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Rebuilding begins at Ground Zero
BBC News ^ | July 4, 2004 | Staff

Posted on 07/04/2004 9:44:05 AM PDT by MadIvan


Libeskind's design has been toned down
A ceremony has been held in New York to mark the start of building on the skyscraper which will replace the destroyed World Trade Center.

A 20-ton block of granite was laid as a cornerstone of the Freedom Tower, which is planned to be the tallest building in the world at 1,776 feet (541m).

Its height reflects the date of US independence, while the ceremony was held on Independence Day.

But the final look of the building, due for completion by 2009, is uncertain.

Symbolism

New York's mayor said he could not imagine a more appropriate day for the ceremony.

"The cause of liberty can never be defeated," Michael Bloomberg said in remarks at Ground Zero.

New York Governor George Pataki said the tower would replicate that "great lady of liberty" - and stand as a "new symbol of American strength and confidence".

The project, designed by visionary architect Daniel Libeskind, has been mired in controversy.

Initial replacement designs put forward by the body which controls the site were greeted with disappointment by the public.

Anger at the perceived blandness of the proposals provoked a second competition to provide a master plan, which was won last February by Mr Libeskind.

WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE TIMELINE
July 2002: Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) releases six initial design concepts and, in following months, launches global search for design and planning professionals

December 2002: LMDC releases nine initial designs and launches outreach campaign to engage public in planning process

February 2003: Memory Foundations by Studio Daniel Libeskind selected as plan

September 2003: Release of refined master site plan

His plan envisaged a soaring spire a third of a mile high (541 metres), with hanging gardens and a shaft of sunlight that would penetrate the building each year on the anniversary at the moments when the hijacked planes struck on 11 September 2001.

But the boldness of Mr Libeskind's original proposals have been toned down in what BBC arts correspondent Lawrence Pollard describes as a classic collision of commerce, practicality and vision.

The lead architect hired by the leaseholder and developer Larry Silverstein has made changes to Mr Libeskind's design for the tower.

While the height and spire remain, the latest plans replace Mr Libeskind's "gardens in the sky" with windmills in an open area at the top.

"Happily, I am still intensively and fully engaged as the master planner for ground zero," Mr Libeskind wrote in a letter published on 27 June in The New York Times in reaction to an article titled, "The Incredible Shrinking Daniel Libeskind".

'A priceless piece'

The BBC's Stephen Evans in New York says a change of plan was inevitable.

Our correspondent says Ground Zero is many things - a mass grave, a field of memories, a political symbol - but it is also prime real estate at the heart of the financial capital of the world.


The foundation "footprint" has been a source of much contention
A recent legal judgement ordering a lower insurance payout on the Twin Towers than had been expected by Mr Silverstein has complicated the project.

And victims' relatives argue that construction will damage the footprint, or foundations, of the twin towers and the steel-enforced concrete "slurry wall", which encased them.

"This is a priceless piece of our American history," said Anthony Gardner, a Coalition of 9/11 Families member whose brother was killed.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: New York; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: cornerstone; freedomtower; groundzero; rebuilding; skyscraper; wtc
Happy Independence Day.

Regards, Ivan


1 posted on 07/04/2004 9:44:06 AM PDT by MadIvan
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To: Dont Mention the War; KangarooJacqui; Happygal; Luircin; Fiddlstix; lainde; Denver Ditdat; ...

Ping!


2 posted on 07/04/2004 9:44:34 AM PDT by MadIvan (Ronald Reagan - proof positive that one man can change the world.)
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To: MadIvan
... the latest plans replace Mr Libeskind's "gardens in the sky" with windmills in an open area at the top.

"Windmills" instead of "gardens in the sky" -- who cares, just build it already.

3 posted on 07/04/2004 10:06:39 AM PDT by FreeReign
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To: MadIvan
Our correspondent says Ground Zero is many things - a mass grave, a field of memories, a political symbol - but it is also prime real estate at the heart of the financial capital of the world.

And victims' relatives argue that construction will damage the footprint, or foundations, of the twin towers and the steel-enforced concrete "slurry wall", which encased them. "This is a priceless piece of our American history," said Anthony Gardner, a Coalition of 9/11 Families member whose brother was killed.

Sorry. The priceless history of this site is "prime real estate at the heart of the financial capital of the world". It should not be a site for endless mourning.

Just build it already.

4 posted on 07/04/2004 10:12:54 AM PDT by FreeReign
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To: MadIvan

Why all the hostility towards this plan? I think a 1,776 foot tower is a great idea. Much better than building a grim memorial. I think the building's design will grow on us eventually. It should be mentioned that when the Twin Towers were going up back in the early 1970s, many people grumbled at that design also.


5 posted on 07/04/2004 10:15:46 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (Manos - The Hands Of Fate)
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To: FreeReign

.


3 Offers to send us OSAMA during the 1990's =


3 Offers refused by CLINTON during the 1990's =



Remember the Lost and Suffering on September 11, 2001

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33


.


6 posted on 07/04/2004 10:18:03 AM PDT by ALOHA RONNIE (Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.LZXRAY.com)
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To: MadIvan; All

Hey Ivan there was History Channel special about this 9/11 design you saw original drawing that pretty cool very sci-fi


7 posted on 07/04/2004 10:22:52 AM PDT by SevenofNine ("Not everybody , in it, for truth, justice, and the American way,"=Det Lennie Briscoe)
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To: MadIvan; All

Hey Ivan there was History Channel special about this 9/11 design you saw original drawing that pretty cool very sci-fi


8 posted on 07/04/2004 10:22:54 AM PDT by SevenofNine ("Not everybody , in it, for truth, justice, and the American way,"=Det Lennie Briscoe)
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To: SevenofNine
I can't say I've seen the original design fully...I did see Lord Foster's design and thought it was the best of the lot.

Regards, Ivan

9 posted on 07/04/2004 10:25:13 AM PDT by MadIvan (Ronald Reagan - proof positive that one man can change the world.)
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To: SamAdams76

Couldn't agree with you more. Build it already. And we'll applaud every inch on the way up.


10 posted on 07/04/2004 10:36:44 AM PDT by GVnana
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To: MadIvan

It's time for the coalition of the families to SHUT UP!


11 posted on 07/04/2004 10:48:54 AM PDT by OldFriend (IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER.......AND SINCE IT'S IN ENGLISH, THANK A SOLDIER)
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To: MadIvan
A recent legal judgement ordering a lower insurance payout on the Twin Towers than had been expected by Mr Silverstein has complicated the project.

Understatement of the year. That "lower payout" was a full 50% reduction from what Silverstein was expecting. They don't have the money to build this monstrosity, and nobody wants it except Liebskind and the Port Authority.

Why don't they just do what everyone wants and rebuild the WTC using modern construction methods? A BBC radio reporter was at Ground Zero yesterday and said that everyone he asked who lives and works in the neighborhood wants a rebuild, without any sanctimonious "memorial" BS.

12 posted on 07/04/2004 11:32:10 AM PDT by Dont Mention the War (we use the ¡°ml maximize¡± command in Stata to obtain estimates of each aj , bj, and cm.)
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To: FreeReign
Just build it already.

Exactly. (How did I know before clicking on your profile that you were a New Yorker? ;-)
13 posted on 07/04/2004 6:34:07 PM PDT by KangarooJacqui (In recovery from a liberal arts education since 1994...)
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To: Dont Mention the War
Why don't they just do what everyone wants and rebuild the WTC using modern construction methods? A BBC radio reporter was at Ground Zero yesterday and said that everyone he asked who lives and works in the neighborhood wants a rebuild, without any sanctimonious "memorial" BS.

I agree with you in principle, but the world has moved on since the 1970's. Does anyone really want to work in such enormously tall buildings anymore? Is it even economic? If I were in charge of leasing office space for a company, I sure wouldn't be taking the 107th storey of something like the WTC.

I just don't think anyone has sat down and just done the figures - calmly, unemotionally, rationally. Of course not. Three thousand people lost their lives at that site less than three years ago, and the world looked on, horrified, as we saw it live on TV. I still get emotional just thinking about it. But which of the options has the best economic chance of success? By all means, memorialise the victims, but in the process, let's not get tied up in the past.

Belated Happy Independence Day, Americans. Cheers.
14 posted on 07/04/2004 6:44:50 PM PDT by KangarooJacqui (In recovery from a liberal arts education since 1994...)
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To: KangarooJacqui
Belated Happy Independence Day, Americans. Cheers.

Thanks Jacqui. I hope all is well down under, in Australia. :)

15 posted on 07/04/2004 7:56:05 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: FreeReign

Well, I sure prefer midwinter here in South-East Queensland to midwinter in New England, that's for sure! The night I went to NYC in early 2003 was bitterly cold. I couldn't help thinking how it was summer Down Under...

Now the tables are reversed again, and I just hope it's not too humid where you are. God bless America, and keep BOTH our countries from socialist governments at the next Federal elections...


16 posted on 07/04/2004 8:31:47 PM PDT by KangarooJacqui (In recovery from a liberal arts education since 1994...)
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To: OldFriend
It's time for the coalition of the families to SHUT UP!

I agree. These people will NEVER be happy regardless of what is done with the WTC site.
After all that's been done to compensate and accommodate them since 9-11, I am frankly tired of their demands and attitude of personal entitlement. It's wearing thin.

17 posted on 07/04/2004 9:21:16 PM PDT by Jorge
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To: Jorge

Actually heard a family member insist that the remains of the victims are still there at the site and NOTHING should be built there.


18 posted on 07/05/2004 7:25:23 AM PDT by OldFriend (IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER.......AND SINCE IT'S IN ENGLISH, THANK A SOLDIER)
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