WORLD TRADE CENTER IN BALTIMORE TAPPED AS SITE FOR MARYLAND 9/11 MEMORIAL

Steel artifact from Twin Towers to be centerpiece of memorial

ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 10, 2010) – As the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks approaches, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that the World Trade Center in Baltimore will be the site of the Maryland 9/11 Memorial. The memorial will be installed next year on the 10th anniversary of the attacks along the Inner Harbor building’s pedestrian promenade and will include a steel artifact from the Twin Towers in New York that will serve as the centerpiece. The Maryland 9/11 Memorial Advisory Committee, comprised of businesses, public safety personnel, artists, the victim’s families and other stakeholders, will oversee the installation.

“We can never forget the tragic events of 9/11, and it was important that Maryland create a lasting tribute to honor the many brave men and women who lost their lives that day, as well as the many heroes who fought tirelessly to save our fellow citizens,” Governor O’Malley. “We hope that Maryland’s 9/11 Memorial will serve as a place of inspiration, comfort and peace for generations to come.”

“This memorial will serve as a poignant reminder of the personal loss of 9/11 and the selfless sacrifice of so many police officers and firefighters who gave their lives while trying to save others,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan said. “The memorial will also be a constant reminder to all the dedicated members of Maryland’s public safety community of our solemn duty to be vigilant and to be prepared to protect the citizens of our state.”

“Honoring the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11 is a tremendous comfort for the families of the fallen,” said James J. Laychak, President of the Pentagon Memorial Fund who lost his brother David Laychak in the attack on the Pentagon. “I know at the Pentagon, 43 of those lost were Maryland residents and we have received great support from many Maryland first responders and officials. I want to thank Governor O’Malley for his efforts and I look forward to the creation of this important memorial in Baltimore.”

“The World Trade Center in Baltimore, with thousands of local and international visitors, is an ideal location for Maryland’s 9/11 Memorial,” said Deb Kielty, President & Executive Director, World Trade Center Institute. “Together with our 300 ‘sister’ World Trade Centers around the globe, we are humbled to join with our partners to remember and honor the victims of 9/11 and their families, and to serve as a source of comfort and strength going forward.”

Governor O’Malley requested a steel piece of the Twin Towers to be used for a Maryland 9/11 memorial, making Maryland the only state to request an artifact outside of New York State, although several local governments have also requested artifacts. The selection of the steel artifact took place earlier this year, when a delegation that included members of the Maryland Commission on Public Art, the Maryland Port Administration and the Maryland State Arts Council, a part of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, visited JFK Airport, which warehouses artifacts from the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers.

“It is the Commission’s hope to create a memorial that serves as a fitting remembrance to all those affected by this national tragedy,” said Catherine Leggett, Chair of the Maryland Commission on Public Art and a member of the delegation. “May it also inspire values we hold dear, such as courage, unity, and understanding.”

The Maryland 9/11 Memorial Advisory Committee will make recommendations on the selection process, community engagement, and fund development to the Maryland Commission on Public Art, which is administered by the Maryland State Arts Council. The process will include a Request for Qualifications from artists, architects and landscape designers.

The site of the memorial, The World Trade Center Baltimore, is the world's tallest pentagonal commercial office building and was designed by the firm of the architect I.M. Pei, and completed in 1977. It is 405 feet high with 28 floors including a 21st floor conference center and an observation deck on the 27th floor.