Friends - The Rising, September 11 Memorial

In the aftermath of
September 11, 2001,
Westchester County
embarked on a project to
develop a memorial to
honor the Westchester residents who perished in the tragedies.

Families who lost loved ones in the events on 9/11 selected Kensico Dam Plaza as the site because of its central location. They wanted the memorial to be a welcoming destination for individual remembrance and reflection that would leave the visitor with a feeling of hope for the future. Thirty-seven artists and architects from around the country answered the county's request for memorial design. A selection committee was formed, comprised of several family members, county staff and professionals in the field of public art. The families unanimously selected "The Rising," an 80-foot sculpture of 111 intertwining stainless steel strands rising together and reaching skyward.

The memorial includes the names of all the Westchester residents who died, the communities in which they lived and a quote about them from their loved ones. These words are engraved along the outside of the memorial's circular base. Steel rods extend from the base like the spokes of a wheel before reaching up and intertwining. The memorial is surrounded by landscaping that includings perennial plantings and park benches, and the Kensico Dam provides a backdrop.

The memorial is located at the intersection of many pathways and viewpoints,and thereby extends its presence into the surrounding landscape. "The Rising" is open, can be approached from all directions and allows people of all ages and abilities to view it as well as move through it.

The Architect
"The Rising" is the work of Frederic Schwartz, an internationally renowned Manhattan architect who, among many other accomplishments, designed the new Staten Island Ferry Terminal and who was also selected to create the September 11th Memorial for the State of New Jersey.

He founded the THINK team, whose design was selected as a finalist for the redesign of the World Trade Center. Mr. Schwartz, whose place of business was in view of the Twin Towers and who is donating his time to the project, said that he wanted to design a memorial that expressed the immensity of such a loss while still conveying a sense of hope. His intention was to honor each person individually and unite them together as a community.

Schwartz won a citation award from the Westchester/Mid-Hudson chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for his design of The Rising.

Support "The Rising" Endowment Fund
For the memorial to be an everlasting tribute, donations are needed to help with its upkeep and the ongoing care and maintenance of its surrounding gardens and landscaping. Your support will ensure that The Rising can be viewed and appreciated by generations to come. With every donation, "The Rising" truly becomes a community memorial, uniting those who were not personally affected with those who have lost loved ones and who seek to preserve their memory. All donations to Friends of Parks, whether cash or in-kind, are tax-deductible and will be acknowledged. Those contributions over $100 will receive a special certificate. Individual funding programs are available and can also be created.