmental hazards at the World Trade Center (WTC) site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the provision of comprehensive medical services for those experiencing illnesses or injuries as a result of these exposures. Senators Clinton and Schumer said that the funding approved late yesterday is a recognition of the importance of addressing the short and long-term health needs of those individuals who were exposed to the environmental hazards released as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks upon the World Trade Center, and affirms the commitment of the federal government to provide assistance to those whose physical and mental health was adversely impacted as a result of this exposure. More than five years after the attacks, persistent health effects have been documented among residents, rescue and recovery workers, such as asthma, chronic sinusitis, and gastrointestinal conditions. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other health effects have also been diagnosed among many of those that have been exposed.

9/11 Living Memorial
June 8, 2007
Dear Friends & Families, It is with great excitement that we announce the collaboration with Voices of September 11th for the launch of the 9/11 Living Memorial. Both organizations have worked diligently together to design the functionality of a place of memorial remembrances for family members, now we are proud to announce its implementation. Voices and its Founder, Mary Fetchet have long been tireless advocates for the 9/11 community. We cannot think of anyone else with whom we would be prepared to share this tremendous responsibility and wonderful opportunity of creating a virtual memorial place for our loved ones. It is our hope to collaborate with the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation to create a future home for the 9/11 Living Memorial within the Museum to become a significant portion of the most comprehensive digital archive on the people, places and events of September 11, 2001. We have already begun testing a beta design of the site and hope to offer public access in the near future. Users will log on to www.voicesofseptember11.org to register. Once registered, they will be directed to a simple template which allows them to upload information about their loved one. To begin we will offer the opportunity to save photographs and text documents (letters, poems or eulogies) and other related information such as individual web pages, scholarships, etc. Another option will be to visit one of the remote kiosks the will be set up at various places within the tri- state area to assist users with creating pages. Lastly, family members who are more comfortable sending the photographs or written messages via post may do so and we will create the page for them. Details on where and when families can begin creating pages will follow soon. For more information, log onto www.voicesofseptember11.org or www.911livingmemorial.org

New WTC Registry Report Shows National Impact of 9/11 Health Crisis
May 2, 2007
For Immediate Release Contact: Joe Soldevere (Maloney), (212) 860-0606 April 30, 2007 Craig Donner (Fossella), (718) 356-8400 -Registrants From All 50 States, D.C.- New York, NY - Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) and Congressman Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) released a report showing that people from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. According to the report, thousands of Americans from throughout the country were in the immediate vicinity of Ground Zero in the months following 9/11 and have since signed up for the Registry, which will track changes in their physical and mental health over the next 20 years. The City of New York compiled the data and released it at Maloney's and Fossella's request. "This report shows that Americans from all 50 states were exposed to the aftermath of 9/11 and have serious concerns about their health," said Congresswoman Maloney. "Thousands of people from every corner of our country were either in lower Manhattan on 9/11 or rushed to Ground Zero to help with rescue and recovery operations. The 9/11 health crisis is an emergency on a national scale and it requires a federal response. The Bush Administration must take the lead in providing medical monitoring for every American exposed to Ground Zero toxins and treatment for anyone who's sick as a result." Congressman Fossella said, "This report provides the most comprehensive picture yet of the potential health impacts of 9/11. Unsung heroes in every state have signed up for the registry either out of concern for their health or because they are already sick or injured. We have long argued that the health impacts of 9/11 are a national problem that requires a national response. Nearly six years after the attacks, the federal government must develop a plan to medically monitor and treat all those who were exposed to the air of Ground Zero." Today's report, the full text of which can be found at http://maloney.house.gov/documents/911recovery/RegistryEnrollment20070306.pdf breaks down the number of WTC Health registrants by state and congressional district. Districts that have between 0 and 25 enrollees are listed as "<25" to protect registrants' confidentiality. Strikingly, the report shows that World Trade Center health registrants live in states as far from Ground Zero as California (1,035 registrants), Arizona (156) and Alabama (128). The Registry is a voluntary survey and no blood tests or medical exams are required to enroll. Americans are eligible for the World Trade Center Health Registry if they meet one of the following criteria: * They were in a building, on the street, or on the subway south of Chambers Street on 9/11/01; * They were involved in either rescue, recovery, cleanup or other activities at the WTC site or WTC recovery operations on Staten Island any time between 9/11/01 and 6/30/02; * They were a student or staff member in schools or day care centers south of Canal Street on 9/11/01; or * They lived south of Canal Street on 9/11/01. According to the Registry, "many people from outside New York City were near the WTC site on 9/11/01. Thousands commuted to or visited New York City from the greater metropolitan area, and volunteers from all over the country came to the WTC site to help in the rescue and recovery effort. "The WTC Health Registry is a comprehensive and confidential health survey of those most directly exposed to the events of 9/11/01. Those who enrolled answered a 30-minute telephone survey about where they were on 9/11/01, and were asked to report the status of their health. This will allow health professionals to compare the health of those most exposed to the events of 9/11/01 with the health of the general population."

"Remember Me" Rose Garden Announces "The Finest"
April 24, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Rose Getch Sue Casey National Gardening Association Remember Me Rose Garden (800) 538-7476, ext. 129 (503) 453-3352 e-mail: rose@garden.org sue@remember-me-rose.com “Remember Me” Rose Garden Announces “The Finest” Rose, Named in Honor of 23 NYPD Officers Lost on September 11th, 2001 Portland, OR (April 23, 2007) – “Remember Me” Rose Garden announces “The Finest”, a beautiful white hybrid tea rose named in honor of the 23 NYPD Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. The announcement of “The Finest” is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Friday, April 27, at the dedication of a new rooftop garden at P.S. 41 in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The school is a recipient of a 2007 “Remember Me” Rose School Garden Award, sponsored by All-America Rose Selections. Those taking part in the announcement include Mike Hughes, retired NYPD Officer; Sue Casey and Michael Mitchell of "Remember Me" Rose Garden; Mike Metallo, president, and Tony Vargo, vice president and CFO of the National Gardening Association. “The Finest” was hybridized by Ping Lim of Bailey Nurseries, Inc., and will be available at retail garden centers nationwide in 2009. To learn more visit www.baileynurseries.com. Sue Casey, president of "Remember Me" Rose Garden says, "Twenty-three NYPD officers, in their dedication to protect the lives of fellow citizens, gave the ultimate sacrifice — their own lives. It is a privilege to honor the bravery and courage of these NYPD officers with “The Finest”. NGA president Michael Metallo adds, “This rose will forever be a symbol of the contributions of these officers. Wherever ‘The Finest’ grows, it will be a reminder of their bravery.” About “Remember Me” Rose Garden “Remember Me” Rose Garden is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating three gardens, one each in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, to honor the memory and spirit of each man, woman, and child who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. “Remember Me” Rose Garden celebrates gardening for its ability to strengthen the body, soothe the mind, and lift the spirit. For updates on the progress of these gardens, visit www.remember-me-rose.org. About the National Gardening Association Founded in 1972, NGA is a national nonprofit leader in plant-based education, respected for its award-winning Web sites and newsletters, grants and curricula for youth gardens, and research for the lawn and garden industry. NGA’s mission is to advance the personal, community, and educational benefits of gardening by supporting gardeners and teachers with information and resources. To learn more, please visit www.garden.org. ###

WTC MEMORIAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAJOR PROGRESS IN EFFORT TO BUILD MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM
April 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2006 WTC MEMORIAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAJOR PROGRESS IN EFFORT TO BUILD MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM Over $300 Million in Private Funds Raised Lead Exhibition Design Firm Chosen for Memorial Museum National Tour Planning Moving Forward with Selection of Agency Team Howard P. Milstein Named to Board of Directors World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Chairman Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced major progress in the effort to build the WTC Memorial and Museum, with over $300 million in private funds raised to date. Over $165 million was raised in approximately six months towards the Foundation’s $350 million fundraising campaign. At a meeting of the Board of Directors this afternoon, the Foundation made a number of key decisions helping to move the project forward. Thinc Design, Inc., in partnership with Local Projects, LLC, was chosen as the lead exhibition design firm for the Memorial Museum; Octagon, Jack Morton Worldwide, and Weber Shandwick, sister agencies within The Interpublic Group (IPG) were selected to help plan and execute the Foundation’s upcoming national outreach tour; and Howard P. Milstein was named to the Board of Directors. “Just as we came together to support our city and our country after September 11th, 2001, thousands of people are coming together again to support building the Memorial and Museum,” Foundation Chairman Mayor Bloomberg said. “Every contribution, both large and small, helps make this national memorial a reality. Thanks to corporations, foundations, and individuals from across the country and around the world, who are uniting behind our efforts, we have quickly reached this major fundraising milestone. We hope that thousands more will lend their support for this important cause.” “Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg and the support of our Board of Directors, the Foundation is succeeding in our fundraising efforts,” Memorial Foundation President Joe Daniels said. “Reaching this milestone illustrates that progress spurs progress – we are building what we said we would build and in turn support for this historic campaign is rapidly increasing.” More than 32,650 contributions have come from individuals in all fifty states and 23 foreign nations. 66 leadership gifts of $1 million and over were made by corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Foundation’s private fundraising goal of $350 million includes funds to support capital and planning costs, as well as an initial endowment to support operations once the Memorial and Museum open. -more- FOUNDATION TAKES KEY STEPS TO BUILD MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM “From Museum planning to public outreach and construction, the Memorial Foundation is moving forward with great momentum,” Foundation Chairman Mayor Bloomberg said. “Today the Board made key decisions that will help the Memorial Foundation to meet its many goals. All of these efforts, coupled with the tremendous support we continue to receive in our private fundraising, bring us one step closer to making completing this national memorial. “I welcome Howard Milstein to the Board of Directors. Howard has been a strong supporter of downtown revitalization and he will be an important advocate for the Memorial,” he said. Foundation President & CEO Joe Daniels said, “The Foundation selected two experienced teams to help us in our efforts. Thinc Design and Local Projects will work closely with the Museum’s curatorial team to envision and implement state-of-the-art educational exhibits and a deeply moving visitor experience that integrates cutting-edge technology with the sensitive presentation of a wide range of artifacts, images, and eyewitness testimony. Meanwhile, the partnership between Octagon, Jack Morton Worldwide, and Weber Shandwick brings talent, knowledge, and creativity to the planning of our national outreach tour.” Thinc Design, Inc. Selected as Lead Exhibition Designer for Museum Thinc Design in partnership with Local Projects, LLC, was selected from 16 world class design firms from the United States, Europe and Canada, who responded to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued by the Memorial Foundation last October. As the lead exhibition design firm, Thinc with Local Projects will contribute design expertise to the master plan for the public experience at the World Trade Memorial Museum, and will design significant portions of the exhibitions while also directing a team of design sub-consultants. Founded in 1992, Thinc Design, Inc. is a local New York-based exhibition design firm with expertise in architecture, theater, education, film, graphics and interactive media. Currently, the firm is charged with the master planning for the Freedom Park in Pretoria, South Africa, as well as exhibition design for the 45,000 square foot Aquarium at the Renzo Piano-designed California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Thinc has won awards from the Industrial Design Society of America for both exhibition design and digital media. Thinc will work in partnership with Local Projects, LLC, a design firm that creates media installations for museums and public spaces. Local Projects’ recent work includes “Timescapes,” the new introductory theater for the Museum of the City of New York, and interactive design for StoryCorps at the World Trade Center site and Grand Central Terminal. Local Projects was a finalist for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s 2006 National Design Awards in Communications. -more- Thinc with Local Projects’ project team includes independent consultants Ann Farrington, Kathleen McLean and Clay Shirky. Ms. Farrington served as director of exhibitions for Experience Music Project, project manager for the Newseum, and deputy director of public programs at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Ms. McLean is the former director of education at the Exploratorium in San Francisco and, in 2006, was named by the American Association of Museums as one of the 100 most significant museum professionals in the past century. Mr. Shirky is a leading strategist on “social software”—information technology that fosters group interaction, and teaches at New York University. “Thinc with Local Projects, LLC, was chosen for its competence, collaborative team, clear understanding of the Museum’s ethos, strong and innovative use of media, and experience creating exhibitions that foster visitor engagement,” Memorial Museum Director Alice M. Greenwald said. “In Thinc and Local Projects, we believe we have identified an exceptional partner to help us deliver an extraordinary museum, one that can not only meet, but perhaps even exceed, the high expectations for the Memorial Museum dedicated to telling the story of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 that we are honored to create. This institution has the potential to be the first great museum of the 21st century. As such, the creative and seamless integration of new technologies into visitor experience is a pre-requisite, and Thinc is at the forefront of this field.” Tom Hennes, founder and creative director of Thinc said, “To be selected to design this important project is a great honor. The World Trade Center Memorial Museum will be a place of social interconnectivity, one that reflects our belief that public places, such as museums, can have a direct impact on society. We've been exploring this concept in many arenas, most recently in The Freedom Park in South Africa, a memorial and museum dedicated to the struggle for freedom and the ongoing process of South African nation-building. Here at home we have a great need to heal from the horrific events of September 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001. We hope to make a significant contribution to the healing process as well as to make something of value out of this enormous tragedy.” Jake Barton, of Local Projects said, “We're honored to be Thinc Design's partner in creating this museum of international importance. While our work as interaction designer for StoryCorps, and co-creator of Timescapes at the Museum of the City of New York, has brought shared storytelling to public spaces before, this challenge is overwhelming: to gather and offer the stories of the countless witnesses to 9/11. Sharing these accounts will help to create a human-experience for visitors, where physical artifacts will be enriched by the voice of first-hand experience.” The Museum will incorporate as exhibition elements a variety of existing materials that encompass an extraordinary range of size, weight and media. These include: remnants of the World Trade Center structures attesting to the enormity of the buildings and the forces of destruction—multi-ton pieces of steel currently in the care of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; intimate mementos that mark individual experiences; paper-based and mixed media materials detailing some of the aftermath of the events; vast collections of photographic, video and born-digital imagery by both amateurs and professionals; oral histories and other aural materials; artistic expressions made in tribute to the lives lost and to the events and their emotional impact; and in-situ physical remnants of the site including the surviving Slurry Wall and the truncated box column remnants. -more- Octagon, Jack Morton Worldwide, Weber Shandwick Selected to Help Plan National Tour A team of three IPG sister agencies will help the Foundation to plan a national outreach tour later this year. The leading sports and entertainment marketing firm Octagon will work with global public relations firm Weber Shandwick and renowned experiential marketing agency Jack Morton Worldwide to help the Foundation to produce and manage the tour. The agency team was selected from nine responses to the Foundation’s RFP for Marketing/PR/ Strategic Planning Consulting Services. The national outreach tour will raise awareness about building the Memorial, create a broad base of regional support and raise funds for the project, while providing the public with an opportunity to be a part of building the Memorial and Museum. The tour will include an exhibition allowing the public to view renderings or models of the Memorial, and hear stories relating to the events of September 11, 2001. The tour will be supported through integrated marketing, advertising, merchandising, and public relations strategies. “Our national campaign represents a great opportunity to engage the American public in building a national tribute,” Joe Daniels said. “We look forward to the professional support of these experienced agencies to help us reach as many people as possible in every corner of the country. Building the Memorial is about bringing people together and we believe the national tour will help unite thousands of people to support our cause.” “We are proud to be working with the Foundation on this historic national project,” said Harris Diamond, CEO of the Constituency Management Group of IPG. “The Memorial and the Museum will be important historical institutions not just for New Yorkers, but for people around the country and across the globe. Our team is honored to work on behalf of the Foundation, and we look forward to helping them accomplish their goals.” The team brings extensive experience marketing, planning, and promoting interactive events. Octagon is the global sports and entertainment marketing arm of the Interpublic Group and is the largest sports-consulting practice in the world with an event group that manages 3,200 events annually. Octagon helped to create the Ultimate Drive supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure as a marketing partnership for their client BMW of North America, which has raised over $10 million since 1997. The firm also led the planning and execution of the Gravity Games, as well as creating interactive events for Sprint Nextel through NASCAR, and the NFL, and for MasterCard through MLB and World Cup Soccer, among many others. Jack Morton Worldwide is an experiential marketing agency that creates live events and interactive experiences for public, consumer, business and corporate audiences. The leading agency of its kind, with numerous EX, Corporate Event and Emmy awards to its name, Jack Morton has offices across the US, UK, Asia and Australia. In 2004, Jack Morton produced the Bank of America Democracy Plaza, a public exhibit celebrating American democracy and citizenship. The two-week exhibit was housed in all the public spaces of Rockefeller Center and received over two million visitors. Jack Morton also led the Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Tour, a year-long mobile marketing tour, which included a 45,000-square foot traveling village and reached two million consumers. -more- Weber Shandwick is one of the world's leading global public relations firms with offices in major media, business and government capitals around the world. In 2006, Weber Shandwick won the United Nations Grand Award for outstanding achievement in public relations. The firm was also named Large PR Firm of the Year (PR News U.S.), European Consultancy of the Year (The Holmes Report) and Network of the Year (Asia Pacific PR Awards). The award-winning public relations programs Weber Shandwick has created include such projects as the dedication and ten-year anniversary of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the effort to protect and preserve New York City’s Central Park around its 150th anniversary, and the National Milk Mustache got milk? Campaign, among others. Howard P. Milstein Named to Board of Directors Howard Milstein was today named to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Milstein is co-chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Emigrant Savings Bank and its holding company, New York Private Bank & Trust, the largest privately owned bank in the country. He is also managing partner of Milstein Properties, an investment builder active in both residential and commercial development; founding chairman of the merchant bank FriedbergMilstein; and chairman of MB Real Estate, a commercial leasing and management company. A graduate of Cornell University (B.A., 1973) and Harvard University (J.D./M.B.A., 1977), Milstein is a member of the National Board of the Smithsonian Institution and is active in numerous other civic and philanthropic organizations and activities. ABOUT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation founded in 2005 to realize the Memorial quadrant at the World Trade Center site. The Foundation will raise the funds, oversee the design, and operate the Memorial and Museum located on 8 of the 16 acres of the site. The Memorial will remember and honor the thousands of people who died in the horrific attacks of February 26th, 1993 and September 11th, 2001. The design, "Reflecting Absence," created by Michael Arad and Peter Walker consists of two pools that reside in the footprints of the original Twin Towers surrounded by a plaza of oak trees. The Arad/Walker design was selected from a design competition which included more than 5,000 entrants from 63 nations. The Museum will communicate key messages that embrace both the specificity and the universal implications of the events of 9/11; document the impact of those events on individuals lives as well as on local, national, and international communities, and explore the legacy of 9/11 for a world increasingly defined by global interdependency. Donations can be made through the Foundation’s website, and more information on the Foundation can be found at www.buildthememorial.org or by calling 1-877-WTC-GIVE. # # # Contact: Lynn Rasic/Michelle Breslauer, 212-312-8800

Location Change for Lower Family Room at WTC Site
For additional information Contact: WTCFamiliesforProperBurial@comcast.net, February 8, 2007
From the Port Authority: As most of you know, major construction is underway throughout the 16-acre World Trade Center site to build the Memorial, Freedom Tower, and the Transportation Hub. To accommodate this extensive work, the family viewing room that is now located inside Gate 7 at Liberty and Washington Streets will be moved to another location at the World Trade Center. The Port Authority has worked with representative family members to identify another location where those who lost loved ones on 9/11 can have inside-the-fence access to the site. Plans call for a new trailer to be installed above the PATH Station on Church Street. The new site provides views of construction work, and will provide family members with a private space where they can pay their respects to their loved ones. And the family room on the 20th floor at 1 Liberty Plaza will remain open. The current room will be closed on Feb 27, after we commemorate the anniversary of the ’93 bombing of the World Trade Center on February 26. At that time, a group of volunteer family members will move all the personal items in the current family room and redisplay them at the new location. The new trailer will be available on March 5. To access the new location, you must enter at Gate 10 just to the south of the WTC PATH entrance on Church Street. The new hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Port Authority Police and FJS Security also have trailers in the immediate area. There will not be public bathrooms at this location. We sincerely thank the family members who have helped us relocate this important space and donated their time to move very precious mementos. We thank you for understanding and for being patient. Be assured that during construction at the site, we will continue to do everything we can, for as long as we can, to provide this special place for you.

Mayor Bloomberg Expected To Be Named New WTC Memorial Chairman
October 5, 2006
Members of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation are expected to officially nominate Mayor Bloomberg this afternoon to head its board, but some outspoken family members of those killed on September 11th want the group to reconsider. They charge selecting the mayor is a conflict of interest, since the foundation is a not-for-profit organization. The mayor has already pledged $10-million of his own money to the multi-million dollar memorial project. The majority board says it hopes Bloomberg, as chairman, will be able to spark the slow-moving fund raising effort. Victims' families against the mayor's appointment will rally today at the World Trade Center site, to voice their opposition. "The downside is that he's never really shown a great interest in the memorial and understanding the importance of the memorial for families," said WTC Memorial board member Monica Iken. Others disagree, saying this signifies the mayor's commitment to the memorial and to the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. The mayor is expected to accept the chairman's post.

Downtown Rebuilding Agency Says It Is No Longer Needed
David W. Dunlap, July 26, 2006
Downtown Rebuilding Agency Says It Is No Longer Needed By DAVID W. DUNLAP The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the state agency created to help rebuild the area south of Houston Street after terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center, will soon go out of business, its staff was told yesterday. “The L.M.D.C. had a mission and we’re nearing the end of the mission,” said its chairman, Kevin M. Rampe. By that, he meant selecting a master plan and a memorial design for the trade center site; allocating more than $2.7 billion in federal grants, including support for downtown residents and businesses; financing park renovations and cultural programs; and planning the revitalization of Fulton Street, from river to river. Stefan Pryor, the president of the corporation and its first employee, said its role as a planning and financing body was always intended to be temporary. “The greatest accomplishment of a public agency such as ours is to successfully work itself out of existence,” he said. Among its legacies, he said, was Daniel Libeskind’s master plan for rebuilding ground zero, adopted in 2003, “which has held through all the controversies, debates and negotiations over the years.” There are currently 54 employees, Mr. Pryor said. Almost all attended yesterday’s meeting at the agency’s office at 1 Liberty Plaza, opposite ground zero. They were told that the agency would effectively come to an end within months. The corporation will probably endure as an entity for legal purposes, with little or no staff. It is a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corporation, which is the sole stockholder. Its 16-member board is composed equally of directors appointed by Gov. George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Deputy Mayor Daniel L. Doctoroff said it was an appropriate moment for transition. “The L.M.D.C., through a very often excruciating period, managed very effectively the many difficult tasks of the recovery, then the planning and now the implementation of a really fabulous plan for Lower Manhattan,” he said. An important bit of unfinished business is the completion of design guidelines for the office towers at the trade center site and for public spaces, storefronts and signs. Mr. Rampe said he hoped they would be ready in the fall. Other unfinished jobs will be passed on. Construction of the memorial, for instance, will fall to the private World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Fulton Street revitalization project may end up in the hands of the Department of City Planning and the city’s Economic Development Corporation. Cultural grants may be administered by the Department of Cultural Affairs. “I think what you will see is a significant increase in the city’s role at the site,” Mr. Doctoroff said. The Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, established in 2004 by the governor and the mayor to coordinate rebuilding efforts downtown, is likely to assume responsibility for the long-delayed demolition of the former Deutsche Bank building at 130 Liberty Street, Mr. Pryor said. The tower was badly contaminated on Sept. 11, 2001, and harbors untold numbers of human remains. This has been one of the corporation’s most difficult jobs, involving complex environmental regulations and tremendous sensitivity among victims’ relatives. “We’ve always questioned the wisdom of having the L.M.D.C. involved in that project, given that they have no background in environmental issues,” said Julie Menin, the chairwoman of Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan. Speaking generally about the corporation’s end, she said: “If elected officials have more of a direct role, rather than through an intermediary, this might be a step in the right direction. It’s one less layer of bureaucracy.” Ms. Menin did not agree that the corporation had accomplished its mission, pointing to the almost empty site at ground zero. “It’s very unfortunate that we’re approaching the five-year anniversary and we still have a hole in the heart of our community,” she said. The Regional Plan Association, a private group, noted that the public would lose a role in decision-making. “The L.M.D.C. does deserve a lot of credit for doing more than any other public agency to date to engage the public,” said Petra Todorovich, a senior planner at the association. “The problem was that they did not always have the authority to act on the input they received. Pataki always called the shots.” A persistent critic, David Dyssegaard Kallick of the private Fiscal Policy Institute, said the announcement yesterday “just formalizes what has been clear for some time: the L.M.D.C. is not serving any useful purpose. “Disbanding the L.M.D.C.” he said, “is a step in the direction of transparency, democracy and the checks and balances of the normal political process.”

Rampe to Lead Lower Manhattan Rebuilding Effort
By CHARLES V. BAGLI, New York Times, May 17, 2006
Eager to show progress at ground zero after months of squabbling over commercial development and the memorial, Gov. George E. Pataki moved quickly today to replace John C. Whitehead, the former banker who headed the state authority in charge of rebuilding downtown. The governor said he had appointed Kevin M. Rampe chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the same organization he once served as president, to complete the design guidelines for the 16-acre World Trade Center site and to coordinate the redesign and construction of the memorial by Sept. 9, 2009. Mr. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg also announced today that they had asked Frank Sciame, a builder and developer, to convene yet another downtown committee, to ensure that a proper memorial is built at ground zero within the $500 million budget recently imposed by the state and the city. The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation's latest estimate had put the cost at nearly $1 billion. The committee, which includes the architects Michael Arad, Peter Walker, Max Bond and Daniel Libeskind, will work on refining a budget and a design by June 15 with the development corporation, the Port Authority and the memorial foundation. This formally takes the design out of the foundation's hands, a move that drew some criticism today. The announcements came a day before Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is convening a state hearing at 7 World Trade Center to look into the lack of progress and coordination in rebuilding Lower Manhattan, more than four years after the attack on the trade center. At the same time that hearing begins on Thursday, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki are scheduled to hold a 10:30 a.m. news conference at 1 Hudson St. to announce that Sears, the national retailer, had moved 80 product designers there, from Chelsea. The workers actually moved in last week. Mr. Silver said today that it was unclear exactly how much progress had been made in rebuilding at ground zero, despite an endless series of news conferences and photo opportunities. He said the governor laid the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower almost two years ago and now it looks like the cornerstone will have to be moved. He said he would ask state and city officials to explain the financial deal they recently completed with the developer Larry A. Silverstein, and exactly when two towers severely damaged in the attack — the Deutsche Bank and Fitterman Hall — would finally be demolished. "The purpose of my hearing," Mr. Silver said, "is to put all these quote, unquote announcements in perspective. There's been a bumbling of everything that goes on down there. There's been a floating blame game. But there's still a hole in the ground with nothing sticking out." Deputy Mayor Daniel L. Doctoroff and Mr. Silverstein, who has an agreement to build three office towers at ground zero, are scheduled to testify on Thursday morning. Charles A. Gargano, the state's chief economic development official; Stefan Pryor, the president of Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; and Kenneth Ringler, executive director of the Port Authority, are expected to testify in the afternoon. In any event, the decision to bring back Mr. Rampe was endorsed by Mayor Bloomberg and Thomas J. Johnson, the chairman of the executive committee at the memorial foundation. Mr. Rampe, who is the global compliance and ethics officer for the insurer, ACE Group of Companies, said, "I am humbled by the opportunity to play a small part in bringing back Lower Manhattan." The governor said that Mr. Rampe "brings the dedication, experience, energy and insight necessary to keep the momentum going on the reconstruction of the World Trade Center and the revitalization of downtown." Officials said Mr. Sciame, chairman of the F. J. Sciame Construction Company, and his committee would present the mayor and the governor with refined design proposals for the memorial by June 15, then public comments would be solicited. The development corporation plans to adopt a final design in July so that construction could begin by Sept. 11. That announcement drew some fire today. "Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg have lost their compass," said Monica Iken, who, like Mr. Rampe, is a board member of the foundation. "They're returning to the practice of railroading the memorial process for a political agenda. This is not going to build any trust or confidence in our leaders, or in a memorial that has suffered repeatedly at the hands of these three men."

Spending Cap Proposed For World Trade Center Memorial
NY1 News, May 5, 2006
The World Trade Center memorial may encounter yet another obstacle on the road to construction - a spending cap. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor George Pataki and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine have set the budget for the memorial at $500 million, some $10 million more than earlier estimates. It's unclear how the $500 million "spending cap" may affect design plans, but some family members of victims say price should be no object. "This memorial is not about a dollar sign," said Monica Iken, who lost her husband on 9/11. "This memorial has to be about what happened and it should be what was promised. We were promised a world class memorial. We are given a world class failure." Some officials have estimated the final cost of the memorial will be closer to $1 billion because of the additional support walls and extra infrastructure needed to put the tribute, called “Reflecting Absence,” underground. While the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation has raised more than $130 million in private contributions, fundraising has been slow so far. Meanwhile, preliminary site work on the memorial is moving forward, despite a lawsuit filed by some relatives of those killed in the 9/11 terror attacks who claim the memorial is unsafe because they claim there are too few exits to adequately evacuate people in the event of another attack. And in Pennsylvania, a memorial honoring those killed on United Flight 93 has taken a step closer to being approved in Washington. The memorial would be built on a 1,700-acre site near where the plane went down on September 11th. The White House is asking Congress for $5 million to buy the land. A House subcommittee approved the funding Thursday. Lawmakers are expected to ask for another $5 milllion for the project next year.

Sept. 11 Families and Unions Protest Ground Zero Memorial
By The New York Times, February 27, 2006
NEW YORK (AP) -- Police and fire union leaders joined Sept. 11 family members on Monday to demand a newly designed World Trade Center memorial, saying the underground plan is a "death trap" that can't safely accommodate millions of tourists and disrespects the victims by placing their names below street level. With construction at ground zero set to begin in March, protesters today said the underground plan was unsafe and disrespectful. "We're asking that the memorial see the light of day," Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, told about 150 people -- predominantly from police and fire unions -- gathered in bitter cold at a corner of ground zero. Construction on Michael Arad's "Reflecting Absence" memorial design is set to begin in March. The design, chosen two years ago by a jury, marks the outlines of the twin towers' footprints with reflecting pools surrounded by the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed. A tree-lined memorial plaza is planned for above ground, but the museum to commemorate the 2001 terrorist attacks and part of the memorial where the names are listed will be as much as 70 feet below street level. "It is all wrong in its symbolism," said Rosaleen Tallon, whose firefighter brother was killed at the trade center. "I look up to the sky to remember him. I will never go down." Tallon also said the planned design was a "death trap" that won't be able to move tourists in and out safely in case of a fire or a terrorist attack. Families have said there should be four main ramps in and out of the memorial instead of two and an underground facility would be more difficult to evacuate. The Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which is overseeing the design and appointed the 13-member jury that chose it, said the memorial and museum will have 15 exits, including emergency stairwells. "The LMDC will continue to work with the (fire department), the (police department), the Department of Buildings and the World Trade Center security team to make certain that we build a safe facility that can accommodate the millions of visitors who are expected," LMDC spokesman John Gallagher said Monday. "The memorial will be a magnificent tribute to those we lost." Gallagher also said Arad's decision to list the names of the dead randomly around the two reflecting pools "remains our plan." Emergency workers and family members have asked that the dead be listed according to the battalion or precinct they worked for or the tower they worked in. "They must be recognized together," said Steve Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, who wants firefighters listed by their units, ranks and badge numbers. Fundraising experts have said controversy over the memorial could hurt the effort to raise the $500 million needed to build and operate it. A private foundation has raised more than $100 million so far. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009. The jury that chose Arad's design was composed of artists, civic and cultural leaders and one Sept. 11 family member.

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." Glenn Collins contributed reporting for this article.

For more News Links Click here