In response to overwhelming requests by relatives and family members of the victims of September 11 to have better access to the World Trade Center (WTC) site, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unveiled a private viewing area on September 1, 2002.
The Family Center is currently located on Church Street behind Gate 10, near the construction and rebuilding perimeter. The Family Center is reserved for family members and relatives.
The Center is dedicated solely to the memories of lost loved ones. It is a serene and relaxed environment, safe from construction, with tinted windows to ensure privacy.
Family members and friends are encouraged to decorate the room as they see fit. Corkboards are positioned throughout the room for visitors to tack pictures, letters, photographs, poems, and other sentimental items. There is a rug for children to play on as well as plush chairs for the comfort of relatives. The facility is air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter.
The private area is secured and monitored around-the-clock by a security team. In order to gain entry to the site, visitors must display a city-issued security number (PNT). Family members or relatives visit the site daily.
The Family Center is open seven days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
To learn more about the Family Center, or if family members would like to visit, please contact Davella May, the Port Authority Operations Manager, at 212-435-5552, or email dmay@panynj.gov
