Construction of a memorial at the site of the Pulse nightclub is set to begin sometime this month. The memorial is set to honor the 49 people killed and dozens injured more than 10 years ago.
Gomez Construction, the construction company in charge of the project, was issued a Notice to Proceed in October to begin building the memorial. Since then, the company has been working to finalize permits, contracts and preparations before breaking ground.
The city of Orlando said building activity could be seen at the site in the next few weeks. The memorial is being built on the former site of the nightclub, which was demolished in March. The Pulse sign was removed for preservation.
Construction is expected to be finished in 2027. The design focuses on things like a memorial water wall, a reflecting pool where the dancefloor originally was, a healing garden and more. The city said the use of flowing water in the memorial symbolizes "the non-linear movement of grief."
The memorial's design and creation process was led by an advisory committee, with the majority of members being survivors and families from Pulse.
Construction is starting more than three years after the City of Orlando purchased the property back in 2023. Funding for the project comes from the City of Orlando, the State of Florida and the Orange County Government. Additional funding is from individual donations and community partners like Walt Disney World, Orlando Health, the DeVos Family Foundation and more.
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