All Over But the Whining - The IFC Is Defunct

As I noted earlier today in Part 46 of the Battle for Ground Zero, Gov. Pataki finally put the International Freedom Center out of our misery. Minutes later, it declared itself out of business, claiming that there was no other site appropriate for it to operate.

That, in and of itself, should signal that its intentions were never honest or just. The IFC, if it were to truly discuss facets of freedom could have found a home somewhere else in New York City. However, its raison d'etre was to deride the US at the site of the worst terrorist attack on US soil.

"The I.F.C. cannot be located on the memorial quadrant," Mr. Pataki said in a statement issued shortly before 5 p.m. That quadrant, at the southwest corner of the trade center site, contains the footprints of the twin towers. It is regarded by many as sacred ground, too hallowed for a museum dealing with 9/11 in the context of greater geopolitics and social history.

"There remains too much opposition, too much controversy over the programming of the I.F.C.," the governor said, "and we must move forward with our first priority, the creation of an inspiring memorial." Mr. Pataki said he had instructed the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to "work with the I.F.C. to explore other locations."

But 42 minutes later, the center said in its own statement that there was no other location to explore, since the memorial quadrant was "the site for which the I.F.C. was created, at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's request, and as an integral part of Daniel Libeskind's master site plan."

"We do not believe there is a viable alternative place for the I.F.C. at the World Trade Center site," the center's executives, Tom A. Bernstein, Peter W. Kunhardt and Richard J. Tofel, said in the statement. "We consider our work, therefore, to have been brought to an end." The Freedom Center was designated for the site in June 2004.

The surprising tumble of events raises new questions around the redevelopment of ground zero: What will go into the cultural building, designed by the firm Snohetta, on the memorial quadrant? (The Drawing Center, its other designated tenant, is already looking for other space.) Will the cultural building be constructed at all? How will that affect plans for an underground 9/11 museum?

I have a very simple and elegant solution for this supposed conundrum. Expand the 9/11 museum and memorial to incorporate the Snohetta designed building as its above ground expression. There was never any need for the cultural center at the Ground Zero site in the first place, and its demise means that a major deficiency in the master plan can be rectified.

And the NYT article once again minimizes the circumstances over how and why the Drawing Center backed out of the IFC/cultural center project. The Governor had issued an ultimatum to submit their plans to a panel of 9/11 families who would have essential veto say over the plans. The Drawing Center refused, backed out, and got the LMDC to pick up the tab for finding alternative space to the tune of $150,000 despite the fact that the Drawing Center already has space in Lower Manhattan. It is now seeking space closer to Ground Zero.

Other politicians and notable figures have weighed in on the news:

``Goodbye and good riddance,'' said Rep. Vito Fossella, one of three congressmen who had threatened hearings on federal funding if the museum stayed where it was. ``The IFC will not stand on the hallowed grounds of the World Trade Center site.''

``I am so happy,'' said Jack Lynch, a member of the family coalition opposed to the freedom museum. ``Don't get me wrong. I think the concept of the Freedom Center is wonderful, but it's in the wrong location.''

Pataki said the cultural building meant for the freedom center would now only tell the story of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who gave conflicting statements in recent days about the museum's future, said Wednesday, ``Although I understand Governor Pataki's decision, I am disappointed that we were not able to find a way to reconcile the freedoms we hold so dear with the sanctity of the site.''

Two other cultural groups, the Joyce International Dance Co. and the Signature Theatre Co. are still scheduled to move into a performing arts complex elsewhere on the site.

UPDATE:
Take Back The Memorial is happy to see this day that was long in coming. Michelle Malkin also weighs in and wonders why it took Pataki so long to do what was obviously necessary:

What's more than a bit disturbing to me is that it took Hillary Clinton's announced opposition to the IFC before Rudy Giuliani and Gov Pataki finally drove the final (we hope) nail into the Ground Zero guilt complex. But better late than never.

UPDATE:
Others continue to weigh in. Wizbang! is thankful that this has come to a close. They note that there is no word over what was so objectionable about the IFC.

UPDATE:
Captain Ed also questions the motivation behind the IFC disbanding so quickly after Gov. Pataki pulled the plug.

Technorati: World Trade Center, WTC, Pataki, LMDC, urban policy, Freedom Tower, IFC, International Freedom Center.