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Inspirational Architect
Busch (B.Arch. '92) is perhaps best known as the architect who designed the TWA Flight 800 International Memorial at Smith Point County Park on Long Island. The memorial is a moving tribute to those who perished when Flight 800 exploded off Long Island's coast on July 17, 1996.
Designing the memorial proved to be an emotional journey for Busch and many relatives of those who perished on the doomed flight. Busch's design called for a curved granite wall, 12 feet high and 28 feet long. The names of the 230 victims were engraved on one side, while images of 230 doves were etched into the other side (facing the ocean). Fourteen flags line one entrance, representing countries that lost citizens in the crash.
"It certainly was an emotional project," says Busch. "The family representatives had a list of elements for the memorial. And there were conditions at the proposed memorial site that shaped the opportunity of the project. I'd describe it as nestled and sculpted land with a seaside arboretum."
More than two years after Busch embraced the project, the memorial was unveiled on July 14. Those who attended the ceremony were moved by Busch's design. "This memorial affirms life; it affirms the importance of the lives of the people who were lost on Flight 800," said former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In the months since the unveiling, Busch has continued to shape and build his Bay Shore, N.Y.-based architecture firm, aptly named Busch Associates.
The five-year-old company doesn't specialize in a specific architectural niche. Instead, it focuses on a variety of projects-ranging from residential housing development to commercial buildings, restaurants, corporate offices and public schools.
"Starting your own business is all about finding a group of people you're comfortable working with," says Busch. "It's a real team effort."
Busch's 10-person team has roots that stretch back to NYIT. Busch met Dianne Eaton ('92) during his studies at NYIT and eagerly opened the door to her when she decided to join his business a couple of years ago. Says Busch: "You can be dedicated and passionate about your career, but you still need to be surrounded by people who share your values."
That type of thinking made Busch the ideal candidate to design the Flight 800 memorial.
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