National Veterans' Memorial and Museum rounding into shape
Construction of the National Veteran’s Memorial and Museum is taking shape in downtown Columbus.
Twenty-eight million pounds of concrete, 500 tons of structural steel, and 7,000 cubic yards of top soil is being used to build the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
"People are thinking military. They're thinking tanks and they're thinking fighter jets. This isn't that museum,” explained Amy Taylor, chief operating officer for the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation.
Taylor explained this museum will offer the public something different.
"This is the veteran's experience. It's a narrative journey from the beginning of our country as well as the beginning of their service."
ABC 6/ FOX 28 got an inside look at the project that consist of two areas with one on the outside.
"We’re standing in what we call the memorial grove. You can see it's a 325-foot long reflecting pool,” explained Nigel Carter with Turner Construction during a tour of the construction site.
The other area is the building which stands in the shadows of the Columbus skyline.
"The architecture is the structure and structure is the architecture,” said Carter.
An unique experience won't be the only thing visitors get. Carter said the building where that experience takes place has a complex design and construction.
"We have very unique form work where every piece has its own curve and height and width and each piece of form work is used one time."
An average of 75 to 100 people work at the construction site, 27 of them are veterans. Their photos or images of loved ones hang inside a nearby trailer.
Veteran's Memorial was demolished to make way for the $75 million project which started in 2015. Colonel Thomas Moe is working with the museum to reach out to veterans group.
"To any of those individuals who still have regrets about Vets Memorial, which was really an auditorium, this is a memorial."
The retired air force veteran considers this project sacred.
"I can come and remember my mates who are fallen, either in combat or in training."
The museum will open in the summer of 2018.
