9/11 Tribute Museum May Close Greenwich St Location, Report Says

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — The 9/11 Tribute Museum is getting pushed out of its home on Greenwich Street since owners plan to sell, according to a report.

The building's owner Thor Equities is selling the property for about $30 million, Crain's New York Business reported. The Tribute Museum, which opened in 2006 and moved to 92 Greenwich St. in 2017, will likely have to move out since the owners want to sell it to a buyer vacant, Thor Equities' broker Michael Rudder told Crain's.

"It suits non-profits or schools well because it has its own dedicated entrance and elevator, it's a building within a building," Rudder told Crain's.

The September 11th Families' Association, including retired FDNY firefighter who lost his son in 9/11, Lee Ielpi, founded the museum in 2006, formerly called the 9/11 Tribute Center. It features artifacts and connects visitors with 9/11 survivors to understand the history of the 2001 terrorist attacks, and in its early days, according to Crain's, it ran out of a deli giving meals to rescue workers.

"In a melancholy sense, I feel a sense of loss," Richard Alles, a retired Fire Department deputy chief who has long advocated for legislation to provide 9/11 survivors and families compensation, told Patch.

"It was the first place that you could kind of go to to reflect and (be) in the environment with the artifacts."

"I feel a sense of sadness in that respect," Alles said. "They're collateral damage. Whoever the landlord is, it's a business transaction. It's no one's fault."

He hopes the tribute museum could incorporate its artifacts with the newer 9/11 Memorial & Museum— but for now, it remains unclear whether the tribute museum would shutter altogether or relocate.

The museum told Crain's, "A landlord has the right to manage or dispose of an asset as they see fit."

"The 9/11 Tribute Museum continues to welcome visitors to tour our historical exhibitions, which share the first-person perspectives of those who experienced 9/11. We continue to proactively seek supporters and donors for our ongoing mission," the museum's statement read.

The museum and Thor Equities did not immediately respond to Patch for comment.