The memorial to the heroes of United Flight 93 is nearing completion in Pennsylvania.
Tommy Rowan offers a preview of the under-construction Tower of Voices, a memorial for United Flight 93 that will open to the public on the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"The new concrete belfry juts 93 feet above a vast palette of summer greens, high enough for breezes aloft to catch the 40 wind chimes inside, each sounding a different tone," writes Rowan.
"The tower looms over the site of one of the triad of 9/11 tragedies — the open field in Somerset County where United Flight 93 crashed as its 40 passengers and crew foiled a band of al-Qaeda hijackers who were attempting to redirect the aircraft, presumably to Washington and the U.S. Capitol. It is intended both as a marker and a monument to a planeload of heroes, with every chime representing the distinct voice of one lost that day."
The Tower of Voices is the final piece, and keystone, of the Flight 93 memorial, which has been under constriction since 2011. Philadelphia-based architect Paul Murdoch Architects designed the Tower of Voices after winning a design competition in 2005.
Read the full story: Architect's Philly roots inspired Tower of Voices memorial for United Flight 93's heroes
New Levee System Protects New Jersey Residents
New Jersey Chris Christie announced the competition of a $143 million levee system in Somerset County. Gov. Christie now hopes that residents can drop flood insurance.
Is the 9/11 Memorial a 'Dead Space' in Lower Manhattan?
The grand opening of the 9/11 memorial and museum is derided by critics as a cold, uninviting public space, and 'ritualizing grief on a loop'
Land Acquired for Flight 93 Memorial
The families of victims of the hijacked September 11 Flight 93 have secured more than 900 acres of land in Pennsylvania for a permanent memorial.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment
The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.
California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer
The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.
NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027
Construction was supposed to begin this fall.
San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council
The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.
Bill to overhaul energy permitting clears Senate
The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 still needs to pass the House of Representatives.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello