News Release

Tower of Voices Construction Underway

Artist rendering of the Tower of Voices to be completed September 2018

bioLinia and Paul Murdoch Architects

News Release Date: November 14, 2017

Contact: Stephen M. Clark, [phone]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHANKSVILLE, PA – In partnership with the Families of Flight 93 National Memorial, the Friends of Flight 93 and the National Park Foundation, Flight 93 National Memorial announces that Leonard S. Fiore, Inc., General Contractor, from Altoona, PA, wasawarded the construction contract for Flight 93 National Memorial’s Tower of Voices. The award marks a significant milestone in telling the story of 40 brave passengers and crew whose courageous actions on September 11, 2001 thwarted a terrorist attack on our nation’s capital. The Tower of Voices will be a visual and audible reminder of the courageous actions of the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93. This feature marks the final phase of major construction of the memorial’s original design. It will stand 93 feet tall and contain 40 wind chimes that will serve as an enduring memory of the voices of the passengers and crew.

Construction of the tower began in early October 2017 and will continue until winter weather restricts work; work will resume in the spring and continue until completion. Completion and a dedication ceremony are planned for September 2018. Please note that this construction area is near the entrance to the national memorial on US Route 30 (Lincoln Highway) and visitors should exercise caution when entering the national memorial and obey posted speed limits.

Gordon Felt, President, Families of Flight 93 said, "As we enter into the construction phase of the Tower of Voices (TOV), the Families of Flight 93 feel a sense of relief that our heroes' memorial is nearing completion. We are grateful to our partners at the National Park Service, National Park Foundation and the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial for the opportunity to work hand in hand from the very beginning in order to create what we feel is an extraordinary memorial to the 40 heroes of Flight 93." 

The design and construction of the TOV – totaling nearly $6 million – is being funded by a grant from the National Park Foundation. This contribution is in addition to the more than $40 million the Foundation raised through its Flight 93 National Memorial Capital Campaign to fund reforestation of the park’s landscape and design and construct the park’s Memorial Plaza, Wall of Names, 40 Memorial Groves, Visitor Center, Learning Center, and Field of Honor, along with walking trails. “This park is a shining example of the powerful impact that private philanthropy can have in our national parks,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Thanks to contributions from more than 110,000 individuals, foundations and corporations, we’re able to help ensure that the heroes of Flight 93 will be remembered and honored into perpetuity.”  The TOV itself is a musical instrument. The shape and orientation of the tower are designed to optimize air flow through the tower walls to reach the interior chamber. Each of the 40 wind-activated chimes in the tower interior will produce a musical tone which harmonizes with surrounding chimes. 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

ABOUT FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL

On September 24, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is located near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about Flight 93 National Memorial, visit www.nps.gov/flni.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

 More than 22,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.