Much of the original WTC was not leased at the time of the 911 attacks. I don;t know many folks who will want to work on the 90th floor of the fattest, slowest, and biggest target in the USA.
Granted, WTC wasn't a "cool" building to work in -- but there's no way they'll let that ground go "unproductive." At the first hint of that Robert Moses would rise from the grave, walk zombie-like up the center of Lex to give Bloomberg a kick in the nads.
Once Osama busted his move, that became completely beside the point. I'm with Donald Trump on this one. Build the towers again, only stronger, and from the exterior absolutely indistinguishable from the originals, down to the last detail, it doesn't matter if nobody but the NYPA offices there.
You have to take away Mohamed Atta's victory trophy -- which is the hole in the New York skyline. You absolutely cannot let them have the last word on that.
And if it takes a billion damned people dying under a rain of our weapons, if George Bush and the next five presidents have to drop this country's mailed fist until there are absolutely no Moslems left who object to our having two 1300-foot buildings at the corner of Vesey St. and West Side Highway, then that is what we by-God have to do.
We are entitled to peace, security, and the enjoyment of our property and our community. No cringing before Moo holy men -- kill every last one of them, if they're going to bring that attitude. Whatever it takes to make Islam really a "religion of peace", well, then, let's do it. But no crayfishing on repairing the damage they did.