Aug 24, 2009 8:14 pm US/Eastern
The 'Last Column' Returns To Ground Zero
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A massive steel beam, called the "Last Column," has been returned to ground zero as a symbol of rebirth on Monday, August 24, 2009.
CBS
A symbol of hope and renewal is back home in Lower Manhattan.
After more than seven years in storage, a steel beam known as "The Last Column" becomes the centerpiece of the National September 11th Memorial and Museum.
Using the strength of a large crane and precise precision, the last steel column standing after the 9/11 terror attacks is returning to its home.
"I lost my brother that day and that beam really shows the strength of New York City, back where it belongs," said NYPD officer Arthur Leahy.
The 58-ton, 36-foot-tall column, which was once part of the south tower, may be a beam made of metal but for New Yorkers, and especially those personally effected by the collapse of the World Trade Center, the column means so much more.
"It symbolizes that day. It's a piece of the original tower and it will be here forever," said NYPD Emergency Services Sgt. James Buscemi.
The museum that will house the statue will actually be built around it. The president of the museum explains why the column will be such an essential part of the exhibit.
When it was removed, the column was covered in spray painted numbers representing fire fighters killed, notes, photos and Mass cards for the victims of the terror attacks. While it was inside Hanger 17 at Kennedy Airport, the artifacts and mementos were carefully removed and preserved so they can placed back on the beam later.
"Each one was done incredibly carefully," said Joe Daniels, president of the National 9/11 Memorial.
With the beam in place, the public will be able to see it once the memorial museum opens up on September 11, 2012.
Meanwhile, Silverstein Properties is now in the hot seat after the Port Authority turned over the final World Trade Center work site.
Now that all three tower sites are under Silversten's control, the company has until 2014 to complete work on the towers.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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