After three weeks, the ship bringing the 9/11 memorial to Bayonne from Russia docked in Jersey City on Aug. 20.
This is a gift from the people of Russia to mark the loss of life from two terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993 and again in 2001.
But in a world full of suspicion after the attacks, even this load had to be checked for possible terrorist weapons – and it took two days to clear the radiation checks of U.S. Customs.
Not until Aug. 22 did the tractors carrying the heavy crates roll into the former Military Ocean Terminal on the waterfront.
The gift is a 100-foot-high monument called “To the Struggle Against World Terrorism,” which was designed to help express the shared sorrow people of Russia felt for those who lost loved ones in the attacks.
Although originally offered to Jersey City for its waterfront, Bayonne opted to take the gift when Jersey City decided not to accept it. Some in Jersey City felt the sculpture was too large for their waterfront.
Frank Perrucci, chairman of the September 11 Bayonne Remembers Committee, said he had admired the proposed work even when it was still being offered to Jersey City.
“When Jersey City didn’t want it and we were offered it, I thought it would be a good idea,” he said.
While he didn’t have the final say as to whether Bayonne would accept the gift, Perrucci apparently lobbied the rest of the committee to accept it.
Significant area monument
Several members of the committee admitted the piece would become a significant monument to the fallen Twin Towers partly because of the remarkable size of the artwork, but also because of the location.
The Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority – in mapping out the future development of the former Military Ocean Terminal (known now as the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor) – designated a park at the North East tip where the monument will be located.
The rectangular memorial, created by famed Russian artist Zurab Tsereteli, is made of steel and sheathed in bronze and includes a granite base displaying the names of those killed in the attacks on 9/11, and those killed during the 1993 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Besides being a gift from the Russian people, it is also a gift from the artist and from Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing both condolence and solidarity in the fight against world terrorism.
Although the official groundbreaking is scheduled for later in September with the artist, public officials and members of the September 11 Bayonne Remembers Committee, local engineers Fred Worstell and Dresdner Robin expected to begin working to assemble the monument the moment it arrived.
Looking forward to groundbreaking “This monument is a great symbol of our country and of our freedom. We look forward to the groundbreaking in September, and to having the monument as a lasting tribute to our united fight against global terrorism,” said Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria last week.
The structure, which is a large rectangular piece of granite with a slash containing a teardrop in its middle, is sometimes called “the teardrop memorial.”
The monument is seen as something that will help bridge the gap between “old Bayonne” and the newly developed portions that are slated to break ground on the Peninsula residential development over the next few months.
When promoting the memorial to the committee earlier this summer, Perrucci believed that people throughout the city would seek it out, thereby making the Peninsula a vital destination for residents throughout the city.
“This monument is the perfect complement to the redevelopment plans for the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor,” said Nancy A. Kist, executive director of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority. “We eagerly await the addition of this monument to the city of Bayonne and the Peninsula, and are extremely grateful to the Russian government for their generosity.”
The cost
The statue was constructed in a foundry outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. The government of Russia paid the cost of construction and shipment. Tsereteli, the artist, is paying the cost of installation in Bayonne.
The crates – some of which weighed as much as 63 tons -were held at Global Terminal Pier in Jersey City waiting for U.S. Customs to release them after a check for radiation. Once released, the pieces were transported to Bayonne via truck and were unloaded at the terminal with cranes and rigging.
While the groundbreaking is expected to take place on Sept. 16, the assembly and engraving will begin shortly.
The official unveiling of the completed statute is expected to be held on Sept. 11, 2006.
Mailto: asullivan@hudsonreporter.com