Photo by John Mcinnes of Save Ellis Island
It’s the 17th anniversary of 9/11 this year and there are many ways to commemorate and mark the day all over the New York City area. Though Lower Manhattan has been mostly rebuilt, the signs and markers of 9/11 still abound in the built environment, and the tragic events of that clear, sunny morning in 2001 have been seared into the memories of New Yorkers and those visiting that day. Here are 10 unique ways you can pay your respects:
1. Visit the Newly Re-Opened Cortlandt Street Subway Station
On September 8th at noon, the Cortlandt Street subway station at World Trade Center servicing the 1 line re-opened to riders for the first time since it was severely damaged during 9/11 under the weight of the debris from the Twin Towers collapse. The station, which is officially renamed WTC Cortlandt, features wall-to-wall marble mosaic artwork by artist Ann Hamilton, showing text from the 1776 Declaration of Independence and 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
At the press opening, MTA Chairman Joe Lhota spoke of the resurgence downtown since 9/11 as “emblematic of the tremendous resiliency” of Lower Manhattan. Andy Byford, President of MTA New York City Transit, followed up saying that even though he is not from New York, “I recognize the poignancy of this location.”