Penn State Veteran’s Plaza

Project Description

Located in a high foot traffic area, a curved walkway encircles a lawn, drawing attention to the Spartan shield in the center. The curved wall of the plaza is named after LT Murphy, and the shield is a reference to Murphy’s favorite ancient Greek army, the Spartans. “With it (your shield) or on it,” is the inscription—a common farewell from Spartan mothers to their sons leaving for battle. The monument was designed by Ennead Architects, LLP of New York.

McCrossin erected the white, precast, concrete memorial wall, and completed the footers, sidewalks, sculpture foundation/sculpture placement, handrails, lettering, and site restoration. The schedule was extremely tight, and pedestrian traffic was constant during working hours since the site was located in the busiest part of campus.