page_title: Liberty Park
section_title: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
hierarchical_section_title: Liberty Park / Description / St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
caption_attribution_description: English: The future St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Liberty Park in New York City, seen in September 2018 from the west
context_page_description: Liberty Park is a one-acre elevated public park at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City, overlooking the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. The park, which opened on June 29, 2016, is located above the World Trade Center's Vehicular Security Center. The St. Nicholas National Shrine is located within the park, as well as The Sphere, the iconic sculpture salvaged from the World Trade Center site. Another statue, America's Response Monument, is also located in the park.
context_section_description: On July 23, 2008, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reached a deal with the leaders of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church for the Port Authority to acquire the 1,200-square-foot (110 m²) lot that the church had occupied, for $20 million, $10 million of which is coming from the Port Authority and the other $10 million of which is coming from JPMorgan Chase.
  In addition, the Port Authority was willing to pay up to $40 million to construct a bomb-proof platform underneath. In March 2009, the Port Authority stated it quit talking with the church and canceled building St. Nicholas altogether. The Port Authority claimed that the church was asking for too much, and that they might delay the whole World Trade Center project. The Archdioceses says that they just wanted the church back, and a third of the building would be a memorial for 9/11, and a place where people of all faiths could pray and remember those who died in the attacks.
  Architect Santiago Calatrava was awarded the task of designing the new St. Nicholas. His plans drew inspiration from the great Byzantine churches of Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora, both in Istanbul. The church will be constructed in Liberty Park; the site for the new church is east of the original site at 155 Cedar Street. As of 2013, construction of the new church was scheduled to begin in early 2014, and to end in late 2017. The new church will be created from steel and concrete but the exterior will be clad in stone. The interior design of the church is still being determined. Construction of the new church began in early 2014, and after numerous delays, is expected to be complete in 2021.
caption: The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church seen in September 2018
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