9/11 Tribute Center Finds New, Bigger Home

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Before the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, there was the 9/11 Tribute Center.

The center has served approximately 4 million visitors since opening in 2006 on Liberty Street across from Ground Zero.

Now, it is moving to a new location at 88 Greenwich St., expanding its space and mission "to include the 9/11 community as a model of recovery and inspiration for service," CEO Jennifer Adams-Webb said.

The space is three times as big as the old center and the lease runs 36 years, according to The New York Times.

New exhibits will depict the events of 9/11, the response, recovery and rebuilding, global outreach and a new digital interactive that "will inspire visitors to make a commitment to volunteer and perform acts of charitable service," according to a press release on the center's website.

Center co-founder Lee Ielpi, who lost his firefighter son in the terror attack, said the center will look at what happened then and where we are now.

"We're going to talk about tomorrow, we're going to talk about how do we make tomorrow better," Ielpi said.

The new center is expected to open next spring.

"While we can never repay our first responders for their sacrifice, the 9/11 Tribute Center is one small way we can show the world the depth of their courage," stated Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "This expansion and relocation will allow countless more residents, visitors and tourists to visit this intrepid museum and learn more about these extraordinary service men and women and the profound and enduring impact they have had on our city and state."