Article regarding Flight 587 memorial location debate

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

City Picks Six Artist Finalists For Flight 587 Memorial

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Tl,g city has plans to install a memorial to Flight 587 in tins cul de sac, located near the beach on Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Park. (itttiHw Saraft StanJieUj

by Sarah StanbeM not give her name, referring to the large South Queens Editor Irish population in Belle Harbor. Flight 587 The city has chosen six finalists to create wa.s headed for the Dominican Republic, a memorial to those who lost their live.s in and had many Hispanic people on board. the November 12, 2001 crash of American In Belle Harbor, however, residents say Airlines Flight. 587 in Belle Harbor. there simply is not enough space to locate a The finalists are Linda Covit; Barbara memorial. “It’s too residential here,” said Grygutis; Toshihiro Katayama; Donald Lip­ John Reidy, who lives in the neighborhood. ski and David Meyer; Freddy Rodriquez, Rosie Wiedener, another Belie Harbor and Krzysztof Wodiezko and Julian Bonder. resident, pointed out that a memorial in The artists represent a range of national ori­ Belle Harbor might be too much of a gins, including Canada, the United States, reminder of the tragedy for those who live Japan, Poland and the Dominican Republic. around the crash site. “It’s a public street, TWey were selected through a panel not a private park. You don’t want to live process involving representatives of the al a memorial.” families of the victims, the community, arts Wiedener said that family members of professionals, city agencies and other civic those who died on Flight 587 occasionally officials. The city received 68 submissions vi.sit the area where the plane went down, for the project. which is between Beach 131st Street and Finalists are now charged with develop­ Rockaway Beach Boulevard, laying flowers ing their conceptual design proposals, in the yard of one of the houses damaged by which they will formally present to the the wreck. panel in late August. A final design selec­ A woman who lives in this house tion will be announced in early September. declined to give her name, but said family The selected site for the memorial i,s at members of the Flight 587 victims had the ocean end of Beach 116th Street, near originally clamored to have “half of 131 st the entrance to the beach, in Rock,away Street" turned into a memorial. She said the Park! As part of this project, the existing cul community fought against it. de .sac and the beach entrance will be recon­ “The people who live here want to move figured to suit the memorial and improve on,” she said. “I think the memorial is a beach access. The Department of Parks and good idea, but not in the neighborhood.” It’s Recreation and the Department of Trans­ too traumatizing for those who saw and ' portation will be responsible for the design lived through the aftermath of the crash, she I and construction of the site, including added. plantings and the memorial’s Foundation. Flight 587 was headed to Santo Domingo The approximate budget for the memori­ when the crash occurred at 9:16 a.m. on al is $2 million. The city is raising both November 12, 2001, shortly after it took off public and private funds to support it. from JFK Internationa! Airport, Many of Residents of Rockaway Park have the passengers were flying together in fami­ expressed mixed reactions to the memorial. ly groups, cither returning to the Dominican Rockaway Park resident Bill Stau.ss won­ Republic after a visit to New York, or were dered why the city was situating it in his beginning a visit home. All passengers and neighborhood and not in nearby Belle Har­ crew perished, along with five people on bor, where Flight .587 cra,shed. the ground. “1 think (the memorial) should actually The event created a profound loss for be placed where the plane went down,” lie families in the United States, the Domini­ i said. can Republic, France, Haiti, Israel, T:iiwa.n Frances llillrs, who also lives in Rock­ and the United Kingdom, and particularly away Park, thinks the city should focus on for two New York City neighborhoods, finishing (he memorial to September llth Washington Heights and Belle Harbor. It that it is currently being built in Tribute was the second deadliest aviation accident Park, located on the bay side of Beach in American history. ES 116th Street. “Wc lost the most firefighters on 9-11, ■she said. “There were funerals every day. I I.D. Card Program understand the toss (of the family members The Office of Assemblywoman Nettie of Flight 587) and I sympathize with them, Meyersohn presents a free indeiitification but our main concern i.s 9-1! card program for senior citizens on Thurs­ Other residents were more cynical about day, August 4th from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the memorial’s location. “If it was an Air the Forest Hills Senior Center on 108-25 Lingus flight (that crashed), it wou.ld be in 62nd Drive. Bring proof of age. Belle Harbor,” said one woman who would For more information, call 718-699-1010. IS

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