Fort Lauderdale removed part of its 9/11 memorial base to protect it from seawall damage, weeks before 25th anniversary

The 9/11 memorial along Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk is showing signs of damage as an aging seawall has led to erosion and safety concerns.

A portion of the Riverwalk from Andrews Avenue to the train bridge has been barricaded by the city, but now the bricks near the 9/11 memorial are crumbling — just weeks before the country marks 25 years since the attacks.

"We had plans for the 25th memorial of the 9/11 tragedy, and our memorial here may be in the New River by then," said Rick Celender.

Celender is a founding donor of the newly redone Huizenga Park, steps away from the 9/11 memorial on the Riverwalk.

With the city and country preparing to remember those we lost 25 years ago, he worries the memorial won't survive for a ceremony.

"The subsidence of the Riverwalk and deterioration of the memorial itself is really quite scary," Celender said.

The city said the aging seawall has led to soil erosion, causing the pavers to slip into the river and leaving dangerous gaps.

The seawall has been identified as the second priority in the city's master replacement plan, but construction isn't expected to begin until the summer of 2027 and is set to take at least a year to complete.

"You're paying for the location, right? And that's not just the building — it's everything around it," said Matt Tauer.

Tauer said the erosion has been a hot topic in his building right on the Riverwalk.

"It's not keeping me up at night, but it's definitely something I see every day, and I'm wondering if that's going to get worse anytime soon," Tauer said.

A spokesperson with the City of Fort Lauderdale shared the following statement with CBS News Miami:

"The City of Fort Lauderdale recognizes the significance of the 9/11 Memorial along the Riverwalk, particularly as our community prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The City is aware of deterioration to the pavers surrounding the memorial related to the seawall conditions in this section of the Riverwalk. A section of the memorial's base was proactively removed to protect it from potential damage and is being safely stored by the City.

As part of the planned seawall improvements, the memorial will ultimately be elevated along with the surrounding area, and the removed portion of the base will be reinstalled.

City staff are evaluating what can safely be done to improve the area surrounding the memorial before September 11. We understand the importance of this memorial to our community and are committed to preserving it with the care and respect it deserves.

The City's annual September 11 remembrance ceremony has historically been held at the Fort Lauderdale Fire and Safety Museum and will be held there again this year. As we mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, we encourage the community to join us for this solemn remembrance as we honor the lives lost and the first responders who answered the call that day."

"I understand that there's some money set aside to repair it, but I hope they can repair it before the memorial ends up in the New River," Celender said.

A local nonprofit called The Thank You First Responder Organization usually holds its 9/11 remembrance at the memorial. This year, organizers said they plan to move it around the corner because they feel the grounds are too unsafe.