NEW YORK - It is a place of sacrifice.

It's a place where tourists crane their necks to snatch a glimpse around barriers walling off an enormous construction site - which is also what it is.

In recent weeks, as debate has raged over the placement of a planned Islamic cultural center and mosque a couple of blocks from the construction, Americans have been reminded of just how many people lay claim to this place, the focal point for all those who have a stake in the legacy of Sept. 11.