BOMA/NY's Remembrance & Renewal closes the decade of 9/11

From a moving tribute to those lost on 9/11, to a thank you from the U.S. Army for supporting the troops in the ensuing conflicts abroad, a recounting of progress achieved by the real estate industry since 9/11 and a keynote address exalting the building of the "greatest city within a city ever built" at Ground Zero, BOMA/NY sealed the decade of 9/11 with Remembrance & Renewal, its tenth anniversary commemoration of the tragedy of 9/11. Held on September 14 before more than 250 individuals drawn from across the NYC commercial real estate spectrum, the event highlights included: * A video listing the names of the 135 members of the BOMA/NY community that perished, set against a backdrop of the last beam of the World Trade Center being removed from Ground Zero * A salute to the work of BOMA/NY and all New Yorkers for their support of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from Colonel Michael Gould of the U.S. Army, Commanding Officer, Fort Hamilton * A message from BOMA/NY president Edward Fallon, RPA, who recounted "the true character of the men and women of our industry, who showed the courage, strength and character to do spectacular things: building workers of all levels staying at their posts during the bombing and saving thousands of lives, bringing damaged buildings on-line as quickly as 43 days later, developing new national standards for preparedness and emergency education, assisting in creating legislation that now safeguards 3 million members of NYC's working public every day and by working together as a team...committing to always move forward, and never forget." * The keynote address by Christopher Ward, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who proclaimed "the most important day in modern real estate history will be when the city-within-a-city" at Ground Zero is completed. Ward cited the ability of public and private interests to partner together as the key behind the reason 10 million s/f of some of the most advanced office space ever built will complete the vision of the new World Trade Center complex. He concluded saying "the past is past" and the new Lower Manhattan that is emerging today will be "as firmly woven into the DNA of our city" as other treasured places such as Central Park. * And a presentation to the National 9/11 Museum and Memorial president & CEO Joseph Daniels, which included a crystalline World Trade Center replica with the names of those BOMA/NY lost inscribed below. The gift was presented by Fallon and Anthony Lifrieri, RPA, a former BOMA/NY president and chair of the group's 9/11 Anniversary planning committee. Shown (from left) are: BOMA/NY former president and 9/11 anniversary planning committee chair Anthony Lifrieri, RPA, Silverstein Properties, Inc.; BOMA/NY vice president Louis Mantia, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.; BOMA/NY secretary James Kleeman, RPA, Related Management LP; executive director Christopher Ward, Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J.; BOMA/NY president Edward Fallon, RPA, Brookfield Office Properties; colonel Michael Gould, U.S. Army, commanding officer, Fort Hamilton; BOMA/NY former president John Griffin; and BOMA/NY former president Angelo Grima, Schneider & Schneider.