Reply With QuoteStern: there a bit of a major difference between on hold and cancelled.
I am more than satisfied; I believe that the final design surpasses that of the original World Trade Center. 10/10
While nothing may ever live up to the Twin Towers, I am wholly satisfied with the new World Trade Center; it is a new symbol for a new era. 7/10
I have come to terms with the new World Trade Center; although it has a number of flaws, I find the design to be acceptable. 5/10
I am wholly disappointed with the New World Trade Center; we will live to regret the final design. 0/10
I am biased, but honest, and hate anything that is not a reincarnation of the original Twin Towers.
I swear to god, you are the most frustrating member we have had since TalB.Originally Posted by PHLguy
Okay, SSP is press, Gulcrapek who entered the data knows straight from Silverstein and SOM that the Freedom Tower is scrapped. The Freedom Tower will not be built, rejoice. Now that the Freedom Tower is off the table the twins will be built, you were right all along.
P.S. This isn't sarcasm. Well it is for everyone living in the real world.
Stern: there a bit of a major difference between on hold and cancelled.
You need to re-read my post Gul.
For all of us living in reality the Freedom Tower is too politically important to be cancelled.
But you put something out there like Freedom Tower is on-hold and all those people living in la-la land, run wild with it, they blow it way out of proportion, the source is not official, they have a field day, and you get:
Yes! They are ditching the Freedom Tower. In its place will be twin 111 storey buildings!
What I like about Wired New York is we don't engage in the feeding frenzy.
Well, then they're miseducated. Wasn't the gist of the articles that construction was pretty much on hold?
I don't have a problem with you thinking that its on-hold, personally I think it's under construction, but I could just as easily think it was on-hold.
I have a problem with the people who are reaching for news that they can't get with the press because the press is often obscure, so they read something definitive on SSP and they take it as though it were some breaking official news. They run wild with it. To prevent this I suggest that either SSP cites their sources or they admit their sources are second hand and subjective.
PHLGUY; only then will it become a credible source.
Heeding Outcry, Albany Drops Plan for Tunnel at Ground Zero
By DAVID W. DUNLAP
NY Times
Published: April 14, 2005
A longstanding but controversial plan to rebuild West Street-Route 9A as a tunnel alongside the World Trade Center memorial and Freedom Tower sites has been given up by New York State officials.
Taking into account many objections - including protests by Verizon and Goldman, Sachs & Company, which planned to build a new headquarters on West Street - the state's Department of Transportation will recommend rebuilding the highway as an eight-lane boulevard at the same grade as surrounding streets.
It is too early to say whether the abandonment of the tunnel will affect Goldman's decision, disclosed nine days ago, to suspend negotiations on the West Street parcel and look for a site elsewhere in Manhattan. A company spokesman declined to comment yesterday.
But by embracing a surface boulevard, state officials may have broken one of the bigger logjams in the reconstruction of the trade center site. The at-grade plan will cost about $700 million less than a tunnel, will take less time to build and will cause less disruption of utility lines and other nearby building projects, like Freedom Tower.
Gov. George E. Pataki "believes that this recommendation is the result of an inclusive process which reflects the input of the community and other Lower Manhattan stakeholders," a spokeswoman, Lynn Rasic, said yesterday. "This is the solution that best addresses the needs and concerns that have been raised."
She added that Mr. Pataki hoped some of the federal transit money that would have gone into the tunnel could be applied to a direct rail link between Long Island and Lower Manhattan.
Mr. Pataki endorsed the West Street tunnel two years ago, saying it would "divert loud, fast-moving highway traffic underground to protect the dignity of the memorial, while also providing an elegant welcome at the front door of the World Financial Center."
Another argument in favor of a tunnel was that it might serve as a deterrent to car and truck bombs.
Despite the governor's endorsement, the transportation department had never formally recommended a tunnel. Instead, under the environmental review process, the agency was studying alternatives for rebuilding West Street-Route 9A between Vesey Street and West Thames Street in Battery Park City, just south of Rector Street.
"Based on the cost difference, the construction impacts to the community, the impacts to utilities and the length of construction, the at-grade alternative fits the goals we outlined in the environmental impact statement," said Timothy J. Gilchrist, the agency's director for downstate transportation strategy.
Mr. Gilchrist said the state would notify the Federal Highway Administration of its decision in a few weeks. Should federal officials accept the recommendation, he said, design could begin in early summer and take about 18 months. Construction would cost about $225 million, depending on the number of pedestrian bridges and the amount of landscaping and other amenities. It would take about two years to complete.
"Everyone has been waiting for this decision," said William C. Rudin, chairman of the Association for a Better New York. He said the recommendation would "solve a lot of pieces of the puzzle."
Kevin M. Rampe, the president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, said that the decision on West Street "allows us to move forward" on many fronts.
Like the governor, Mr. Rampe had earlier described the tunnel as the best buffer between highway traffic and a solemn memorial, but yesterday he said that transportation officials had been "very good about ensuring that whatever would be done would be respectful of the memorial and the site."
Well, that's over with.
(cue: post by BPC declaring victory)
(just kidding)
Well, here's my post. But, as a longtime Downtown resident, "victory" won't come until the WTC site is back to being as great as it was on 9/10/01.
Just my two cents. Silverstein is paying for the time of Tishman superintendents, project managers, engineers, and other CM staff. If cash is flowing to a CM, it is definitely not on hold.
is there any construction of the freedom tower or has anyone a few pics?
4-17-05 freedom tower sight
How can the antenna be a modification? We've known about it for a couple years now.
I don't even see why silverstein would eve build this tower if no one is filling 7 WTC. If he cut his rent by 20% to 40$ per SF instead of 50 maybe he would make some money and tenents...but is he smart enough to realize or is he to greedy?
The excerpt said "the design of the Freedom Tower has been modified to allow for a television antenna".
Meaning the off-center antennae topped spire was scrapped in favor of centered antennae(s), with structural impossibilities as justification.
Apparently not. This is another classic example of American power games (not just in NY). Everyone wants their own piece of the greed pie while we get the shaft. Hell, why the heck do we even bother with this crap? Why not sell the site to the highest bidder and tell them to insert a memorial in their plans. Heck, we could get something really nice. There are plenty of hungry developers and dreamists that would more than gladly put a spectacular mark on the skyline.
Let's not forget, the WTC was built to make money. Period. Any other use for this site (except for observance) is absolute bull. Those buildings aren't gonna attract a dime. Get someone like Trump or Vornado to build buildings that will actually bring jobs, money, life to the site. As for height/skyline features, lay out some guidelines (not 400 pages of shit like most rule books) and let them go at it. As for the families, anything other than joy for this process is support for communisum. It's fine that you want someone to remember your pain. Just don't drag us down in some socialist system with you. NY is about moving forward and doing buisness. Any hinderance to that is to agree with the terrorists who started this mess. Period.
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