In late May, Farmingdale Village Historian Daniel Looney, an attorney in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, presented ideas as to what should be done with the site of the World Trade Center together with his colleague Kenneth Kunken and designer Anna Blazejczyk during a public meeting held in Manhattan. Looney was grateful to be chosen to share his thoughts as he was one of hundreds who attended the meeting, one of several to be held prior to a decision being made regarding the fate of the site in lower Manhattan.

Looney said that he came up with the idea one day while just drawing some sketches as to what he felt would be an appropriate memorial to the victims of Sept. 11. He and Kunken developed the idea with the help of Anna Blazejczyk, a graphic design student at Nassau Community College, who designed the building's various layouts on computer. Looney explained that the structure would not only honor those who perished in New York on Sept. 11, but also those in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon in Washington.

"We, like so many people in the New York City area, have lost residents in our communities, where we work and where we live," Looney said at the hearing. "We have a proposal to honor all the victims of the tragedy. Our concept is first and foremost a memorial to the victims of 9/11. Secondly, it's a monument to America."

Looney explained that the centerpiece of the monument would be a large tower which would follow the design of the original towers. This tower would sit on a pentagon-shaped base and the entrance to the monument would be flanked by two grass fields, which would honor those who perished on Flight 93 in Somerset County, PA. A plaque would be displayed in this area to commemorate the victims.

The tower would be the central feature of the memorial site and would be the tallest structure in lower Manhattan. Looney explained that it would be an open frame structure, the exterior of which would be stainless steel and resemble the metal and design of the Twin Towers. The interior would contain glass enclosed elevators and stairways that would lead to the observation deck. Looney noted that glass was chosen so that those traveling to the deck could view the entire city on their way up. The deck, which would be at the top of the structure, would feature 50 American flags to represent all 50 states.

In the center of the deck there would be a gold American bald eagle, which would rise above a gold globe. Looney noted that the eagle was chosen because it is a symbol of the United States, dating back to the very beginnings of the nation.

"The eagle has been a symbol of America since the founding fathers adopted it and it would represent the traits we saw so evident in New York City on Sept. 11, traits such as courage and strength," he said. "It would be a symbol to everyone who comes to New York City that the American spirit endured, rose from this destruction and ultimately prevailed."

He added that the eagle would be illuminated at night so that it would be visible for miles, allowing for people to be able to see it by land, sea or air.

Also a symbol of the strength of the nation, Looney chose to have the base of the structure be in the shape of a pentagon. The base would house the World Trade Center museum, which would include the history of the World Trade Center from its construction to the events of Sept. 11 and its aftermath. The museum would house exhibits honoring those who perished in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania and would also contain computer stations with information about the victims. There would also be flags of all the nations whose citizens perished displayed. The elevators leading to the observation deck would be reached from the base. Looney added that his thoughts for the base leaves much room for artists and others to add other ideas and plans.

Looney noted that the entrance to the museum would be through two large doors, above which there would be a quote from President Bush - which Looney believed was most appropriate: "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." Looney added that the exterior walls would also have quotes from other leaders who were greatly involved during the events, including Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

At the v-shaped front of the pentagon base there would be a memorial wall housing the names of all the victims. Looney said that each name would have a small flag emblem of the victim's country next to it. Directly in front of the memorial wall would be a large reflecting pool, which would be flanked on both sides by two large fountains with waterfalls that would flow into the pool. The two pools surrounding the fountains would be shaped like the bases of the two towers and the center of each fountain would be a sculpture commemorating the civilians and rescue workers who died on Sept. 11. Both fountain pools would have waterfalls that would flow into the lower reflecting pool. In addition, there would be paths around the fountains and pools as well as benches.

Looney said he realizes that the final decision as to what will be done with the site will come after much deliberation and after the hearing of hundreds if not thousands of ideas. He noted that while his plans are certainly one of many, he hopes that some aspect of them will be somehow incorporated in the final destiny of the site.

"The final monument made will be a combination of ideas," he said. "We would hope that we would have made some kind of contribution to a fitting memorial for all the victims of 9/11."