Adam Nichols
DNAinfo News Editor
DOWNTOWN - New sketches of the mosque planned two blocks from Ground Zero show a sleek and futuristic building more suited to the Museum of Modern Art than downtown Manhattan.
Wrapped in a honeycomb-style of architecture, the Islamic center which would take over a derelict Burlington Coat Factory on Park Place is designed to be a cosmopolitan place that would offend nobody.
A central part of the building would be a memorial to the victims of 9/11.
"I don't think that, once this thing gets built, anyone will be picketing," Sharif El-Gamal, developer of the project known as Park51, told the Associated Press.
Four of the building's 16 floors would be taken up by a sports, fitness and swimming center, said El-Gamal. Another floor would be filled by a child care center and playground.
The 9/11 memorial and sanctuary would be on the 12th floor, and would be open to people of all faiths.
Elsewhere in the building would be a restaurant, a culinary school, artist studioes, exhibition space and an auditorium designed for cultural events, the AP reported.
Far from being purely for a religious purpose, El-Gamal said the center is designed for Manhattanites looking for a place to work out.
The prayer space would be on two levels in the basement.
The building would have white walls and floors, said El-Gamal.
The sketches, drawn up by Soma Architects, which shares office space with El-Gamal's real estate company, mix a traditional Islamic style with more contemporary design.
"We want to have a marriage between Islamic architecture and New York City," said El-Gamal.
"We want to do something that is green and cool."
The AP said fundraising for the project is set to begin in about 30 days, though groundbreaking isn't expected for another two to three years.
The huge controversy surrounding the mosque - which opponents have called a triumphant celebration by extremist Muslims over the 9/11 attacks - has shocked El-Gamal, he said.
"I would have done things a lot differently during this process if I understood what we were up against," he said.
But he added that most of the criticism had been sparked by "a campaign of deception and deceit."
"People have been calling this the Ground Zero mosque," he said.
"It's not at Ground Zero and it's not a mosque. Our identity has been stolen from us.
"It's been stolen by extremists."
