The Triangle Fire Memorial

The Asch Building where the fire occurred is now called the Brown Building and is part of NYU. There have been two plaques on the building noting its historical significance for as long as I can remember, but after the centennial in 2011, there was a competition to design a more fitting memorial. The first part of the memorial was completed in October; it consists of a panel of mirror stone at street level, and twelve feet above, a ribbon of stainless steel with the names and ages of the 146 victims laser-cut in reverse. When you look at the mirror stone you see the names reflected, looking as though they're written with the sky. Depending on the light, sometimes the names appear as shadows on the sides of the building as well.

An additional vertical steel ribbon will be added this summer. It will run up the corner of the building to the ninth floor, where most of the victims were trapped.