Staten Island borough president issues RFP for Sept. 11 memorial.

Borough President James P. Molinaro announced the release of a Request for Proposals (REP) for an artist/design team to develop a memorial honoring the 267 Staten Island victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"Construction of an appropriate memorial to honor the Staten Islanders and all those who perished on that tragic day is a personal priority of mine," Molinaro said. "With the release of this REP, creation of a memorial is moving a step closer to reality."

"Even in these difficult fiscal times when capital dollars are scarce, I can assure Staten Islanders of my commitment to seeing this project completed, and we are thankful to Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for their ongoing sensitivity and support for our efforts," Molinaro added.

The RFP seeks conceptual design proposals from artist/design teams that have expertise in public art and urban design. The Staten Island September 11 Memorial is proposed to be located along the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and the Richmond County Savings Bank Ballpark at St. George.

The site provides direct views across New York Harbor to Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, and Brooklyn.

In December 2002, Molinaro announced the formation of a 12-member advisory committee, whose role is to oversee the creation of the memorial. Members include Deputy Borough President Daniel M. Donovan, Jr., elected officials, Community Board members and representatives from victims' families. The committee, among its many duties, will select the artist/design team for the memorial. The Borough President's Office has allocated $1.5 million to fund the construction of the project.

The Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSI) serves as a community outreach consultant for the memorial's development. COAHSI has extensive experience working with various community groups and cultural resources on Staten Island.

"Under the leadership of Borough President Molinaro, we hope to reach artists everywhere and invite them to create a fitting tribute to the community members we've lost and a place of solace for those they've left behind," said COAHSI executive director Laura Jean Watters. "This is an important project for our community in one of the most unique settings in the world."

From the initial proposals received, the advisory committee will choose several finalists who will submit their designs for public review and comment. The advisory committee will then select the winning artist/design team, who will enter into a design services contract with the EDC.

To obtain a copy of the RFP online, go to COAHSI's website at www.statenislandarts.org or the Borough President's website at www.statenislandusa.com. For more information on the RFP or to have a copy of the RFP mailed to you, please call [phone] or e-mail september11memorial@ statenislandarts.org. Responses are due no later than 4 p.m., Feb. 21 and should be sent to NYC EDC, 110 William St., 6th floor, NY, NY 10038, Attention: RFP -- Staten Island September 11 Memorial.