Hoboken 9/11 Memorial--update

UPDATE: **This morning I spoke with a friendly woman who works as Assistant to Mayor Roberts in Hoboken City Hall. She was kind enough to update me on the Hoboken 9/11 Memorial. They have construction documents, just obtained waterfront permits and will be putting the construction documents out to get bids for materials & construction. They have already purchased the glass panels that go in the island for $200K from Germany and they will then be shipped to Ithaca for fabrication. The final plans do not include the fiber, netting sculpture that was seen in the original design. *sniff* Apparently, it was a unanimous decision to leave it out. At some point they had applied to the state for additional funding but were denied. They will be looking to another foundation for possible help. The cost of the project will be around 1 - 1.7 million. On Janet's site the projected completion is 2008. I was also invited to meet Janet the next time she comes to Hoboken!
Recently, I had time to flip through an unread issue of 'Selvedge' and much to my delight, discovered an artist named, Janet Echelman. Through her art, Ms. Echelman reshapes urban airspace with monumental public sculptures made of diaphanous, flexible nets that move and change shape through time.

As an artist myself, I strive to create work that is accessible enough to evoke thoughtful responses from a diverse range of people. I believe Ms. Echelman's work goes above and beyond this call. If you watch the video at the end of this post, you can view some of her work in motion and hear how residents respond to the sculpture built in their town. Her work truly captures the spirit of the town.

As a resident of Hoboken, I was thrilled to learn that Ms. Echelman is apart of the FLOW Group, who was awarded the contract to design and build the Hoboken 911 Memorial. According to Hoboken911.com, "The concept proposes a memorial that begins at the edge of Hoboken's waterfront park, Pier A Park, with a low sloping Narrative Wall. The Narrative Wall will lead to a Bridge that spans from Pier A Park to Hoboken Island, which will be a stand-alone structure on the Hudson River. The island is intended to offer a place for rest and contemplation amidst unobstructed views of the World Trade Center site and of Hoboken."

On Ms. Echelman's website there also appears to be one of her diaphanous structures included in the plan. I wonder if it has been left out of the final plan? I hope to followup this post with information regarding the status of this memorial in terms of what is included in the final plan, current fundraising levels and projected timelines. Stay tuned!

More about Janet Echelman.

Watch the video!


submitted by femi ford.