Meeting of the Family Advisory Committee:
LOWER MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LMDC)
Meeting of the Family Advisory Committee
April 17, 2002
By:
Kathleen Ashton, Mother of Tommy Ashton

Family Committee members met with LMDC Board members, Lou Eisenberg and Debra Wright, as well as members of the Port Authority. Mr. Eisenberg explained the Family Committee is an advisory group established as a means of communication between the LMDC Board and families of those murdered on September 11th.

Family Committee members expressed concerns which included:

· The need to prioritize the Memorial as the most important aspect of the redevelopment plan.

· A concern for the appropriate redevelopment of the entire site, including a Memorial and the land around it.

· The LMDC's development of the document, "Principles and Preliminary Blueprint for the Future of Lower Manhattan", without input from family members.

· The need to be "caught up" with information, that other LMDC Committees may have, related to the redevelopment plans. It was pointed out that families have been grieving, while attempting to collaborate and plan, during the information-gathering stage of redevelopment.

Mr. Eisenberg agreed the Memorial was the most important aspect of redevelopment, but indicated he needed to communicate this to the LMDC Board. Additionally, Mr.. Eisenberg pointed out it was essential for other redevelopment aspects to occur simultaneously with the planning of the Memorial (ie: transportation, communication systems, pedestrian walkways and accommodations for visitors).

Representatives of the Port Authority presented their plan for erection of a Viewing Wall around the perimeter of the WTC site during construction of the area. This wall, needed for public safety, will replace temporary fencing currently in place. The Viewing Wall will incorporate 4 major qualities:
1. Dignity and respect
2. Much improved quality of materials
3. Transparency for adequate viewing,
4. Communication of the events of Sept 11 and future plans for the site.

The Viewing Wall will be constructed of 13 foot high steel and steel wire mesh along the perimeter of the site. This will allow viewing all along the fence, rather than just in select places. Intermittently, 5 foot deep alcoves will be indented into the Wall allowing more private viewing moments. Additionally, family members will be provided a separate viewing area (probably on Liberty St).

Panels will be constructed into the fence at intervals. These will provide information related to the site and will provide visitors and families an area on which to write message tributes or to place gifts of remembrance. Periodically, these panels will be removed, archived and replaced. Family Committee members overwhelmingly appreciated the thoughtful planning of this Viewing Wall.

Family Committee members were told 7 WTC will be rebuilt. It was explained that 2 ConEd substations, located in the basement of 7 WTC were destroyed during the collapse of the building. These substations provided electric power to 1/2 of lower Manhattan. Mr. Larry Silverstein plans to rebuild 7 WTC in such a way as to possibly allow Greenwich Street, previously interrupted by 7 WTC, to be connected in some manner through the site. Family Committee members raised concern over the possibility of Greenwich Street passing through, or close to, the area of the North and South towers. Mr. Eisenberg stated 7 WTC was being rebuilt to allow all options to be available during redevelopment of the site. He indicated nothing was etched in stone.