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CNN LIVE SATURDAY
Controversy Over Rebuilding Plans At "Ground Zero" Cause Victim's Families To Protest
Aired September 6, 2003 - 14:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there's been controversy over the rebuilding plans for ground zero. Some victim families are even planning a protest before this coming week's anniversary.
Joining us now is Andrea Bernstein, who's been covering the rebuilding efforts for WNYC Radio. Good to see you, Andrea.
ANDREA BERNSTEIN, WNYC RADIO: Hi. Good afternoon.
WHITFIELD: Well, what is it about these protests that have taken place in the past week and some that are planned for the coming week? What is at issue, the structure that is being proposed to be put in place, or is it the tragedy fund, how many families feel like they still have not been compensated correctly?
BERNSTEIN: It is really related to the view of the families that that area is a burial ground. Many of these families found no remains at all of their loved ones. And they feel that nothing at all should be put on the so-called footprints of the twin towers, the areas where the towers stood, down to bedrock, which is about 70 feet below street level.
The current plans are for the footprints to be kept free of any building to about 30 feet below street level, and then to have some infrastructure below that, some emergency exits for the commuter trains, some electrical elements, and so forth. And the family members feel very strongly they want nothing there. And they are colliding now with state officials who are moving ahead with plans to put some building there.
WHITFIELD: So it sounds like there was some compromise on the part of the designers' point of view and plans put in place. But many of these victims' family members feel like it's just not enough. How far are many of them willing to go to try to prevent the building of the current approved plans from actually being put into action?
BERNSTEIN: Well, they're planning a large protest, or what they hope will be a large protest on Tuesday, and they're trying to draw attention to this. There is now a site plan in place, and there is a lot of construction happening. You can see from your pictures that there's a temporary train station almost ready. That's supposed to be ready to go by November.
There's also a building next door that's going up. They are moving ahead with an environmental impact statement. So there's a lot that's happening already. And I think what these family members are hoping to do is stop that.
Now, the jury is literally out on what will be the actual memorial at those footprints. There's a jury considering some 6,000 proposals right now, and there's supposed to be a final set of designs unveiled in October. And I think what state and other government officials are hoping is that those memorials will address the concerns of these family members.
WHITFIELD: This really is still a very emotional and very raw issue for so many, for obvious reasons. Are you seeing that there's a huge gap between the sentiments of these victims' family members and many of the survivors of the building, who some have expressed they kind of want to see something happen in that very sacred ground?
BERNSTEIN: There are people, and there are people who live in the neighborhood who say equally as strongly, you know, "We saw those buildings fall, our children saw them fall. We don't want our children growing up next to a huge cemetery. We want there to be life. We want there to be an expression of commercial vitality again in that area."
And one of the things that the designer tried to do, Daniel Libeskind, who came up with the final plan, was to incorporate that both by having some tall buildings, but by keeping this area free of any building to 30 feet. And also keeping the wall of the old World Trade Center towers, the so-called bathtub, because it kept out the waters of the Hudson River from the foundations of the old World Trade Center. And I think the hope of officials, as they move forward, is that everyone, while they may feel somewhat unhappy, will also find something to connect to and to feel happy about in the final design.
WHITFIELD: So what's the timeline now for this memorial location?
BERNSTEIN: Well, the memorial plans will be unveiled in October. But building is supposed to happen very quickly. I mean, there are already some elements going up. And the so-called Freedom Tower, the 1,776 foot tall Freedom Tower, the hope is there will be the cornerstone laid by next summer for that and that that tower will be completed in 2006.
WHITFIELD: All right, Andrea Bernstein, thanks very much for joining us.
BERNSTEIN: Thank you.
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