Suwanee Ponders Future Site for 9/11 Artifact

The prominent 9/11 artifact that had been displayed in front of Suwanee City Hall is now back in storage, and city officials are discussing possibilities for its permanent display.

Called Remembrance, the 1,600-pound piece of steel is a remnant of the World Trade Center towers in New York that were destroyed in the terrorist attacks in 2001. .

Eventually, a Request For Proposals likely will be issued for artists and/or architects to develop a permanent display structure. Suwanee was recently denied a grant that it had hoped to obtain for developing such a display piece.

The goal is to have the artifact on permanent display by Sept. 11, 2012.

As for a permanent site, the last option discussed was between the Suwanee Police Station and Gwinnett Fire Station 13 on Buford Highway, across from Town Center. That area is known as City Hall Park, but it also is relatively small and may not offer the access desired for the frequent visitors that it might attract.

A central location is still desired, however, which would seem to rule out the new police substation near I-85. (Public safety was a strong element in the terrorist attacks, thus the attention in Suwanee toward those locations.)

Also, a condition of the RFP is likely to be that the artifact remain open and touchable by visitors.