Walking into the Memorial and Museum offices today, I passed the same wall clock that I pass every day.  Instead of the time, the clock displays the number of days until the permanent, public opening of the Memorial on September 11, 2011. Today, that number is 534—we’re less than a year and a half away.

It’s a pretty long walk from the front door to my office, which looks out over the World Trade Center site.  Each day that ticks by on the countdown clock reveals more progress on the site: more steel installed, more concrete poured, and—as of last week—the beginning of polished stone work on the Memorial pools.

I realize that for most people on the street, it can be difficult to see all the work that is happening at the site.  Many of the complex Memorial and Museum structures are below grade, in the seven story space between sidewalk and bedrock.  People probably also don’t realize that an incredible effort is happening twenty floors above the site, in our offices.  For the Memorial and Museum staff, every single day at work is filled with emotional stories of loss and recovery, problem solving at the biggest and most detailed levels, and a deep shared feeling of commitment to what we’re doing.  The MEMO blog will now serve as a small window into the work beyond the construction.  Our posts will be written by staff, and I hope that they give readers a better understanding of  the day-to-day on a project that will mean so much to so many.

I invite you to share comments and questions.  Thank you for visiting, and keep your eye on the clock.

9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels