The Freedom Tower

[JSB_01]

Why build another target?

I seriously think it's because the space is too valuable. I don't think those in charge want to simply make it a park if they can't get a lot of business from it. And besides, there are tons of other targets, with many in NYC alone. From what I've seen, the tower won't be densley populated like the WTC, so even if it was attacked, there won't be as large a loss of life as there was on Sept 11.

Gaudi wanted to build a "world hotel" in that spot in the early 1900's, before the towers were built.

This would have been great to see. Had it been built, I think it would have been the only Gaudi building outside of Spain! (Could be wrong though.)

 

[luminum]

Couldn't we think of a name that's a little classier than 'Freedom Tower'? Seriously, whend id people become so tacky and thoughtless? Hasn't deep meaning and significant naming remained at all?

 

[Sausy]

this tower is only going to be 1776 ft tall????

I was under the impression they were trying to make it the new tallest structure....

its still 39 ft short to beat the CN tower which stands at 1815....

Oh well.. i tend to agree with a lot of people...
Why build another target?

In truth,the tower would stand alone as a structure 1,368 feet,about as tall as the towers stood,with a 408 feet narrow spire that would raise the official height to 1,776 feet.The other buildings would taper off in height but still be impressive at 1,255 feet,1,171 feet,and 960 feet.

 

[wanderer]

I don't like many of the proposed designs for the replacement towers. Why do so many of them look like giant, lopsided shards of glass jutting into the sky? I think they should just make a park with a memorial similar to the Vietnam Memorial in D.C.

everyone want to see a park, and before i go any further, that event in september was a major trajedy, and people deserve to be remembered.

that being said, and to be a realist, the land does not belong to those that were unfortunately murdered there, it belongs to the landlords, who have the legal right to do with it what they need to, which is rebuild, and rent the space. this will undoubtedly reinvigorate the area.

i do like your idea, and in order for it to work, the government would need to buy the land for the owners and make that idea into a reality.

another thing...i watched on the news that this collection of glass shard towers is not just going to be all office rental space, but also high end apartments and condos, and there will also be malls, department stores, and restaurants on the ground floors. i wasnt to sure i liked that idea.

a few years back, i heard a commentator on CNN asky why would they build another building that would stick out and be easily accesible by another plane? and that they would build a bunch of smaller towers that blend in with the skyline and make it almost impossible to hit because other skycrapers would be blocking it.

 

[wanderer]

It's hard to understand why it has taken over five years for Republican governor Pataki and Republican mayor Bloomberg to get moving -- I guess there isn't enough kickback money in the project to motivate them into action.

The tower is largely unwanted by city residents and even fewer want to work in the building because they fear a repeat of 9-11 -- some see the 1,776 foot skyscraper as a target for the still at-large bin-Laden. Indeed, a better memorial would be bin-Laden's head on a pike, forever displayed in a glass box.

i must politely ask if you actually think this? do you realize how long it takes to actually design and plan a building, especially a skyscraper, let alone five or six? add to that the time it took to settle on a general theme/design? it does not take bribes or some mayor (either R or D) to wave his hand like some king and "make it so". the land is PRIVATELY OWNED by a holding company headed by an individual not affiliated with the government. and lets not forget how long it took to truck out all the debris and clean up the area. i wont even get started on the time to get permits granted and work orders created, and materials ordered, and such items guaranteed, and contracts for building the structure.....do you get my point?

just because somebody is republican does not mean they are automatically crooked or taking bribes either. they are still law abiding, decent human beings (with a few exceptions that im sure you are familiar with )

 

[Croynan]

I thought Britain was secretly serving halal schoolmeals to children for 17 years...
http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/014479.php

Let's try to get ahead before that happens.

The link in your posting really gives one a lot to think about. My Congratulations on finding it and posting it.

Well Done.​

eM.

 

[tommyj]

Actually, the Freedom Tower design has evolved a long way. It, along with its counterparts, was absolutely hideous at first with that lopped-off-top-evocative-of-destroyed-building look. Now I think it is a very iconic design. All but one of the neighbors are also very acceptable. It is the last one (I cant think of the architects name but it has the diamonds at the top look) that is now the last of the hideous. It is ugly. It takes away from the beauty of the rest like a wart on an A&F model. I even wrote to the NY Times architectural critic to express my dismay. Someone please post a pic here of the new design of all of them cause what I saw before in this thread is the old pictures.

 

[me12121]

Actually, the Freedom Tower design has evolved a long way. It, along with its counterparts, was absolutely hideous at first with that lopped-off-top-evocative-of-destroyed-building look. Now I think it is a very iconic design. All but one of the neighbors are also very acceptable. It is the last one (I cant think of the architects name but it has the diamonds at the top look) that is now the last of the hideous. It is ugly. It takes away from the beauty of the rest like a wart on an A&F model. I even wrote to the NY Times architectural critic to express my dismay. Someone please post a pic here of the new design of all of them cause what I saw before in this thread is the old pictures.

Yeah, I agree. I hate the latest design. I did love the one that is on the first page of this thread though. The below link contains renderings of all the designs up to the latest one.

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7788

 

[JSB_01]

Yeah, I agree. I hate the latest design. I did love the one that is on the first page of this thread though. The below link contains renderings of all the designs up to the latest one.

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7788

Wow, the plan did degenerate into some kind of weird misshapen monument.
Well, hopefully the tower will look better once built, we'll just have to wait and see...

 

[khushibagh]

the land is PRIVATELY OWNED by a holding company headed by an individual not affiliated with the government.

Not exactly, the land is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a bi-state agency. By a weird twist of fate, in July 2001, the Port Authority LEASED the buildings to Larry Silverstein, a private developer. Two months, 9/11 happened and the buildings were destroyed. Silverstein is still obligated to pay rent for the buildings and he got several billion dollars from the insurance companies to rebuild. The relationship between the Port Authority and Silverstein is peculiar and dysfunctional to say the least but the Port Authority definitely gets a say because it is public land.

 

[wanderer]

^^ i should have said LEASED, thanks for the correction. do you think the port authority would rather have a park or numerous large towers to generate rental space income?

 

[khushibagh]

I think most people who have to interact with the site on a regular basis (i.e. people who live and work in the vicinity as well as the PA) would like to see a commercially viable project but not something totally crass. I don't have a problem with developing the site in a tasteful way with several large office buildings, retail space and a memorial. I just think the Freedom Tower design is ugly and that the development has been taking over politicians with a nasty in your face type of message. I mean a FREEDOM TOWER that is 1776 feet tall That's just playing politics with the memory of the people who died

 

[JesseNYC]

I personally liked the first designs better. They were unique and different. I thought the building would be more of a futuristic and modern design with the glass and different shapes and heights of each part of the building. Now it just looks like a typical skyscraper to me. It's lost it's identity. The only thing that is unique about it now is its height. It is kind if dissapointing.

 

[tommyj]

I personally liked the first designs better. They were unique and different. I thought the building would be more of a futuristic and modern design with the glass and different shapes and heights of each part of the building. Now it just looks like a typical skyscraper to me. It's lost it's identity. The only thing that is unique about it now is its height. It is kind if dissapointing.

And as I understand, the WTC towers were universally panned when they were built as "typical 70s skyscrapers" but grew to be adored over time.

 

[Kurn]

I've always wanted the Twin Towers to go up again; just taller!!

An 'F'-'em' sentiment; plus, although they were plain, and symbols of collateral oppression, I was fond of them.