Lower Manhattan Gets Culture in a Few Years

Four lesser known cultural institutions were selected to be populate of the redesigned WTC area. Curbed reports:

Delivering a slap to the City Opera, WTC redevelopment officials have selected four arts groups to be housed at the site: the Signature Theater Company, the Joyce Theater, the Drawing Center and the Freedom Center. Signature (drama) and Joyce (dance) will share a performance arts building, while Drawing (uh, drawing) and Freedom will cozy up in a cultural building.

Gothamist thinks Freedom Center sounds like a mall outside of Philadelphia. And Daniel Libeskind's statement ("It was a fundamental set of decisions which really puts the last keystone to the Master Plan, because at the intersection of the new streets, Greenwich and Fulton, is the cultural complex, together with the station and the freedom tower – a kind of gateway to the memorial area.") confirms that he's a little creepy, because Master Plan sounds like too many science fiction/suspense films we've seen. Though "Ground Zero: Redesign Planning" would be a compelling reality show. Anyway, the announcement was "upbeat," according to the NY Times, and WNYC said it was like an awards ceremony, with people thanking and giving shout-outs to everyone. There was Archbishop Desmond Tutu and actor Edward Norton (on the board of the Signature). There was dance choreographed by David Parsons, and Governor Pataki joked/scared the bejesus out of attendees by saying that he and Mayor Bloomberg were originally participating in the dance. This is exciting news, it's just too bad we have to wait a few years for it.