Given the constant flow of people at the WTC site, many of them snapping photos, it's hard to imagine shooing tourists from the new Jeff Koons sculpture in front of 7 World Trade. Then again, maybe not. A reader e-mails:
A family of tourists were admiring the new building and Jeff Koons sculpture?if you recall, the sculpture sits on the ground, barrier-free. The tourist family was taking pictures in front of the sculpture and one of the kids placed a hand on one of the balloon/cherries. At that moment, not one but TWO security guards came out of 7WTC and told the family that it was forbidden to touch the sculpture. I thought this was fairly insane since the sculpture sits in the middle of the plaza on the ground and practically BEGS you to touch it.Maybe one guard could have dealt with the taboo-violating tourist rugrat? Ah, yes, a Don't Touch the Koons struggle between security and tourists in the making.
· Scratching That Logan's Run Itch at 7WTC [Curbed] BONUS: How many people does it take to figure out how to build the World Trade Center Memorial for $500 million? Apparently 13. According to the Daily News, the advisers now working with construction executive Frank Sciame include Rudin Management Chair Jack Rudin, the Alliance for Downtown New York's Robert Douglass, three construction consultants and four architects. They have 15 days to find a way to cut the cost from an estimated $1 billion.
[Photo of someone tempted to touch the Koons sculpture courtesy of plemeljr on Flickr]