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World Trade Center Sphere's Uncertain Fate Worries 9/11 Families
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 28, 2011
Modified Feb 28, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 28, 2011
Modified Feb 28, 2011
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A sculpture that once stood in the World Trade Center plaza and was damaged from debris during the 9/11 attacks has been in Battery Park since 2002. But construction is scheduled for Battery Park, which means The Sphere needs to move again—and some families of 9/11 victims say they'll boycott the 10th anniversary of the attacks if it's not moved back to the World Trade Center site.
DNAinfo reports that Michael Burke, whose firefighter brother was killed on 9/11, started a petition to return the Fritz Koenig-sculpted work to the WTC: "Burke has been begging memorial officials for years to move the sphere back to the Trade Center site. However, Burke said the officials have told him they do not want any 9/11 artifacts cluttering the 8-acre memorial plaza, which will have 400 trees and waterfalls in the tower footprints."
The Port Authority is apparently thinking about relocating The Sphere to Liberty Park, but Liberty Park isn't scheduled to be complete until "at least 2013," which means The Sphere would be put in storage.
Tagged
9/11
9/11 attacks
battery park
liberty park
port authority
September 11 attacks
the sphere
world trade center
wtc
wtc attacks
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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