The board of the Port Authority will vote on whether to move the Koenig Sphere to Liberty Park at its Thursday meeting.
Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye will introduce a resolution authorizing “all actions necessary” to relocate the iconic sculpture from the spot in The Battery where it has languished since 2002 to the rooftop park overlooking the World Trade Center site which opened last month.
The 25-ton, bronze Sphere — which was originally located between the Twin Towers and famously survived the 9/11 attacks — has been on display near Pier A in The Battery since Sept. 11, 2002, when it was dedicated as a “temporary” memorial. In the 14 years since then, the Port Authority, which owns both the sculpture and the WTC site, has faced pressure from some Downtowners to move it back to its original location to become part of the National Sept. 11 Memorial, but memorial officials have resisted the idea, arguing that the damaged Sphere would not fit with the plaza’s design.
The idea of moving the Sphere to Liberty Park, on the other hand, has faced pushback from some locals, who don’t want to see the new amenity turned into another reminder of the trauma of the 9/11 attacks.
Members of the public will be allowed to address the board before the vote, but most register ahead of time to speak.
Speakers are limited to three minutes each, and the public comment period may be limited to 30 minutes at the board’s discretion. Appropriate photo identification is required to attend the meeting. Anyone interested in speaking must register online by 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
The board meeting will start at approximately 10:45 a.m. on July 21 at 4 World Trade Center, 150 Greenwich St.
