WTC Tower One - by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

[bkmonkey]

Not officially but evidence points to no.

right...... the freedom tower will be built.. there is no question about that. It's the pace of the project that everyone is arguing about. Id like to see the evidence you are pointing to though

[PHLguy]

I don't mean to be so pesemistic, but I personally beleive it won't ever, could I be wrong? sure. I know the old WTC took a long time, But there is no way they are ready to build this tower in april, or next year. There are too many blockers and problems the site has already. If it happens to be built than that's great but I'm going to count on the site being sold to different developers and them doing whatever the hell the want with it. So I think it's safe to say there will be no more tower 2 either.

[bkmonkey]

I don't mean to be so pesemistic, but I personally beleive it won't ever, could I be wrong? sure. I know the old WTC took a long time, But there is no way they are ready to build this tower in april, or next year. There are too many blockers and problems the site has already. If it happens to be built than that's great but I'm going to count on the site being sold to different developers and them doing whatever the hell the want with it. So I think it's safe to say there will be no more tower 2 either.

If they sold it to a developer, it would be under the stipulation that they would HAVE to build the tower, and the complex. There is simply to much on the line, along with many legacies, i.e. Pataki's legacy, Bloomberg's legacy. The entire downtown economy depends on this rebuilding effort, the momentum behind this is simply to great, and millions have been spent designing already. This tower will be built

[antinimby]

This tower will be built

Let's hope so, but they have got to redesign that ugly base and the silly spire. I'm hoping it gets delayed long enough for a redesign.

[PHLguy]

The entire downtown economy depends on this rebuilding effort, the momentum behind this is simply to great, and millions have been spent designing already. This tower will be built

The economy does not depend on one tower. If they built midrise buildings they would make just as much money. I doubt 10 million square feet will be put back on that site because A. it is not needed and B. If it is sold to other developers they are not likely to splurge on all that space, they will likely build smaller projects. And the rest of the site might not be done until 15 or so years from now at the pace things are moving. And no, The momentum behind the tower is not "simply great" , it's terrible, no ones making any big pushes for the tower to ACTUALLY get built rather their arguing over issues that could have been dealt with a while ago had they not been so thickheaded. Millions have been spent on the design, so? Millions was also spent on Libeskinds design, look where that went. It does not mean the tower will be built. It just means Silverstein is SOL.

[Alonzo-ny]

Let's hope so, but they have got to redesign that ugly base and the silly spire. I'm hoping it gets delayed long enough for a redesign.

They already redesigned it! Its not going to be again. Yes hopefully the base will change but theyre not going to start all over. Childs cant do any better

[bkmonkey]

The economy does not depend on one tower. If they built midrise buildings they would make just as much money. I doubt 10 million square feet will be put back on that site because A. it is not needed and B. If it is sold to other developers they are not likely to splurge on all that space, they will likely build smaller projects. And the rest of the site might not be done until 15 or so years from now at the pace things are moving. And no, The momentum behind the tower is not "simply great" , it's terrible, no ones making any big pushes for the tower to ACTUALLY get built rather their arguing over issues that could have been dealt with a while ago had they not been so thickheaded. Millions have been spent on the design, so? Millions was also spent on Libeskinds design, look where that went. It does not mean the tower will be built. It just means Silverstein is SOL.

d
The design is a hybrid of Libeskinds design. and ooh, the economy does depend on this project. New York wont go to hell if the WTC isn't built, but it wont prosper as much either. The entire downtown economy is on the line. (Downtown is the third largest buisness district in the world). If you assume that the entire project will move forward at the current speed then your worng. That is what the political wrangeling is about, the pace of the project.

[ablarc]

That is what the political wrangeling is about, the pace of the project.

And as they wrangle the project moves forward?

[TonyO]

And as they wrangle the project moves forward?

Yes. The head of the LMDC was quoted in the last Crain's printed issue as stating the FT would be built no matter what. This is just last minute dramatics.

[PHLguy]

And as they wrangle the project moves forward?

exactly, the wrangling is what's causing the delays.

At this point can you honestly expect for it to start construction next month?

[macreator]

Downtown is the third largest buisness district in the world

Downtown is not the 3rd largest business district in the world and not even in the country anymore unfortunately.

Washingtown DC passed Downtown this past year in terms of office space to make Downtown Manhattan the 4th largest U.S. business district. I don't know the statistics exactly, but Downtown is surely further down the list once the entire world is taken into account with Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, and Shanghai accounting for huge business districts.

[Jake]

^lol, I still don't think that's so bad 4th in the richest country in the world? And of course it goes without saying that downtown is not even the "core" of NYC.

That's like saying that NYC would ONLY be the 16th richest country in the world.

[TonyO]

It is nuts to worry about Downtown's place in the business district hierarchy. An interesting factoid, but little else. Downtown isn't going to split off and sink.

Think more about how NYC as a whole is doing. Which is amazing overall.

[antinimby]

The head of the LMDC was quoted in the last Crain's printed issue as stating the FT would be built no matter what.

Yeah, but does it have to be so damn ugly? Honestly, if they're not changing this design, then I rather not see a Freedom Tower at all. Change the dumb name, too.

It is nuts to worry about Downtown's place in the business district hierarchy. An interesting factoid, but little else. Downtown isn't going to split off and sink.
Think more about how NYC as a whole is doing. Which is amazing overall.

Downtown's fall was/is Jersey City's gain. You see all those office towers across the Hudson? Those are filled with companies and workers that should've been in DT or at the very least, somewhere in the 5 boros. The inept NYS and NYC governments helped throw jobs and wealth into the open arms of the state of NJ.

[lofter1]

... I rather not see a Freedom Tower at all. Change the dumb name, too.

One way to do that is to STOP referring to it by that name.

Banish that stupid moniker.

I prefer 1WTC -- or F***dom Tower.

ps: The filter didn't write that, i.e.: when I try to write " **** " . I typed in the asterisks