A select group of MAS donors gathered last night on the roof of the Battery Park Parking Garage where Tribute in Light is installed to watch the illumination up-close. Architect’s Newspaper reports from the roof, where MAS Chairman Philip Howard, President Kent Barwick, and Senior Vice-President Frank Sanchis spoke describing MAS’ role in bringing Tribute in Light about both initially and now annually. Representatives of Space Cannon Italia, producers of the 7000watt xenon-bulb lamps, then described how the lights work and are arranged and focused to produce the strongest beams of light ever aimed from Earth into the sky.

For more details about the lights themselves, click here to watch a short video, or here to read a FOX news report on the technology that produces this remarkable sculpture in light.

To add to yesterday’s news coverage that the residential population of lower Manhattan is growing since September 11, 2001, a new study reported in Crain’s New York Business today shows that the amount of public space is shrinking dramatically.

In other news, the number of visitors to Governors Island has almost doubled this year. Newsday reports that 100,000 people have been to the island in the last 3 months.

The upzoning for St. George in Staten Island was approved by the City Planning Commission, says the Staten Island Advance; heights of buildings will be capped at 20 stories.

Curbed caught wind that Sir Norman Foster has a designed a nine story gallery for a Chelsea art dealer on the Bowery.

Downtown Express reports that the General Growth plan for South Street Seaport, which will be presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission in October for approval, may include a school inside the proposed community center at Pier 17.