Students from CIM programs at California State University–Chico and Middle Tennessee State University took part in the annual World of Concrete Artistry event, this year creating a memorial to the fallen firefighters of the 48th Street & 8th Avenue firehouse in New York City
Source: Concrete Industry Management National Steering Committee
Students from CIM programs at California State UniversityÒChico and Middle Tennessee State University took part in the annual World of Concrete Artistry event, this year creating a memorial to the fallen firefighters of the 48th Street & 8th Avenue firehouse in New York City. On September 11, 2001, the house lost two companies, including men and women on duty for Ladder 4, Engine 54 and Battalion 9.
New York Fire Department veteran Ed Gruetzner, who retired in spring 2001 and is now an accomplished decorative concrete practitioner in White Plains, N.Y., initiated the firehouse memorial. He approached CIM supporter Mike Eastergard, owner of form manufacturer PreiTech Corp., who in turn brought on board program faculty and students at Cal StateÒChico and MTSU. A simple, evocative design was agreed upon: vertical forms representing the silhouette of the Twin Towers that will reflect light on a faceted surface ghosted with the names of the fallen firefighters.
Students at each school tackled the concrete mix, creating sample panels prior to their arrival in Las Vegas. At World of Concrete, they performed all concrete mixing and placing; erected the completed panels; and, dismantled the memorial at the show’s close, carefully crating it in specially designed foam forms for shipment to New York. Gruetzner, Eastergard, faculty from both schools, as well as many others from the decorative concrete industry were on hand to advise the students and provide expertise during the course of the project.