Sept. 11 Memorial Planned in Cathedral City

Cathedral City City Council to Consider Two-Tower Sept. 11 Memorial

CATHEDRAL CITY — Twenty years after four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States, the Public Arts Commission is recommending to use Art in Public Places money to commission artist and Cathedral City Firefighter Corey Goddard to build, deliver, and oversee the installation of a two-tower Sept. 11 memorial.

The total cost of the project will not exceed $15,000.

The Art in Public Places fund currently has $166,655.11 on hand, which may be used for the acquisition and installation of public art. An expenditure of $15,000 would leave a fund balance of $151,655.11.

The Art in Public Places fund does not come from taxes.  When commercial or industrial development occurs in the city, the developer pays a fee equal to 1 percent of the value of the project. Developers also have the option of placing a piece of art in the city of a value equivalent to what the fee would have been, subject to the approval of the Arts Commission, according to City Manager Charlie McClendon.  Historically, most developers have chosen to pay the fee, instead of purchasing an art piece themselves. That is where the money in the fund has come from.

Residential development does not pay the Art in Public Places fee.

On Sept. 11, 2001 at 8:45 a.m., American Airlines flight 11 was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the South Tower 18 minutes later at 9:03 a.m. Nearly 2,800 innocent lives were lost.

At 9:37 a.m. American Airlines flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon. One hundred and eighty-four Americans were lost.

Due to the courageous actions of those aboard United Airlines flight 93, the fourth terrorist attack planned for September 11th was thwarted. While countless lives were saved, forty-one courageous individuals were lost when Flight 93 crashed in a field outside of Johnstown, PA.

By 10:03 a.m. nearly 3,000 Americans, including over 400 police officers and firefighters, lost their lives in the worst act of terrorism in United States’ history.

Sept.  11, 2021 will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.