Renovations to the Place of Remembrance located directly in front of the Hall of Languages are nearly complete.

“The Place of Remembrance is being refurbished, not changed,” said Kelly Rodoski, communications manager for SU News Services, in an email. “It will continue to be a focal point during Remembrance Week.”

The Place of Remembrance is Syracuse University’s memorial to the 35 students and two Clay, N.Y., residents killed in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988.

The memorial was first unveiled and dedicated on April 22, 1990, Rodoski said.

The Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction is responsible for overseeing the renovation. It hopes to have the memorial completed by mid-October, just in time for SU’s annual Remembrance Week, Rodoski said.

The Wall of Remembrance is constructed from a more durable, weatherproof limestone to provide long-term resistance to the harsh Syracuse winters, Rodoski said.

“The renovation project that has taken place this year is meant to ensure the structural integrity of the Place of Remembrance,” she said.

Additionally, the etchings of the 35 students’ names on the Wall of Remembrance will be re-inscribed by a “specially selected stone engraver,” she said.

The renovations also include replacing the current tablet with dense, high-quality black granite, Rodoski said.

Not every aspect of the memorial is receiving a makeover. The circular granite bench in the center will remain untouched, while the surrounding granite walking surface will just receive a few new ground panels, she said.

The campus gateway section, located closest to University Place, is also receiving a touch-up.

“The light fixtures on the flanking columns at the top of the north stairs will be restored to their original appearance,” Rodoski said. “Restoration of the adjacent staircases and sidewalks are also part of the project.”

While the intent of the renovation is to restore the memorial, the idea is to keep the original design intact.

A semi-circular structure made of limestone and granite, known as the Remembrance Wall, lists the names of the 35 victims. In the center of the structure is a circular stone bench with a plaque dedicated to the Clay, N.Y., couple Paula and Glenn Bouckley, who were also on Pan Am Flight 103, according to the SU Archives.

Remembrance Week is a series of events planned by 35 students selected as Remembrance Scholars in honor of the 35 victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 tragedy.

“The purpose of Remembrance Week is to educate our current generation about the lasting impacts of the tragedy,” Rodoski said.

Remembrance Week will begin Oct. 21.

Published on September 26, 2012 at 3:01 am

Contact Levi: ldstei01@syr.edu