Posted on 07/23/2002 11:41:09 AM PDT by thmiley
[CAPITALISMMAGAZINE.COM] As both an architect and architectural historianthat is, as someone who cares about buildings nearly as much as I care about my friends and familyI felt like I lost an old friend on September 11 when the towers of the World Trade Center crumbled to the ground. While the nation mourned the thousands of people who died that day, I also mourned for the two buildings that died that day.
I could not write about rebuilding the towers until the site was completely cleared; one would never discuss settling the estate until after the funeral. But now that the Port Authority has announced its diminutive plans for the WTC sitenone of the proposals calls for a tower at anything near the original height of the twin towersI must shout to every American: "Don't do it, it doesn't have to end this way." It is the same cry you would shout to stop a suicide.
Anything less than a new tower at the same heightor higheris demonstrating to those who hate us that we intend to cut back, roll over, and give up. It is not the quick, violent suicide of putting a gun to your head, but the slow suicide of a man who has given up trying to live.
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Excerpted. See original article at: Capitalism Magazine
Solution: require there to be enough parachutes available for all inhabitants.
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I'd love to see that. The PA shouldn't be undermining free enterprise developers with their boondoggles.
Since I don't get a chance to say, "No Thank You" to the guy collecting the federal taxes that WILL be used to rebuild this thing (and believe me, I would), I say build the hell out of it. At the very minimum, replace what was lost.
Yeah, there has to federal money this time. I can't agree with supporting their building the hell out of it though. I was an NYC resident for 53 years and I remember what was the reality of the WTC.
Not to be flip but if I thought I had solutions then I'd be some brand of socialist. The best results come from letting private parties make their decisions based on what they will risk their own money in building.
I personally would find it tragic if a large structure was completed, and we could not rent out all the floor space. I believe that would be a terrible legacy to the 911 victims
That's what happened with the WTC. Companies didn't like what they saw and didn't move in until there was an office space crunch. That's why there were so many government agencies in the WTC.
As for a memorial...well, I would favor something simple and dignified. This is a picture of the New York City Vietnam Veteran Memorial; the "Wall of Letters." It's not far from the WTC site, on Water Street. I can tell you that the effect of it is much stronger than would be any gaudy display. It's between three office buildings.
Tall, skinny buildings are difficult to evacuate during a fire, and the fire itself is difficult to put out when it is tens of stories in the air. These building also waste alot of space with all their elevator shafts. If they want to build something tall, make sure it is also wide.
The big point that everyone seems to be missing is that most of the detractors want to see more open space (anti-business) and affordable housing (code word for public or subsidized housing). These leftwing political opportunists must be stopped. I can not imagine a more UNfitting memorial than building projects on a site where thousands of people lost their lives simply for showing up to work on time.
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