NEW WTC DESIGN REVEALED.....FREEDOM TOWER!

An artist's rendering of a night view of the proposed Freedom Tower, center, as seen from the south. At left are the Empire State Building, and Statue of Liberty.


NEW YORK (CNN) -- The Freedom Tower, proposed to restore Lower Manhattan's skyline, will be the world's tallest building, according to the architects, who unveiled the revised model Friday.

The tower, designed to be a centerpiece of the rebuilding plan for the World Trade Center site, will rise 1,776 feet -- a nod to the year the United States declared its independence. The height stays as originally proposed a year ago by architect Daniel Libeskind, since designated the site's master planner.

The downed 110-story twin towers of the World Trade Center site were once the world's tallest structures but ranked about fifth before the attacks.

The tower's angular shape and appearance has been altered as a result of Libeskind's work with David Childs, the architect for real estate developer Larry Silverstein, the trade center leaseholder. Silverstein hopes to replace all 10 million square feet of commercial space lost in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center.

The intentional crashes of hijacked passenger jets leveled the Twin Towers and five smaller buildings, killing 2,752 people.

Libeskind and Childs, forced to work together by rebuilding officials, were asked to submit a final design this week by New York Gov. George Pataki, who wants to break ground on the building before the Republican National Convention next August.

The new building design, unveiled at Federal Hall, the site of President George Washington's first inaugural, includes 70 floors topped by a column of energy-generating wind turbines. The tower is encased from top to bottom in a steel cabled netting that designers likened to cables on a suspension bridge like the Brooklyn Bridge.

A broadcast antenna brings the structure's total height above 2,000 feet. The building includes 2.6 million square feet of commercial space.

There will be 63 floors of office space capped by an indoor observation deck, a restaurant above that, and a vent space on top. The glass tower has a twisted shape which designers say is meant to echo the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

At this point I don't care anymore. Just fill the blank already.

I haven't to the site since I ran from it. I just wish it were rebuilding already.

*sigh*

They said it should be done in 4 yrs...

I am in the same boat as Xelndria. Lets just start to rebuild. I go down to the area every so often just to reflect and its so sad.

I wish we would just break ground and start to rebuild.

4 years....wow thats a long time

Actually, I don't think 4 years is long at all. It took 11 years to build and open the first towers. I know we've come a long way architecturally, but 4 years isn't much considering the dynamic of the project.

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Posted by Xelindrya


At this point I don't care anymore. Just fill the blank already.

I haven't to the site since I ran from it. I just wish it were rebuilding already.

*sigh*

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I haven't been down there in years, but I ran from it when it was bombed on my 25th birthday (2/26/93). I hate all the squabbling that's gone on about what to do there. I agree, though, do something and get started.

Misty, Roger said the same thing It makes me wonder how strong or how sound the foundation is going to be.

They could not build the towers back the same way b/c people were so against that plan with the memory walk and the memorial etc, etc.

People will work there, believe you me, they will.

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Posted by reallybehind!

4 years yikes! my question is who would want to work there? i wasn't any where near there that day and i still wouldn't want to. i wonder if this is just a bad idea altogether and if maybe it should just be a nice park.

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I will
I'd work there again in a heartbeat!!!

Screw them Ba$tards who blew up my office and destroyed my life. I want it back. I'd love nothing more than to look out one of those windows and see Lady Liberty as I did before with the sun setting thinking.. 'No matter what, she stands there and so should I'

To me it would be the ultimate 'screw you' to them. You aint scaring me off so easily. I don't worry as much about 'what if' hell I nearly died that day.. every day now is just an extension, a bonus. If it's my time to go I wont go hiding. If I went back there and died there I'd like my children or family to know its because I believe in my American right to Choose to do whatever I want and I choose not to live in fear.

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Posted by Xelindrya

Screw them Ba$tards who blew up my office and destroyed my life. I want it back. I'd love nothing more than to look out one of those windows and see Lady Liberty as I did before with the sun setting thinking.. 'No matter what, she stands there and so should I'

To me it would be the ultimate 'screw you' to them. You aint scaring me off so easily. I don't worry as much about 'what if' hell I nearly died that day.. every day now is just an extension, a bonus. If it's my time to go I wont go hiding. If I went back there and died there I'd like my children or family to know its because I believe in my American right to Choose to do whatever I want and I choose not to live in fear.

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I love your attitude, I was running away from my building as well, I was covered in all that stuff, and I so agree. Tomorrow is promised to no one, live each day to the fullest, why live it in fear. We were living before and they were planning this all along we have to live our lives.

I'm glad to hear that some sort of agreement has been reached, and that this project is finally taking flight. It will be so nice to see something going up at the site.

X, I admire your strength! After all you've been through...I commend your spirit

I'd like to have the same determination. I worked down the block before and after 9/11. After seeing what I saw that day, it took all of my strength to go up to my office which was only on the 30th floor of our building. I'd really like to share in your spirit, but I can't.

I work out on LI now. While I miss downtown very much, I don't miss the fears I had to fight on a daily basis.

Thank goodness most NY-ers aren't like me

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Posted by ss2002

X, I admire your strength! After all you've been through...I commend your spirit

I'd like to have the same determination. I worked down the block before and after 9/11. After seeing what I saw that day, it took all of my strength to go up to my office which was only on the 30th floor of our building. I'd really like to share in your spirit, but I can't.

I work out on LI now. While I miss downtown very much, I don't miss the fears I had to fight on a daily basis.

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Each of us needs to live our lives the way we feel most comfortable. There is no shame in that. That day was horrible and terrifing. I am just pissy cause Im STILL in physical therapy STILL fighting the 'system' and NEVER EVER filed for Relief funds or money. I live everyday with pain because these stupid freaks wanted to prove a point. Now I am struggling to prove mine. It's gonna take a lot more than a plane.

I will honestly and admit without shame that if another incident occurrs in New York I will leave no matter what. There's a limit to anyone's strength.

It's a shame that it took Gov. Pataki to force the 2 architects to 'play nice' in order for the plans to be unveiled today. I don't understand why the LMDC and NYS had a contest for architects to come up with designs if Silverstein was just going to bring his own guy in anyway. Liebeskind and Childs don't get along (from what the papers say).

I am divided on the subject of what to put there. In one way yes rebuild, show that we are not afraid of them. But then I also think that it should be a memorial park out of respect for those that died there. So....I don't know. I don't think I'd be able to work there after they rebuild. Honestly, I'd be too scared.
Then again that sort of thing could happen in the area I work in now.

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Posted by Maribelle7777

Then again that sort of thing could happen in the area I work in now.

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That is why I say, I have to continue living

All sentiment aside (which is not easy to do), all I can say is that I HATE the designs they came up with. I don't think there was a single design plan that was voted on that I liked. It's a shame, really. The building doesn't need to be grandiose and ultra-artistic...just meaningful, and the meaning is not found in the design, but in the emotions and people behind it.

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Posted by shamma

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Posted by Maribelle7777

Then again that sort of thing could happen in the area I work in now.

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That is why I say, I have to continue living

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True, true but I don't think I would feel as comfortable at the new WTC as I would elsewhere.

Besides, I like my 60 minute door-to-door commute right now

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The building doesn't need to be grandiose and ultra-artistic...just meaningful, and the meaning is not found in the design, but in the emotions and people behind it.

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I agree with jannshari about the building... I don't like it either..

And, wow... I have to say to all the people that were righ there the day of 9/11 and had to run.. I was in midtown (pretty far considering) and I was scared to death looking out the window of our office building.. it seems like yesterday..