Days after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey determined to locate the iconic sculpture damaged by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 within the new Liberty Park, Community Board 1 (CB1) has passed a resolution criticizing the plan.
The focus of these dueling decisions is “The Sphere,” a 1971 metallic orb by sculptor Fritz Koenig that was once located on the plaza between the towers of the original World Trade Center. Severely damaged on September 11, the 25-foot-tall bronze globe was moved (as a temporary measure) to the Battery, near Pier A, in 2002, where it has stood ever since. In 2012, it was briefly considered for a spot on the Memorial Plaza of the new World Trade Center complex, but the National September 11 Memorial & Museum vetoed this proposal.
At last Thursday’s meeting of the Port Authority board, a series of speakers weighed in for and against the proposed move. CB1 member Tammy Meltzer, said, “the opening of Liberty Park provides more than open space. The comparison to the High Line is apt, as it reconnects Battery Park City to the Financial District. I am disappointed to hear that the Sphere will be moved to Liberty Park without dynamic community outreach. This will turn Liberty Park into a de facto extension of the Memorial, which will defeat the design, plan, and functionality of Liberty Park. There is no other outdoor pedestrian pathway to cross West Street that is safe from vehicular traffic and cyclists, south of Chambers Street.”
Ms. Meltzer asked, “why is a major artifact that is part of the Memorial experience not within the Museum and why is it being pushed into the elevated park?” She added, “there is no doubt that a respectful home needs to be found for the Sphere, but there are acres of space in the Memorial.”
Michael Burke, whose brother, fireman Captain Billy Burke died in the World Trade Center on September 11, had led a 15-year campaign to return the Sphere to the site where his brother perished. He said, “it’s not Memorial Plaza, but Liberty Park is Ground Zero. The Sphere needs to come back and I support it coming to Liberty Park.”
Mary Perillo, a resident of 125 Cedar Street (which overlooks Liberty Park), said, “it’s been a thrill to see the park come to life. It feels like I’m back in my neighborhood for the first time in 15 years. But the Sphere does not belong there. It will totally change the tenor of the park. If groups of 120 tourists come up there to look at the Sphere, it changes the function and atmosphere of the place. It will extend the Memorial to the one place that still feels like home, and not an on-ramp to Disney World. I hope that Liberty Park continues to be part of the community and does not become part of the Memorial and the tourist maelstrom.”
After the public comment period had ended, Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye explained the rationale for his agency’s decision. “The Sphere cannot be forced onto the Plaza without the Memorial’s consent, because they have a lease and will ultimately have ownership of that space. And the Memorial is unalterably opposed to placing the Sphere on the Plaza or in the Museum. We do not have the power to force the Sphere onto them. They have the right to make curatorial decisions and they’ve made one in this case.”
Following Mr. Foye’s recommendation, the Port Authority’s board voted unanimously to relocate the Sphere from its current site at the Battery to Liberty Park, over which the agency has jurisdiction, because the park falls within the World Trade Center’s boundaries.
The Port Authority’s decision was followed by a discussion at last night’s CB1 meeting, which culminated in a resolution stating that, “Community Board 1 is opposed to the placement of the Sphere in Liberty Park.”
While no timetable for moving the Sphere has been announced, it appears likely that the Port Authority will proceed with its original plan, since that agency is not legally bound to comply with community board resolutions.