Anything Less Is Suicide (World Trade Center)

Capitalism Magazine online ^ | July 21, 2002 | Sherri Tacinski

[stanz]

So what would your solution be?

[VetoBill]

I agree. To me it seems way too many people are jumping into the 'bigger and better' camp without first addressing certain crucial issues.

How much floor space is needed?
How many companies wish to lease business space?
What are the needs of those wishing to rent?
How long will it take to build a 110+ story structure?
What is the chances of current possible renters finding desirable office space before completion?
Will it be cost effective?

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

[Erasmus]

I disagree. There's a disadvantage in building structures so tall that they take about an hour to evacuate. Rebuild the WTC certainly, but keep safety considerations in mind.

Solution: require there to be enough parachutes available for all inhabitants.

<>==<)B^)

[decimon]

Then the NY Port Authority should just put the land up for sale.

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.

[decimon]

So what would your solution be?

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.

[decimon]

You sound like a level-headed businessman.

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.

[discostu]

Kind of look like prison bars to me. Of course if you look at the old WTC with 9-10 they mostly gained their beauty by beeing so damn big, aesthetically they were just plain boxes. With 9-12 eyes of course they were gorgeous but we should be looking at the replacement with 9-10 eyes IMHO (I'd like something bigger and taller, but I'm not king and in the end these things need to make money, not just satisfy the urge for revenge).

[stanz]

Isn't that what's going to be done at the site? With office property at such a premium in NYC, I don't think the site is going to be dominated by memorials.

[decimon]

I would let private developers decide what is the need for office space.

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.

[stanz]

I agree that private developers should decide what is to be built on the site, too. There have been so many ideas generated for a memorial and the families of the victims should have input, but 9/11 happened to all of us. Something simple, perhaps just an iron tower which rises to the same height as the Twin Towers would stand out on the skyline as a fitting tribute. There would still be plenty of space for other habitable structures for offices, etc.
My personal choice would be to put back the towers and adjoining buildings exactly as they were and design a memorial much like the one you described.

[Silly]

It is rather imposing, isn't it?

[sixmil]

Pure symbolism over substance. I can understand that many people would want to rebuild the towers or even make then taller, but I think that is just a way of trying to undo what happened on 9/11. We should save all the symbolism for the memorial, not the new 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.