The editors of the New York Post rightfully unload on the tone-deaf mayor:
Mayor Bloomberg didn’t waste any time endorsing a hefty admission fee for the over-designed 9/11 museum at Ground Zero.
“Well, the money’s got to come from someplace,” the mayor shrugged on his weekly radio interview.
Well, sure.
The museum — which won’t be ready for September’s 10th anniversary of 9/11 — is costing more than a half-billion dollars to build, with a projected $60 million in annual operating costs.
Add in the 9/11 memorial, and the price-tag likely will exceed $1 billion.
The contrast with the $8 million cost of the Vietnam War Wall — one of the most compelling pieces of memorial architecture in the nation — is stunning.
Joe Daniels, president of the museum’s operating foundation, told the City Council he needs to charge up to $25 per person as a “suggested donation,” or a flat $20 mandatory admission fee, to “generate revenue in line with other world-class museums.”
Well, the “world-class” part remains to be seen.
Anecdotally, most New Yorkers I talk to would have been really happy with the area turned into a giant park, with a tasteful memorial. I’m not sure why the need to rebuild, especially in a real-estate market that doesn’t need more office space.
I also speak from experience. I used to work in the WTC and remember it took 15 minutes to get from the front door to my desk. It was like an office building, on top of a mall, with really tough security once you finally got to the elevators.
So, when Mayor Bloomberg asks where the money is going to come from, here’s an idea: he can write the check himself for causing this disaster.