Monuments play an important role in a nation’s history, serving as powerful reminders of a heroic person, a victorious battle, or even a tragedy. As the nation marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, mourners will undoubtedly flock to the Staten Island September 11th Memorial to remember the 274 Staten Island, NY residents who lost their lives that fateful day.
In 2004, Western Specialty Contractors – New York City Metro Branch was honored to participate in the monument’s fabrication and installation. Designed by architect Masayuki Sono and titled “Postcards”, the memorial was constructed of two 40-foot wing-like fiberglass walls, each featuring a 30-foot-long window displaying granite plaques and profiles of each victim. The memorial has a dramatic view north toward the former site of the World Trade Center Towers in lower Manhattan.
Western was selected to oversee the selection and production of granite used for the plaques and profiles. Each victim’s profile was designed by the architect and family members and downloaded to an electronic file that guided a waterjet machine over the granite to create each profile and name inscription. Western’s crew took great care in joining each plaque to the memorial’s fiberglass walls.
The City of New York selected the team to design and build the memorial based on its ability to produce high-quality work with tight tolerances and deadlines. The project team was required to respond quickly to any design changes without altering the production schedule. The general contractor on the project was Bovis Lend Lease. New England Boatworks fabricated the twin wings, and Granite Importers produced the granite profiles and plaques.
Over 3,000 family members and friends of the victims, city officials, and a cast of devoted workers dedicated the memorial on September 11, 2004, which was awarded New York Construction’s “Best of 2004 Annual Award.”
“It was an honor to have been selected to participate in this important project to help heal our country’s pain during this tragic time,” said Ben Bishop, Jr., CEO of Western Specialty Contractors. “It is a beautiful reminder of those Staten Islanders who lost their lives. We will remember them and all the victims on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.”
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational, and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.
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