Will the New World Trade Center Site Become New York's Number One Attraction?

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

As an out-of-town visitor in February of this year who happened to be in the WTC neighborhood, I was shocked to see the towers that were being built. I don't know how I missed that news. I'd heard about the memorial part, but I guess I didn't pay enough attention to learn about the buildings.

The whole idea of rebuilding the towers kind of turned my stomach. It was an emotional response, and I can't really put my finger on why it seemed like such a bad idea. I liked the idea of just the memorial. I guess I see the site as "sacred," and the towers = making money, and it seemed sacrilegious.

I went into the WTC memorial storefront on Liberty Street, and I couldn't even handle that. One look at the firefighter's helmet in a case, and I was overwhelmed and left. I surprised myself at how sad I was 10 years later. I happened to be watching TV on 9/11 and watched the buildings as they fell and continued to watch TV for about the next 18 hours -- and grieved and was horrified -- along with the rest of the world.

Will the new towers become a huge tourist spot? It's not my thing. But I think for most people, especially with the memorial area, yes, it will be big. It's so close to Wall Street, too.

When we were there, it was a Sunday morning, and there were tourists everywhere -- just on Wall Street. WTC will be another "must see" place for people...if it gets more media attention. I read the news like a fiend, and I had no clue what was happening to the site except for the talk about the memorial (and the chatter about the mosque).

That's interesting. I'm always a little surprised when I hear even people from the NY metro area ask, "Are they going to build anything at the WTC site?" I'm thinking Helloooo, construction's been going on since 2005... but it's probably just that I'm too close to it and involved in the project, at least on the periphery.

On the other thand, there is this whole cult of skyscraper geeks on SkyscraperCity.com who have been following the construction of the buildings and the memorial for years, and they are from all over the world.

Thanks for visiting the Tribute Center, though!

[Jahvon09]

I think that the new WTC will eventually become just as popular as the former complex was before it was destroyed.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by Jahvon09

I think that the new WTC will eventually become just as popular as the former complex was before it was destroyed.

If it offers anything like the rooftop view of the original, it will certainly have plenty of visitors. But to think it will become the city's #1 tourist destination is just plain foolish. Unlike some other cities which may not have a lot of selling points, New York is positively overloaded with them.

[grvthang]

I'm just glad that there's actually something for people to look at again. I work across the street from the WTC (90 Church Street, the building with the post office on the ground floor), and I've watched throngs of tourists come to look at nothing for most of the past 10 years. I can't think of any other tourist attraction in the world where people go to look at a site where something used to be.

[Jahvon09]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

If it offers anything like the rooftop view of the original, it will certainly have plenty of visitors. But to think it will become the city's #1 tourist destination is just plain foolish. Unlike some other cities which may not have a lot of selling points, New York is positively overloaded with them.

The rooftops on all of the towers will be quite different, steering architecture completely away from the rooftops of the original buildings.

This is because some of the 09-11 relatives have asked that the same two buildings not be brought back.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by Jahvon09

This is because some of the 09-11 relatives have asked that the same two buildings not be brought back.

I imagine you don't remember some of the reactions when the original towers opened in 1975. They were criticized quite heavily as not fitting in with the city's skyline. It didn't matter that such a distinguished architect as I.M. Pei designed those buildings--they weren't exactly beloved.

Now, of course, it's politically correct to get all teary-eyed at the mention of World Trade Center. But I'll be much happier knowing that the new buildings will look very different.

[Jahvon09]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

I imagine you don't remember some of the reactions when the original towers opened in 1975.

But I'll be much happier knowing that the new buildings will look very different.

That is the whole point that I was trying to make.

The relativies all knew that the complex would be rebuilt, no question about that. They just wanted something entirely different, something that would not resemble the former buildings in any way. And no twin-towered complex either. Whnich is why the new towers are all of a different style.

The only office tower that was almost built as it was before, was Building# 7. Silverstein had originally wanted the same tower put back there, but the city wanted to "break up" the superblock on which the old towers were built before, saying that Greenwich Street will eventually be opened back up and run through the new complex.

But they also didn't want anything rebuilt on the footprints of the former towers, as they had asked that those two spots be off limits for any buildings to be built on them. Had it marked as sacred land.

They said that bringing back the old towers would certainly open old wounds and bring back sad memories of "The Day the Giants Fell".

[WestburynLI to BronxnNYC]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

If it offers anything like the rooftop view of the original, it will certainly have plenty of visitors. But to think it will become the city's #1 tourist destination is just plain foolish. Unlike some other cities which may not have a lot of selling points, New York is positively overloaded with them.

On eof my favorite memories as a child. I remember going up to the 101st floor of the ESB too.