COST OF THE WTC MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM NOW ESTIMATED AT OVER $1 BILLION

The Daily News reported this morning that the cost of constructing the WTC memorial and Museum is expected to soar past the $1 Billion mark.

They also reported that the museum will not open until at least 2013 and that it is unlikely that the memorial will be ready by 2011.

The bickering has already started as to who will pay for this almost 65% increase in cost.

So hear we go again.

Back in 2006 the Sciame Report was released to keep the cost of the Memorial under half a billion and the Memorial Foundation stated that it would “continue its efforts to refine the project’s base estimates, resolve all of the outstanding infrastructure cost issues with Port Authority and two, in cooperation with other key stakeholders, outline an array of ways to reduce project costs while maintaining the Arad/Walker vision for the Memorial. The Foundation believes that in order to move forward with construction, the City, the State, LMDC, Port Authority and the Foundation must all be on the same page”.

Again all we seem to get are unfulfilled promises as the price tag continues to rise.

We had hoped that Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Spitzer had gotten this under control in 2006 but that did not happen.

We also hoped that Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Paterson would have gotten a handle on this by now put that hasn’t happened as well.

At this point in time all that is known is that we will not have a 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero until 2013/2014 and it does not appear likely that we will have a Memorial by the tenth anniversary.

And this is even with a $1 billion estimate.

Over a month ago we sent letters to both the Governor and the Mayor detailing our plans for the 9/11 Hearts and Hands Memorial.

This $6.5 million facility would give the 9/11 families everything they have asked for in a memorial in a quiet and serene setting.

We asked both the Mayor and the Governor for assistance in moving forward with this plan for which we already have $1 million committed.

With their help we will be able to complete this project well in advance of 2011 and give the families a place to go until the WTC Memorial is completed and act as a compliment to September 11th Memorial and Museum when they open.

To date we have heard nothing back.

Unfortunately it looks like we will have to do this on our own.

Please take a moment and check out the preliminary plans for this facility which will cost less than 1% of what they are planning to spend at Ground Zero.

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/index.php?c=21

With your help we can make this happen.

Dennis McKeon

LETTER TO MAYOR BLOOMBERG

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43636