Jersey City, New Jersey

Frederic Schwartz Architects

Photography © David Sundberg/Esto

When the National September 11 Memorial opens at Ground Zero on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, it will be joined by another commemorative effort, across the Hudson River, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Dubbed “Empty Sky,” this monument by Frederic Schwartz Architects honors the 744 men and women who hailed from the state and lost their lives on 9/11. Two 210-foot-long, 30-foot-high stainless steel–clad slabs, separated by a 12-foot-wide path, bear the names of the deceased and frame a view of the gradually revitalizing WTC site across the water. Over time, the skyline in the distance will evolve, but this memorial will mark a period of loss and emptiness.