King Memorial done by 2011, construction starts

By Christopher Quinn

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The 20-month construction clock began ticking for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington late last month.

Those running the nonprofit in charge of raising money and building the newest addition to the National Mall plan to open the four-acre site in late summer or early fall next year. It sits between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials on the Tidal Basin.

"This is the culmination of 30 years of work and the family is very, very excited about it," said Isaac Farris, King's nephew and president and CEO of Atlanta's King Center.

It may seem like a long time, and it has been nearly 41 years since King's assassination, but the monument actually came together quickly compared to others, Farris said.

Construction began on the Washington Monument in 1854, 55 years after Washington's death,  and workers topped it out 30 years later. The Jefferson Memorial was proposed in 1925, nearly 100 years after Thomas Jefferson's death, and dedicated in 1943.

The King Memorial will have money raised and construction complete while his contemporaries are still living, Farris said.

"So we feel pretty good about the fund-raising and length of time it took. And it indicates that the respect for my uncle is alive and well and that people appreciate his legacy," he said.

Alphi Phi Alphi, the fraternity to which King belonged, took responsibility for raising the projected $120 million to plan and build the memorial. It created the nonprofit Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.

It has raised $108 million so far, said Ed Jackson, the executive architect. Fund-raising will continue, and the nonprofit has a large enough letter of credit to cover the shortfall in the meantime.

Workers at the site are removing sidewalks and trees in the area where the granite carving of King and the walls memorializing his sayings will stand. Later this year, the infrastructure such as utilities and deep pilings to support the structures and  carving of King will be built. When the site is ready, the stonework will be moved into place. More than 200 new cherry trees will be added. Jackson hopes to do a walk-through with all the contractors in July next year to make sure everything has been finished as required.

Information at www.mlkmemorial.org