September 12th - September 16th, 2011

Mayor Bloomberg Receives High Marks for Memorial

September 12 – According to surveyors from the Quinnipiac University New Yorkers are more optimistic about the recovery efforts in Lower Manhattan than they were two years ago. Of those surveyed, 60% found the rebuilding to be going “very well” or “somewhat well,” compared to 40%  of responders in August 2009. Additionally the poll shows Mayor Michael Bloomberg gets credit from 61% of New Yorkers for a “positive” role in Lower Manhattan’s recovery.  The telephone survey, conducted was conducted Sept. 1-6, with 1,282 registered voters across New York's five boroughs. Other results of the questionnaire found 70% of New Yorkers plan to visit the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site.

Smaller Communities Struggle to Fund 9/11 Memorials

September 12 -- The Associated Press reports, among the hundreds of small memorials commemorating the attacks of September 11, many that began as a simple tribute to the victims has turned into an expensive headache. Communities were struggling with paying for elaborate designs in an increasingly difficult economy. The costs for many of these memorials are minuscule compared to the $700 million for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum or the approximately $60 million for the Flight 93 memorial outside Shanksville, Pa. However memorial projects from Pembroke Pines, Fl to San Bernardino County, Ca have all experienced financial troubles.  Short of funding many cities scaled back the scope of the memorial, paid for the project with public funding, postponed or abandoned the projects all together.

WTC Memorial Opens to the Public

September 12 – The World Trade Center Memorial opened on Sunday to 9/11 families in time for the 10^th anniversary of the attacks. Monday was the first day since the tragedy the site was open to the public. About 7,000 people registered for the free tickets to visit the memorial on opening day, according to the Associated Press. There are 400,000 visitors signed up to see the memorial in the coming months.

1 WTC Not Quite 1776 Feet Tall

September 13 – According to the Commercial Observer, One World Trade Center’s height will not exactly measure 1,776 feet. The height of the tower was part of the original World Trade Center site plan designed by Daniel Libeskind as a nod to the nation’s Declaration of Independence. While the tower design has changed, the planned height has remained consistent. The tower will reach 1,362 feet, the same as the original WTC towers, and the spire would climb to the symbolic 1,776 feet. However based on a diagram that appeared in Architectural Record, atop of the antenna there will be a lightning rod. The lightning rod (or rods) won’t change the look of the antenna; but as they have yet to be designed their final height is not currently available or factored into the total height of the tower.

“I Heart NY Logo” Continues to Bring in Revenue

September 15 – NY State officials say the “I Love New York” brand is reaping millions of dollars in licensing fees, reported the Daily News. The popular symbol is found on traditional travel souvenirs as well as high-end t-shirts, perfume and bottles of New York spring water around the world. The Empire State Development Corporation, which began licensing the logo in 1994, says the state received $1.83 million in fees during the fiscal 2011. That is up from $1.5 reported the year before. The revenue from the fees is used to promote statewide tourism.