"Reflecting on the Two-Year Anniversary of the Surfside Condo Collapse"
The proposed construction of a luxury oceanfront condominium building on the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has sparked a bitter debate over whether the 1.8-acre lot should also include space for a memorial to the 98 people who died in the tragedy. Family members of the victims are calling for a memorial to be incorporated into the plans for the new building, while the developer, DAMAC International, contends that the new building will "add meaningful value to the beachside haven that is Surfside." The emotional debate is now dominating town meetings in Surfside and serving as yet another test of how the nation recognizes grief and memorializes victims of tragedies.