2016 Snapshot:
A Place to Remember
Throughout our 80th year, we’re sharing stories of projects that have shaped the communities we serve. While some projects are measured by their size or complexity, others are remembered by the meaning they hold. This is one of those projects.
This year, as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, memorials across the country continue to serve as places of reflection, remembrance, and education. When Belleville community members and local leaders set out to create a permanent memorial honoring the lives lost that day, the vision centered around a powerful artifact: a twisted steel column recovered from the fallen World Trade Center towers. The challenge was to create a setting worthy of its significance—a place where visitors could reflect, remember, and learn.
Working alongside EWR Architects, TWM helped transform that vision into reality. At the heart of the memorial stands a 35 foot long, 7,000+ pound steel column donated by the New York Port Authority. The steel column is carefully positioned within a pentagon-shaped plaza and oriented toward New York City. Two concrete pillars representing the Twin Towers are spaced to support the column and show where Flight 11 struck the North Tower and Flight 175 struck the South Tower, creating a visual reminder of both loss and resilience.
The experience extends beyond the monument itself. A 343’ walkway commemorates the 343 firefighters who lost their lives during the attacks, while interpretive plaques along the path guide visitors through the events of that day and the stories behind them. The memorial was designed not only as a destination, but as a journey of remembrance.
TWM provided civil and structural engineering and site design services that brought the project together, including the parking area, sidewalks, plaza layout, grading, erosion control, seeding plans (from a seedling of the Callery pear tree that was found during the rescue and recovery process), and construction staking. The site was also planned with future expansion in mind, allowing additional memorial features to be incorporated over time, including a tribute to the heroes of Flight 93.
Today, visitors see a quiet place for reflection. Behind it lies a thoughtful collaboration that transformed a piece of history into a lasting tribute—one that ensures the memory of September 11 and those affected by it will continue to be honored today and by future generations.
Located on the front lawn of the Fire Department Administration Office Building and Engine House #4, the Memorial Walkway is free, wheelchair accessible, and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. The 2026 annual Moment of Remembrance ceremony will be held on September 11 at 11:30 a.m.
