Pentagon Memorial Previews to Families

The Pentagon Memorial, dedicated to the 194 people killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11th, opened today to families and journalists. Architects Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman sought to evoke individual memories but express a collective whole.

1 minute read

May 26, 2008, 5:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"The families of the 184 people killed at the Pentagon on September 11th got their first look at a memorial that will be dedicated to their loved ones.

It's a simple memorial.

184 benches for 184 victims.

For those from the Pentagon -- they face the Pentagon. For those onboard the plane -- they face the sky.

Tom Heidenberger set off to find the bench that honors his wife Michele -- one of the flight attendants on Flight 77 -- and when he found it, stopped cold.

"It's beautiful," he said.

It's been a long time coming for the families. Seven years of raising money, debating design, pushing for completion."

Friday, May 23, 2008 in WJLA-TV

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A rendering of the basketball court, a green court under a blue sky.

MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court

The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.

4 seconds ago - Gothamist

A crowd of people bathed in pink light in front of a stage.

Non-stop party: Chicago voters weigh permanent festival grounds

A stable place for bleachers, stages and drainage may streamline the setup and teardown of large events.

1 hour ago - Block Club Chicago

Metra train pulling into station.

Metra may invest $9.1 billion in regional rail

The agency released a draft of a study examining potential ways to offer more frequent train service.

2 hours ago - Mass Transit