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| Tue, Dec. 01 - - Mobile - RSS | |
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Marine museum rises high
National Museum of the Marine Corps reaches construction milestone By PAMELA GOULDDate published: 3/31/2005 By PAMELA GOULD A 400-ton crawler crane--stretching more than 20 stories high--hoisted a 210-foot-tall spire yesterday, putting into place the premier architectural feature of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Symbolic of the historic flag-raising at Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945, the spire now stands at a 60-degree angle and points toward Interstate 95. Officials with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, the group raising the $50 million to build the museum just outside Quantico Marine Corps Base's main gate, see the spire becoming a significant feature in the region's landscape. It towers so high--the spire is as tall as the U.S. Capitol--that officials had to notify the Federal Aviation Administration that it was going up. "This will become a landmark for traffic reporters," said retired Marine Col. Raymond Hord, who heads up the foundation's marketing efforts. The National Museum of the Marine Corps, designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, is slated for a grand opening in November 2006--coinciding with the 231st anniversary of the Corps. Marines are expected to start moving artifacts into the building in November, before the building is even completed. The museum's central gallery is to be finished in April 2006, and the remainder of the building by June of that year. A "soft opening" is planned for October 2006. Installing the 50-ton spire was viewed as a significant milestone for the museum, which is the centerpiece of the Marine Corps Heritage Center. The center's 135-acre parcel, sandwiched between I-95 and U.S. 1, is expected to one day include a conference center and hotel, an IMAX theater, parade grounds and Semper Fidelis Memorial Park. Two overlooks and one trail system within the roughly five-acre park are expected to be ready when the museum opens, said retired Brig. Gen. Gerald McKay, the foundation's chief operating officer. Eventually, the park will include a small chapel for weddings and funerals plus more walking trails and overlook points. The idea is to provide visitors an area for reflection, McKay said. With progress on the structure moving steadily forward, fund-raising continues to be a focal point. The foundation has raised nearly $43 million of the $50 million needed for the building.
Date published: 3/31/2005
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