Posted on October 5, 2006

print  e-mail

New York City Mayor to Head 9/11 Memorial Group

In an effort to re-energize the fundraising campaign for the memorial to be built on the site of the World Trade Center, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is set to become chair of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation under an arrangement negotiated by members of its board, the New York Times reports.

Although the final decision to install Bloomberg as chair awaits approval of the full board, the mayor's appointment, in the opinion of many, will help to defuse some of the battles between victims' families, developers, and politicians, who have been at odds over the design and other elements of the project. News of the mayor's involvement, however, has not been universally welcomed. "[P]erhaps what we should be looking for here is a fresh set of eyes," said Edith Lutnick, who represents the families of victims and whose brother, Cantor Fitzgerald chairman and CEO Howard W. Lutnick, is on the foundation's board.

While Bloomberg has contributed an estimated $10 million to the foundation, one of the largest donations it has received to date, he has also been critical of its planning and fundraising efforts, which have fallen far short of goals and in recent months have ground to a halt amid personnel shakeups and ballooning cost estimates. In early May, the foundation released a new estimate that put the cost of the project at $973 million, leading Bloomberg and New York governor George Pataki to call for capping the budget at $500 million while chastising the foundation for not focusing on fundraising.

Pataki, who is expected to be named the foundation's honorary lifetime chair, has been speaking privately with Bloomberg about the future of the memorial and the foundation. Regarding Bloomberg, Pataki said he was "not just an outstanding mayor, but also someone who has a proven success record at philanthropy."

“Bloomberg Set to Lead 9/11 Memorial Group.” New York Times 10/04/06.

Primary Subject: 9/11 Response
Secondary Subject(s): Arts and Culture
Location(s): New York, New York City

FC009565