Photo: Doug Mataconis
The dramatic image of the LADEE moon probe hurtling into space was a sad reminder of how needlessly second rate the new WTC tower is. The first item below only emphasizes that the site is littered with disturbing priorities. The one feature of the Twin Towers that grabbed everyone was the roof deck, where one could have stood to watch a moon launch. In the 1980s an ad cautioned roof-goers: “Please don’t touch the stars.” It was one of the wonders of the world.
But people with more power than sense thought it was more important to have a 1776-foot building, so it could be called the Freedom Tower. Now it is starting to look like the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat may not roll over and play dead for the powers-that-be by declaring it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It is still anyone’s guess what they will decide, but if the “spire” does not qualify as part of the height, then we will have been deprived of the roof deck for no reason at all.
New York Daily News
“World’s tallest skyscapers? Only if ‘useless’ needles count“
The Record
“Kelly: 1 World Trade Center — Not just another address“
NY1.com
“Preserved Memories Take Shape Inside 9/11 Memorial Museum“
New York Post
“Names on 9/11 Memorial arranged by friendships“
UPI.com
“Sept. 11 museum in NYC eight months from completion“
Associated Press
“9/11 museum unveils Survivor Tree seedling program“
Important Note: The term “Zero World Trade Center” was coined by Joe Wright, a vocal supporter of rebuilding since 2001, and the editor of “DEBACLE: Failing To Rebuild the Twin Towers,” a collection of essays published to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11.