When professor Stanley Allen became dean of the University's School of Architecture, he said he wanted the school to become more involved in the local New Jersey community. This spring, Allen will have just such an opportunity when he will serve on a jury evaluating proposals for the New Jersey September 11th, 2001 Memorial.
"I guess some people took me up on the offer," said Allen.
The design competition, sponsored by the State of New Jersey, is being run by the office of Gov. James McGreevey and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Allen was offered a spot on the jury last fall after advising competition officials on how to structure an open design competition and attract talented artists.
The members of the jury will include architects, artists and other experts in design, as well as representatives of families affected by the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Memorial will be located in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J., across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan.
Allen said the site is interesting because it provides a view of the entire New York City skyline.
"You're very aware of the absence of the towers," he said.
Looking at a skyline that has been forever altered, the viewer also can feel close to what actually happened on Sept. 11.
"The site had a very close connection to the event itself," he said, since on Sept. 11 many people escaped the World Trade Center on ferries which landed at the park.
Allen also alluded to the site's importance to the history of the United States.
"The classic story is that immigrants went through Ellis Island and then went to New York City, but many of them took ferries to New Jersey through Liberty State Park," he said.
The design competition was announced on Dec. 16 by McGreevey and Nikki Stern, advocate of the Sept. 11 victims' families.
The competition deadline was originally March 1, but was extended Wednesday by one month.
Allen has been involved in many previous design competitions, and helped New Jersey officials regarding what type of people should serve on the jury, how the state should publicize the competition and what an appropriate timeframe would be for fielding proposals.
But this is still a new type of competition for Allen. He described the process as "fascinating but complicated."
"It's a unique opportunity," he said. "You're not only selecting the best event from a design perspective, but one that will speak to the needs of the families and the survivors."
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