The Battle For Ground Zero, Part XIII

The federal government has awarded $899 million to help pay for transit projects in and around the World Trade Center site. More than half of that amount would go to a security screening center at the WTC site, $221 million would go to building a new PATH terminal, and $200 million would go to rebuild West Street.

Story Corps is a success as families stop by to offer testimonials and recollections from 9/11 that will be incorporated into the memorial's archives.

No money raised for the memorial will go towards the IFC or The Drawing Center.

The Memorial Foundation's decision means that it will first raise the $500 million for the actual memorial to those lost in the terror attack, leaving the hot-button issue of the International Freedom Center and The Drawing Center on the back burner until Gov. Pataki and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. decide their fate.

"The first dollars contributed by the foundation will be to the memorial and the memorial museum," said LMDC chairman John Whitehead.

The International Freedom Center and the Drawing Center were picked to share a 250,000-square-foot building adjacent to the six-acre memorial.

They have been blasted by critics who say they will be filled with inappropriate — and anti-American — displays that will imply the United States is to blame for 9/11 and talk about the Iraq war.

Whitehead said the board — which includes members such as David Rockefeller, Robert De Niro, Barbara Walters, Disney CEO Michael Eisner and Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson — hopes yesterday's funding move will put the focus back on the subject of building a tribute the Sept. 11 dead.

Seems as though the LMDC has been paying attention to the shift in public opinion - and are continuing to be worried that the IFC and Drawing Center controversy will undermine their fundraising efforts.

Good.

Also, there appears to be some dissent on the board about where the cultural facilities should be in relation to the memorial. The story is woefully inadequate in conveying the facts, so as more info becomes available, I'll pass it along.

UPDATE:
Sarah D. points to a NY Daily News article that shows that fundraising for the memorial isn't going as well as hoped. Gee, can't imagine why people would be hesitant to give knowing that the money might end up at the IFC or Drawing Center.

Technorati: World Trade Center, WTC, Pataki, LMDC, urban policy.