Flight 587 Memorial Plans Take Flight

More than four years after the tragedy of American Airlines flight 587 — the second deadliest crash in US history — a tribute to the 265 lives lost has been selected.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the design of artist Freddy Rodriguez will grace Beach 116th Street.
“This memorial selection process is an effort that has taken time, patience and care,” said Bloomberg. “The process has brought us together to find the best way to honor and remember those we lost in a meaningful and enduring manner.”
The memorial by the Dominican-born Rodriguez will feature a granite windowed wall — approximately 2 feet thick, 72 feet long, and between 6 and 11 feet tall — and a large archway angled towards the Dominican Republic, the plane’s intended destination.
“My inspiration came from the concept of ‘here’ and ‘there’ — how we are here, but are thinking of there; and ‘here’ in terms of life on earth, ‘there’ in terms of the afterlife,” said Rodriguez.
“[This memorial] is in keeping with what would go in the area,” said John Lepore, president of the Rockaway Chamber of Commerce. “It follows what the families’ requests were — a place private enough to express thoughts, yet easily accessible.
“In addition, Freddy’s design is open-ended enough so that it allows you to project your own emotions without telling you what to feel. It gives a sense of reverence but a feeling of the future.”
Visitors to the memorial will be afforded an unobstructed view of the ocean through the windows. They will be able to place flowers and momentos at the site, as well as view a list of names of the victims.
The selection process involved receiving feedback from family members and the community of Belle Harbor through nine viewings of the design proposals.
“All the feedback so far has been pretty positive,” said Lepore. “The people want this to be done and get a sense of closure. The fact that this [project] is moving along, that it’s finally going to end, is a big part of it.”
The final memorial design will be developed in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation, who, with the Department of Transportation, will be responsible for the design and construction of the site, and in consultation with the families and Belle Harbor community.
It is estimated that the tribute will cost $2 million; this price tag, according to Lepore, will include the upgrade of sanitary facilities, lighting, and improvements in the roadbed.
And as part of this project, the existing cul de sac and the beach entrance are being reconfigured to suit the memorial and improve beach access.
Of being selected, Rodriguez told The Queens Courier, “This will be the up-to-date most important artwork I’ve ever created. I’m responsible for honoring the 265 people who died, the crew, the families, the Belle Harbor community, and all of New York, which was still mourning after 9/11.”
The memorial is expected to be completed by fall 2006.