Included on the 2006 list of America’s 11 most endangered historic places is the "Survivors' Staircase," the only remaining above-ground fragment of the vanished Twin Towers, which offered a path to safety for many who fled the World Trade Center.
The Survivors' Staircase survived both the collapse of the Twin Towers and subsequent recovery and cleanup efforts. It is now threatened because it occupies part of the site of a new tower being developed by Silverstein Properties, as well as other construction projects taking place on the World Trade Center site.
Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation puts it well:
In the same way that the USS Arizona reminds us of Pearl Harbor, we need the "Survivors' Staircase" as a reminder of the day America lost her innocence, as well as a symbol of America"s strength, resilience and determination to survive.
The National Trust suggests that the Survivors' Staircase be incorporated into the design for the new Tower 2. You can help by asking Silverstein Properties and Lord Norman Foster to incorporate the staircase into the Tower 2 design. You can also write New York Governor Pataki, New Jersey Governor Corzine, Mayor Bloomberg and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to ask for support in saving the Vesey Street staircase.
We must never forget the terrible events of that horrific day. The staircase is a vivid and haunting reminder of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and it should be preserved.
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Posted by: Bri | Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 02:46 AM