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The city will build a $5 million new veterans memorial on the Queens waterfront complete with an LED “flame” that shines 24 hours a day and a massive floating flag.
Mayor Eric Adams unveiled the design plans for “Flames of Honor” Tuesday, announcing the monument will be installed in Whitestone to honor US service members who fought and died in Afghanistan, Iraq and other post-9/11 military operations.
“We cannot call ourselves the greatest city on the globe if we do not give them the tribute and honor they deserve,” Adams said, noting the unveiling was part of national Military Appreciation Month and the lead up to Memorial Day.
The memorial, designed by Douwe Blumberg, will feature three three massive, gleaming metal arcs rising 40 feet tall into a pyramid shape. The arcs will include military and soldier-themed engravings.
The tops of the arcs will support an “eternal flame” made of stained glass panels electrified with LED lights that shine 24/7
A 13-foot folded flag appears to float between the arcs of the mural, according to the design plans.
The memorial will also feature stone steps and five bronze sculptures of buglers — representing each of the five military services — surrounding the pyramid’s 65-foot circumference.
“With this memorial, we will honor a new generation of souls who gave their lives far too early in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and say ‘thank you’ to our service members and veterans every day of the year with a beautiful space for remembrance and reflection,” Adams said.
The tribute will be part of a larger overhaul under the city’s Utopia Parkway Seawall Replacement and Street Improvements project, led by the Department of Transportation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
The facelift includes a new bike path, pedestrian walkway and rebuilt bulkheads designed to stormproof the shoreline and give the neighborhood a long-overdue refresh.
The memorial design was selected after an open call for submissions organized by the Department of Veterans’ Services and the Department of Cultural Affairs. Dozens of artists applied, but a panel of city veterans chose Blumberg’s vision.
Adams first announced his intention to build the memorial last May, using private donations and public capital project money to cover design, construction, and long-term maintenance costs.
It was announced Tuesday that $3 million of funding will come from the Queens borough president’s capital budget. The city is still fundraising, officials said.
There are 210,000 veterans who live in New York City, and only 24% of them have self identified to receive benefits.
The site for the new memorial is especially fitting, as Queens is home to the largest number of post-9/11 vets in the Big Apple.
More than 7,000 American troops lost their lives in the post-9/11 war zones, including 99 heroes from the five boroughs.
“These are real family members, and it impacts us all. And we should never forget that it’s not about barbecues and hot dogs and rides, it’s about the men and women who gave their lives to our country,” Adams said.
