Park51 : Islamic Center Design Looks Modern, Secular In Artist Rendering

          

Honey Comb

An artist rendering shows the interior view of Part51 community Center and Mosque . The early conceptual sketches of the Community  Center  envision a structure with white walls and floors made up  of a honeycomb of abstract shapes.

An artist rendering shows the proposed interior view of Park51 Community Center and Mosque . The early conceptual sketches of  the Community Center envisions a structure with white walls and floors made up of a honeycomb of abstract shapes.

"We  want to have a marriage between Islamic  architecture and New York  City .We want  to do something cool," said El-Gamal .  Actual working plans for the center are still some time away. An architect has yet to be selected.  Planning is just beginning to emerge from a brainstorming phase disrupted when criticism of the center exploded over the summer.

Fundraising will probably begin in earnest in about 30 days , once the work of establishing a nonprofit group to oversee the center is complete. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf , the Brooklyn-born El-Gamal said he was caught off-gaurd by critcism from people offended by the concept of building an Islamic intitution so close the World Trade Center  site.
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Some have called it an exercise in triumphalism , intended to plant  Islam's flag at the sence of the attacks and deliberately provoke Americans . Others say they are against the center because they don't see any growth  of Islam in the U.S. "People  have been calling this ground zero mosque . It's not at ground zero and it's not  a mosque,"he said ."Our identity has been stolen from us . It has been stolen by the extremists."

Revenue for operations would come from membership dues . The goal is to have around 4,300 paying members , with about half paying $2,700 per year for a family plan that would include fitness center access.

A bigger challenge could be persuading enough New Yorkers that the project is just another community center . El-Gamal said he is optimistic his message  will eventually break through. He said the group is planning a series of town hall style meetings in which the relatives of 9/11 victims would be encouraged to voice their concerns. At the very least , he said , the project is on the map.

"From a pubilicity standpoint , I think we've gotten $50 million worth of press," El-Gamal said. "It was good people that came together with good intentions , and when that happens , good things usually come out of it."

The saga continues : We will be watching this one very closely...updates as they become available...stay tuned.