200 Greenwich Street - Proposed WTC Tower #2 - by Norman Foster

[HoveringCheesecake]

Originally Posted by RandySavage

^ Was money received in insurance for the WTC earmarked to be spent solely at the WTC site? If not, some of it could have gone toward Silver Towers on 42nd st.


With regards to the cost of WTC 2, one of these articles said Slvrstn Properties needs $625m in financing from the frozen credit markets to build it, but no mention of what the total cost is.

Good question. I'm of the opinion that the Liberty Bonds weren't allocated the way they should have been (GS), so I wouldn't be surprised if some were used in Midtown. Weren't they used for Bank of America, as well?

I know Silverstein used some for Tower 7 and forfeited some to the PA for Tower 1.

[westmc9th]

when should actual construction start of this hopefully by 2010

[STT757]

Originally Posted by HoveringCheesecake

Not sure about the chiller plant. There was an article a few months ago about Silverstein's towers needing their own systems so that the PA's was more "green."

The biggest problem is the Transportation Hub. Maybe I'll get flogged here for saying this, but if it comes down to the hub and the towers, then give me the towers.

Give me the Transportation hub, with security issues it's likely that 99.9% of the residents of the area (including myself) will never even set one foot in towers 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc.. The Calatrava hub on the other hand will be the only true public place at the World Trade Center, it will also be a "Grand" entrance point for travelers to NYC when the PATH train is extended to Newark Airport and the eventually Lower Manhattan-JFK rail link.

[BrooklynRider]

^ Totally agree.

[londonlawyer]

Originally Posted by STT757

Give me the Transportation hub, with security issues it's likely that 99.9% of the residents of the area (including myself) will never even set one foot in towers 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc.. The Calatrava hub on the other hand will be the only true public place at the World Trade Center, it will also be a "Grand" entrance point for travelers to NYC when the PATH train is extended to Newark Airport and the eventually Lower Manhattan-JFK rail link.

I doubt that a rail link ever will be built. NY is broke.

[antinimby]

Originally Posted by STT757

Give me the Transportation hub, with security issues it's likely that 99.9% of the residents of the area (including myself) will never even set one foot in towers 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc.. The Calatrava hub on the other hand will be the only true public place at the World Trade Center, it will also be a "Grand" entrance point for travelers to NYC when the PATH train is extended to Newark Airport and the eventually Lower Manhattan-JFK rail link.

That is not competely correct. All of the towers to be built will have retail on the lower floors, so the public (including you) will have a chance to set foot in them.

[STT757]

Originally Posted by antinimby

That is not competely correct. All of the towers to be built will have retail on the lower floors, so the public (including you) will have a chance to set foot in them.

Being able to buy a Starbucks coffee in the lobby of an office building is not the same as standing underneath the arches of the Calavatrava station with the sun beaming down, those lobbies retail or not are not public spaces.

[antinimby]

You said that people would never "set one foot" in them, and I've pointed out that you were wrong.

These are office buildings, they were never meant to be "public spaces." Most office buildings or any other buildings now have security, which is a good thing.

Most of the site is dedicated to being public space already anyway. How much more public space do you need?

Do you see an urgent need for the public to hang around inside the lobbies of the office towers?

Is that so desperately needed by the public? What purpose will that serve?

[lofter1]

The towers to the east of the Memorial site along Greenwich have been designed with public areas in the base(s), partly as viewing areas over the Memorial and also with areas meant for public access (retail, food, etc.). In NYC when public money is used for buildings then public access to parts of the building is included (the new B of A tower, NY Times Tower, etc.). Of course portions of the lower floors in the WTC towers, as in any new office building, will be off limits to those without a specific need for access.