Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, and the 5/14 Memorial Commission are inviting the public and qualified businesses to submit design concepts for the permanent 5/14 Memorial.
The Commission announced on Tuesday is has officially released a Request for Submissions (RFS), and seeks individuals of all ages and backgrounds to submit ideas for design concepts of the memorial to honor the 10 lives lost in the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue nearly 17 months ago.
"Since the beginning of this process, our goal has been to create a living memorial that honors the lives taken and the lives impacted by this terrible act of hate. I look forward to seeing all the design concepts submitted by the public," said Mayor Brown. "I'm proud of the work the 5/14 Memorial Commission has done to plan a memorial that reflects the wishes of the families and our community."
There will be two parts to the 5/14 Memorial RFS.
The first part is an open submission to identify broad concepts and potential lead designers for the memorial. A short list of respondents will be created from Part 1.
The short list of candidates will move forward to Part 2 of the process. The 5/14 Memorial RFS Part 2 requires the short list of respondents to submit their final designs with considerations for the actual site conditions and professional cost estimates.
"We're really excited about the progress we've made so far, and we look forward to seeing the design ideas come in," said Rev. Mark Blue, Chairman of the 5/14 Memorial Commission. "I am grateful to the public for participating in our community engagement events and for participating in our survey."
Applicants can start submitting their design concepts beginning Nov. 1 and ending on Dec. 1.
Applicants can learn more about the RFS process and find a link to submit design concepts at 514memorial.com.
The 5/14 Memorial Commission was established in the fall of 2022 by Mayor Brown and Gov. Hochul. It consists of 11 members, including residents, local artists, faith-based leaders, and business leaders.
Here is a look at the timeline set in place for the 5/14 Memorial RFS process:
- Oct. 3: The 5/14 Memorial RFS Released to Public
- Oct. 3 - Oct. 23: Q&A Submission Period
- Oct. 23: Deadline for Submitting Questions
- Oct. 30: Answers for Q & A posted at 514memorial.com
- Nov. 1: Design Submission Period Begins
- Dec. 1: Design Submission Period Ends
The Part 1 submissions will be reviewed and the short list to be invited to participate under Part 2 of the process will be selected by Jan. 23, 2024.
Additionally, the 5/14 Public Participation Survey is still open throughout the month of October.
The survey can be found here, or scan the QR code below:
5/14 Memorial Commission
The memorial planned by the Mayor and the Governor should not be confused with the memorial planned by Tops Friendly Markets. The Tops memorial is a different effort spearheaded by the grocery store and aims to put a memorial on their property. For updates on that memorial, people are encouraged to reach out to Tops Markets.
