Chicago, L.A. towers were next targets

Washington Times ^ | 3/30/04 | Paul Martin

[kattracks]

LONDON

[sixmil]

Thank God they weren't able to pull it off. I remember thinking, after hearing the Pentagon got hit, the Sears Tower would be next. Finally we heard some fighters overhead and knew that it was over. Except we had no idea the towers would come down.

[CyberAnt]

"The second wave ... Those plans were aborted mainly because of the decisive U.S. response to the New York and Washington attacks"

We grounded all aircraft!

I'd be very curious what the 5 west coast targets were, or 4, because one of them was supposed to be the LA Library.

[Yaelle]

Wonder what the Library Tower is. I was born in L.A. and lived here almost all my life but I have never heard of a library tower.

Mohammed was the hairy guy in the size XXXXXL T-shirt, right?

I am proud of our country. Since we mobilized so fast, we prevented thousands of other deaths. And they obviously haven't been able to do anything else here since, either.

[BunnySlippers]

The Library Tower in LA? I love the library ... and the new library is great. But it's a three story tower. What am I missing? Downtown is filled with huge towers.

[Yaelle]

one of them was supposed to be the LA Library.

The L.A. Central Library is not a tower, by any stretch.

[ladyinred]

We certainly ought to be thankful that just happenstance caused the air traffic to be shut down during the attack or we might have seen more horror. I know it was just a lucky coincidence since Bush wasn't concerned about any of this, and handled the attacks so wrong according to that wonder boy Clarke.(sarcasm)

Seriously, we are so fortunate he was the CIC, as most American's including democrats said at the time, rather than Gore. Thank God!!

[GOPrincess]

I feel kinda dumb, but as a lifelong Southern Californian I can't figure this out...a library tower? Why not the ARCO towers or something?

[G-Bob]

Isn't the old or new First Interstate building called the Library Tower?

[CyberAnt]

Well .. talk to the terrorists - I didn't choose the target!

[BunnySlippers]

I don't see movies. They say it was destroyed in the movie "Independence Day". I work on the 25th floor of a building in Brentwood ... I know I was nervous on 9-11.

[G-Bob]

North Side of 5th Street, west of Grand Avenue

The cylindrical structure on the left was completed in 1989 using plans from J.M. Pei and Partners. At 1017 feet, it is the tallest building west of Chicago and east of Hong Kong, and perhaps symbolized the final rung in Los Angeles' climb toward world city status. The 350 million dollar project was nicknamed the Library Tower because it "borrowed" the air rights of the Los Angeles Central Library in exchange for support of the Library renovation. It is a round high rise with the diameter decreasing toward the top, and it is capped by a "lighthouse".


http://www.usc.edu/dept/geography/losangeles/lawalk/new/tower.html

[PRND21]

Wonder what the Library Tower is.

It's where my wife works.

[EGPWS]

But the terrorists seem to have been surprised by the strength of the American reaction to the September 11 attacks. "Afterwards, we never got time to catch our breath, we were immediately on the run," Mohammed is quoted as saying.

What's the matter?

Eight years of Presidential complacency wind up surprising you when unabashed American resolve coupled with a business like leader took over?

[GOPrincess]

Wow, thanks! Learn something new every day. Interesting stuff. I've seen this building but didn't know its name/nickname -- so this isn't actually connected to the library other than using their air rights in return for financial support of the library?

[GOPrincess]

Thanks for the info on the library tower!

(PS My husband works on the C-17 near Long Beach Airport...not in a tower, but they all got the heck outta there on 9/11!)

[GOPrincess]

Great photo, that helps a lot!

[PRND21]

Pre 9/11 you could walk around on the roof. Security, of course. has tightened.

[piasa]

fyi

[Neanderthal]

"North Side of 5th Street, west of Grand Avenue"

Do you know the street address?