It seems that the finalist for the Ground Zero haven´t created any expectations among people of NY. So they are taking a fascinating project, from 1908 and from the genious architecture Gaudi. I find it incredibly vanguardist and although a bit “Metropolis “like, it would give prestige to NY and boast tourism. It will be as big as the Empire. The problem…costs, costs, costs
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By: ELP - 31st January 2003 at 04:55
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 31-01-03 AT 05:03 AM (GMT)]Well office space there always has its highs and lows. There were times when it was hard to populate that place up to the % level that they wanted to in order to make a profit on office rental. The internet boom up till 99-00 solved that. Up to the point of when the towers came down office occupancy was just starting to drop some. If they built something there, they have to get their money back with office space rental. Part of the problem is I think people don’t want to work in high profile buildings that figuratively have a bullseye painted on the side of them. Great view though from that location. If they put something big there, they will have to put some Sea Sparrows and Phalanx on the roof. 😮
My sister up until recently for years worked in the American Kennel Club HQ (taught people how to be dog show judges 😛 )right around the corner from Grand Central Station. Nice location. There are a lot of neat locations in Manhatten to work that aren’t so high profile.
By: Arthur - 29th January 2003 at 10:21
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
Beautifully put, Eric. Hats off.
As a non-American with no personal WTC experience i still like to give my totally insignificant view…
I would have to agree with Ink. The utter act of defiance IMHO would be to rebuild the Twin Towers, or at least make a new building to look the same. I don’t think there is a better way than that for telling the whole world something like “Hey, you can try to screw us, but when the mourning and vengeance is done, you won’t have achieved a bit.” Creating a park or a dedicated memorial site IMHO is like admitting defeat, and an agreement with the fact that the terrorist tore the heart out New York’s business area/smacked the teeth out of Manhattan/… No! Defy!
And although i absolutely love Gaudi’s designs, including the parabolic skyscraper, i don’t think his organic shapes fit well into Manhattan.
By: kev35 - 29th January 2003 at 09:57
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
ELP.
Nice piece. As you know I’m from England and have never visited America or seen the WTC. Therefore my opinion is probably worthless, to some Americans on the board anyway. But I agree with you. I personally don’t think anyhing could replace the twin towers and like you, I think nothing should be built there other than a memorial park.
Some 400 emergency service personnel were lost on that day and to me it beggars belief that anyone would consider building something like those towers again. As everyone else ran out of those buildings those courageous men and women ran IN. That is the kind of bravery one can hardly contemplate as we sit in front of our PC’s putting the world to rights. And now, people are considering the building of another giant building to replace the towers with all its attendant dangers? The best way to honour the emergency personnel who died would be to ensure they didn’t have to face such danger again.
Regards,
kev35
By: ELP - 29th January 2003 at 05:05
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-01-03 AT 05:14 AM (GMT)]Darn Ink that was a damn nice thing for you to say.
As a kid I had been to the World Trade Center more than a few times. Loved it. It was fun to see everything in it and just a lot of fun to be up on the roof on a nice day. (Always loved Manhatten even though I am originally from Michigan.) You could in a very short time; go up in the Empire State Building, then the WTC then boat out to the Statue of Liberty. Fun.
A few years back I went to see the house I grew up in , in Michigan. It had been years. A really nice farm. Anyway a weird feeling hits you in the head when you do that. It is after all the place you grew up in. A little startling. Maybe some of you have had a similar experience.
Anyway I just kind of put the WTC out of my head for a long time. Don’t want to see pictures or video of it burning etc. Didn’t put any thought to it, just put it out of my mind for good.
I was in a book store a while back and there was big picture book on the WTC. All these nice photos of it. Photos inside etc. After looking though it for a moment I couldn’t look at it anymore and put it down. Thats when I knew how I felt about that place. Kind of a startling unpleasant experience. I will never see this place again.
Don’t even know if I ever want to go back to Manhatten again. I would rather remember it the way it was. Oh well.
I hope they don’t build anything there.
By: keltic - 28th January 2003 at 20:16
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
>I’m not an New Yorker, neither am I an American so my
>opinion has little/no value but here it is anyway:
>
>Why don’t they just re-build the trade-centre just as used
>to be. This to me seems like the most defiant and proper
>reaction available. It wouldn’t offend anyone’s
>architectural sensebilities and also, it would restore the
>NY skyline to the one we all know and love.
I didn´t particularly like the WTC and the former NY skyline with the towers. But as far as your question is concerned, NY authorities and people in general, think it would a big pschological impact for suvivors, who had to work in the same place, everyday. And a sad remembrance for all New Yorkers. So they prefer to turn a page and continue. Talking about architecture, in my city another extrevaganza is being built. A city of arts, which looks like a neolitic settlement. works are in process now. Bizarre, isn´t it?
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By: T5 - 28th January 2003 at 17:59
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-01-03 AT 06:00 PM (GMT)]But surely most people wouldn’t want to step inside a 110 storey building again?
Plus, they are building it again, just not quite so big.
What amazed me when seeing ground zero was actually the size of it. There wasn’t as much empty space as I had expect to see. They are currently repairing the underground railway system which was affected badly with the nearby station(s) being closed since.
By: ink - 28th January 2003 at 17:44
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
I’m not an New Yorker, neither am I an American so my opinion has little/no value but here it is anyway:
Why don’t they just re-build the trade-centre just as used to be. This to me seems like the most defiant and proper reaction available. It wouldn’t offend anyone’s architectural sensebilities and also, it would restore the NY skyline to the one we all know and love.
By: T5 - 28th January 2003 at 12:10
RE: Ground Zero Extravaganza
Very similar to the Sagrada Familia which I took a trek up to the top of last year, nearly passing out when I reached the top!
After travelling to New York in November, I heard they were just going to build another trade center consisting of just 50-something floors.
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January 27, 2003 at 7:49 pm