I think the 800m figure for the burj isn't the whole cost of the tower but just what's being built now. Interiors and cladding have to be added as well.

How many times have we heard that the FT was approoved, b/c after each of them, it just became a false start?

Please. What are you going to say when the tower cranes go up in a day or two from now? What are you going to say when the steel substructure is completed in a few months? What are you going to say when the core reaches grade? What are you going to say when the tower starts to rise at the end of this year? I can picture someone like you saying, "It's merely a false start; don't get your hopes up" two seconds before the skyscraper tops out.

Now that Bloomberg, Spitzer, Corzine, Silverstein, and the PA are all on the same level, there's basically no chance that the FT won't be completed.

Dumb and dumber, that is WABC TV :nuts: in NYC on the news today at noon said the Freedom Tower will be the World's tallest building when completed in 2013. See the video at the 1:33 mark (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5050139#) into the 2:16 long video.

^^ they wish, the Burj Dubai is ALOT taller

For some reason I really like the new Freedom Tower.

Me too! I missed out on the twins by a few months. I was suppsosed to go to NY early in 2002 but 9/11 messed up my trip and I haven't had the chance to go since. So hopefully my first time in New York, i'll get to see the new World Trade Centre rise!

Dumb and dumber, that is WABC TV :nuts: in NYC on the news today at noon said the Freedom Tower will be the World's tallest building when completed in 2013. See the video at the 1:33 mark (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5050139#) into the 2:16 long video.

LMAO!!! They need to do some research. There are several around the world that will be much taller than this. Especially by 2013. lol:lol:

Why the hell does it take them 6 YEARS?!?!? That is a huge amount of time and its not like they started from scratch....they already have a big hole and probably piling done, etc.

Why the hell does it take them 6 YEARS?!?!? That is a huge amount of time and its not like they started from scratch....they already have a big hole and probably piling done, etc.

This isn't Dubai or China, where workers are on site 24/7. Second, although they already had a hole, they had to dig even more for the foundations. Also, they can only do weekend work on the north side of the footprint because the building will sit atop train tunnels, and they can only work on that part of the building on the weekends. There is your reason...

Spitzer backs Freedom Tower spending


http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2006-11/26470378.jpg
A construction crew works at Ground Zero November 17, 2006 in New York City. Formal
construction of the Freedom Tower will begin today with as much as 400 cubic yards of
concrete to be poured onto the foundation. The Freedom Tower is expected to rise to
1,776 feet on completion in 2011.


BY EMI ENDO
February 21, 2007

Satisfied that it was better to build the Freedom Tower than to kill it, Gov. Eliot Spitzer Tuesday said he would support plans for the 1,776-foot tower "as it is designed."

Flanked by New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a news conference in lower Manhattan, Spitzer said, "We will move forward."

Before he took office in January, Spitzer said he needed to review financial details of the Freedom Tower. Tuesday, he said the "renewed vitality" of the real estate market was an encouraging sign that the tower would be viable. About 1 million square feet of the project's 2.6 million square feet of office space is close to being leased, he said.

Construction for the tower is budgeted at $2.48 billion, with additional costs of $506,000. The board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is scheduled to meet tomorrow to consider additional contracts for the project.

Spitzer, who said he was frustrated before with what he considered "excessive delays," said his support didn't mean "that this is how I would have desired it to be built, but where we are today, clearly this is the best and wisest alternative."

Both governors and Bloomberg yesterday said they were open to the idea of selling the Freedom Tower to another entity.

Spitzer said he had no "opposition, on a philosophical level, to selling the tower" or letting someone else build, lease and own it.

Corzine agreed, saying that if such a transaction allowed the Port Authority to focus more on transportation, "You'd have a strong case to make that it was good public policy."

Asked later in the day about the prospect of selling the tower, Bloomberg said, if it freed up capital for the bistate agency for other uses, it might be a "great idea."

With such large projects, he said, the question of ownership was more of a technical financial arrangement. "I don't think that it matters," he said.

The Freedom Tower, on the northwest corner of the World Trade Center site, will have 69 floors of offices rising above a 200-foot high building base that was redesigned in order to address security concerns. It is projected to be finished in 2011.

Critics have said the latest design sacrificed the expressiveness of the glass-and-steel world that architect Daniel Libeskind originally envisioned.

The three elected officials appeared together Tuesday at a Port Authority office in lower Manhattan.

After Bloomberg left early to attend another event, Spitzer was asked about the push by some family members of those killed in the attacks to change the way the names of victims will be displayed at Ground Zero. While Bloomberg has repeatedly said that the question had been settled, Spitzer suggested that the issue could be revisited.


@ Copyright Newsday Inc.

^^ they wish, the Burj Dubai is ALOT taller

No shit? I mean, how can we forget seeing as how you always remind us whenever there is a building claming to be taller than the Burj? I mean seriously...WE KNOW!!!

Oh..and btw..in case you people don't already know, 1 World Trade will be a few feet taller that the original WTC. This building is far from small.

;) This one is for TalB,

Satisfied that it was better to build the Freedom Tower than to kill it, Gov. Eliot Spitzer Tuesday said he would support plans for the 1,776-foot tower "as it is designed."

im getting tired of the criticisms of the freedom tower b/c i love it.

for example...
The Freedom Tower will be 1,776 ft due to the pointed antenna, wish the design can change so that its height to roof that's 1,766 ft !

As cool as that would be you do realize that the roof is the same height as the original twins. It's not like they are building a smaller building and then trying to trick people into believing its bigger, instead they are building a more modern building and putting a big spire on it to jazz it up a little bit.

After so many design change, its still disappointing, its suppose to be an icon of America.

First it will be, it will stand out in the skyline at the same height and in the same way the old twins did giving a big fuck you to the terrorists and people who doubt America's strength. 2nd, the whole complex is also what is going to be an icon of America, your talking about 4 buildings + even 7 WTC not just the Freedom Tower. Look at NY's skyline with the twins vs. with the new complex. As much as I love the twins and as historical as they were and as much as they symbolized the power of NY and America its hard to argue the new skyline will not look at least as good as the old from a purely aesthetical viewpoint.

http://i.pbase.com/o4/06/102706/1/66458468.AZ2F0Tfk.NewA.JPG

does that not make a statement.

this sure is a masterpiece, I don't understand why people are complaining

I find the Freedom Tower's design somewhat disappointing but the overall complex of four towers is excellent. The end result will be considerably better than what was there before (and I loved the old WTC).

this sure is a masterpiece, I don't understand why people are complaining

One reason is that it's too small. It looks really tall on paper, 1776 feet, but when over 400 of those feet are the spire, it's not that impressive anymore. If you got a chance to rebuild an iconic structure, you gotta go all the way. The twin towers were much more impressive for their time than the Freedom Tower will be in 2011.

i think that the project overall is good, but what it could have been will haunt the site. It is very rare for that amount of space to become available anywhere in Manhattan, and what could have been done would have made not only a statement for the city but for the world. The tower is not going to get any taller, so the well wishers will have to hold their breath for midtown west now called the 'Hudson Yards'.

I doubt this will be the tallest building in New York for more than a decade.

yes, agree. but i hope anyone plans a 600m tower for NY :)

It's hard to lease that space when it's that tall.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion in matters of tast. Here is my opinion: I'm a much bigger fan of #2 and #3 than of #1.

Please. What are you going to say when the tower cranes go up in a day or two from now? What are you going to say when the steel substructure is completed in a few months? What are you going to say when the core reaches grade? What are you going to say when the tower starts to rise at the end of this year? I can picture someone like you saying, "It's merely a false start; don't get your hopes up" two seconds before the skyscraper tops out.

Now that Bloomberg, Spitzer, Corzine, Silverstein, and the PA are all on the same level, there's basically no chance that the FT won't be completed.
Ebola, I have been following this process long before the FT even existed. Don't tell me something I don't know, b/c I have been keeping tabs on this a lot. BTW, didn't they also say that it was being built nearly two years ago? What happened there? I am just telling it as it is, and from what I have heard. Another thing to keep in mind is that Silverstien and the PA have been struggling to get the money they need from the insurance companies lately, and that can actually hold it back. In that case, it could be another false start. On a sidenote, you really need to chill out.

Why the hell does it take them 6 YEARS?!?!? That is a huge amount of time and its not like they started from scratch....they already have a big hole and probably piling done, etc.

tihngs get done more quickly there because theres probably double to triple the amount of workers, and its practically slavework for a few dollars an hour tops 24/7. easy to find workers over there eh?

I seriously hate the name freedom tower. One World Trade will totally Suffice.

Tom, I have to agree with you. This new design by several prominent international Architects is a significant improvement over the Twins. But do you really believe terrorists had any thing to do with it. Any skilled demolishonist will tell you these buildings were pulled.

sorry for posting that malec

Oh for christ sake not again :ohno:

soon ill post some pic of construction site of Freedom tower =]

^^ thanks

Is there a web-cam for FT?

Mmmm, why can't they work 24/7 in NYC? Is it all surrounded by residential or is there a special law where you can't work at night?? Can't they do any sort of "quiet" night work? I live in Boston and there's plenty of night shift work going on downtown when there needs to be.

Freedom Tower really doesn't sound too nice,its as if there is a lack of freedom in the States.....or deprive....1 World Trade sound much better. I agree with Don, since its going to cost so much, why dont build something thats really cool, outstanding, I am sure America can do better ............take away the "toothpick" at the top...

Is there a web-cam for FT?

This one doesn't work actually:

http://www.earthcam.net/users/interface.php?id=445&projectid=202&clientid=158

and this cam works but the resolution is not the best:

http://www.renewnyc.com/Webcam/WTCSiteWork/Current.aspx

Freedom Tower really doesn't sound too nice,its as if there is a lack of freedom in the States.....or deprive....1 World Trade sound much better.

Freedom Tower is a stupid name. I agree.

I agree with Don, since its going to cost so much, why dont build something thats really cool, outstanding, I am sure America can do better ............take away the "toothpick" at the top...

Because others think that is outstanding. So I guess nobody thinks the same. I don't think it is outstanding, but I think it looks fine. It doesn't bother me at all. Also if you are going to make the building look more interesting (whatever that could be) the price will go up again.

http://www.pbase.com/nyguy/image/74671915/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/nyguy/image/74671916/large.jpg

This one doesn't work actually:

http://www.earthcam.net/users/interface.php?id=445&projectid=202&clientid=158

and this cam works but the resolution is not the best:

http://www.renewnyc.com/Webcam/WTCSiteWork/Current.aspx

Thank you ZZ-II :cheers:

Freedom Tower really doesn't sound too nice,its as if there is a lack of freedom in the States.....or deprive....1 World Trade sound much better. I agree with Don, since its going to cost so much, why dont build something thats really cool, outstanding, I am sure America can do better ............take away the "toothpick" at the top...
I have a list of names it can be called. :naughty:

I do think the design is great ,one of the best in the world (just wait till you stand in front of it when its finished:master:).
but freedom tower isn't the best of names I agree .

typical america ;)

I am your neighbor ,from the Netherlands
or isn't that what you mean ZZ-II ?

http://www.pbase.com/nyguy/image/74671915/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/nyguy/image/74671916/large.jpg

I have such mixed feelings about this...I dont want another delay. I just want them to get on with it! But then again...if they truely redisign it with something better and extraordinary then yes I will be happy. And does this mean they will move Freedom Tower to be built last out of the towers in the complex. If so the others will remain the same and be built and freedom tower will be redisigned as they are built. Correct?

It doesn't mean anything. That was all opinion. There will be no delays. In a year or so from now, all 5 skyscrapers will be being built at the same time, plus the GS Tower. The current plan is concrete. The only real poblems are 130 Liberty Street being taken down and that stupid Staircase blocking Tower 2.

Spitzer backs Freedom Tower spending
The Freedom Tower, on the northwest corner of the World Trade Center site, will have 69 floors of offices rising above a 200-foot high building base that was redesigned in order to address security concerns. It is projected to be finished in 2011.


Is this tower really only going to have 69 floors? Or am I missing something here? It just seems like something is not right when the FT is supposed to be the same height (to the roof) as the old WTC, yet have 41 fewer floors. If this is the case, then they really need to reconsider certain aspects of the design. That's my opinion.

read exactly...."will have 69 floors of offices rising above a 200-foot high building base"

It will officially have over 100 floors. The observation floor is 102.

oh, never heard that before....always thought it'll have 82 or so.

From what I understand, the windowless base is counted as 20 floors. 82 floors will be on top of that with the observation floor being the highest, and a few more mech and broadcasting floors will be on top of the observation floor.

It doesn't mean anything. That was all opinion. There will be no delays. In a year or so from now, all 5 skyscrapers will be being built at the same time, plus the GS Tower. The current plan is concrete. The only real poblems are 130 Liberty Street being taken down and that stupid Staircase blocking Tower 2.Couldn't the dismantling of the Deutsche Bank Building also be a problem?

typical america ;)

What do you mean?

What do you mean?

I think he means the name freedom tower, freedom fries.

Couldn't the dismantling of the Deutsche Bank Building also be a problem?

130 Liberty Street=Deutsche Bank Building

Hopefully, it will be gone quickly.

I think he means the name freedom tower, freedom fries.

you're right TroyBoy :)

very beautiful skyscraper in american way

It doesn't mean anything. That was all opinion. There will be no delays. In a year or so from now, all 5 skyscrapers will be being built at the same time, plus the GS Tower. The current plan is concrete. The only real poblems are 130 Liberty Street being taken down and that stupid Staircase blocking Tower 2.
I don't want to rain on your parade again Ebola, but I remember people similar to yourself saying the same thing 2 1/2 years ago about the FT finally being built, and that never happened, so there is a good chance that this could be another false start, which even Sheldon Silver fears.

Do you have any updates? , I would to see if the tove have started to rise over street.

Yeah! i want to see some updates too.

Doesn't anyona have any new pictures?

My opinion as an independent interested observer who has a moderate knowledge of the proposals and having been to NY and having visited twice the twin giants prior to their destruction:

The impression one gets by the final designs is mixed. Although the surrounding buildings of the new WTC successfully represent the new architectural styles en vogue these days, the finalised Freedom Tower designs are somewhat indifferent. We are all aware of the considerations that might have dictated an antenna for the top of the building which, albeit part of the structural frame of the building (and thus contributing to the calculation of the structural height) it gives the impression of an attempt to cheat the achievement of an optimum height rather than making it a new standard for US engineering, in the same manner that the structural heights for the Empire State, the original WTC or the Sears Tower did in earlier times.

Of paramount importance for the final acceptance of a building as "tall" especially in a city like NY where buildings of 600 to 1000 ft are the bread and butter of its iconic value as an urban landscape, is the height of the tallest habitable/ accessible level of the building, combined with the number of floors. At the time this building will be completed, the Dubai Tower will also be complete for two years already with an unprecedented floor count of 150+ according to what we know and a breathtaking 2000 feet + expected height with the tallest accessible level to be, I would reckon, above the 1900 feet mark and this is a modest estimate.

So, both the floor number and the tallest habitable level in the FT will be at significantly lower standards than the expected tallest for the years to come, and God knows what China or Russia may come up with till then (plans and speculations for the Russia Tower allegedly flirting with a height close to the 2000ft mark). Thus, although for symbolic reasons the height of 1,776 feet can and may be considered final, true, the FT is in need for a major redesign. Its specs and current design is way too low for what it seeks to represent and does not pay tribute neither to the city of NY, nor to the enormous significance this location has -and will have- to NY and America's collective and historic memory in the years to come.

Let's hope the plans will be revised to something balder.

tallest buildings in NY are of no concern, what matters is aesthetics. the pissing contest in NY has been done with for decades.

PaTACKY (and i stress tacky because he attached a TACKY fuckin name to Tower 1) just slabbed the freedumb tower at 1,776 feet in honor of our DoI. the goal was never to be the tallest, period.

Doesn't anyona have any new pictures?
They will pretty much look the same as they do now for the next year, and that is if it actually does get built in the end.

The designers of the World Trade Center Tower should have made the building 2001 feet tall. As a memorial to the year the Towers came down. And the highest occupied floor should have been 1776 feet tall. To remind us of the year of our country's independence. :cheers:

The designers of the World Trade Center Tower should have made the building 2001 feet tall. As a memorial to the year the Towers came down. And the highest occupied floor should have been 1776 feet tall. To remind us of the year of our country's independence. :cheers:

Now THAT's a good idea.

They will pretty much look the same as they do now for the next year, and that is if it actually does get built in the end.

Ok I really think there is opinion and then there is being a jerk about your opinion. I love New York and I wanna hear things about it and not have the thread and news tainted by your all consuming pessimistic nature! I just want to read and Im cool with some positive bias and even negative bias posts but your comments never have anything good to say. This is the first time I have been genuinely frustrated with somebody on SSC and I dont make it a habit. I like to put in my two cents occaisionaly and Im not always the type who posts "Great project, nice progress, excellent design". Sometimes I am really negative about stuff. However, I dont stick with all threads New York region related and post extreamly negative things to bring it down. Well thats my "two cents" for the day...

The designers of the World Trade Center Tower should have made the building 2001 feet tall. As a memorial to the year the Towers came down. And the highest occupied floor should have been 1776 feet tall. To remind us of the year of our country's independence. :cheers:

i like it.

i like it.

ill second that

Yeah its definatly more modern symbolic. It makes more sense to have a sympolic height related to the attack not just the country's independence.

The designers of the World Trade Center Tower should have made the building 2001 feet tall. As a memorial to the year the Towers came down. And the highest occupied floor should have been 1776 feet tall. To remind us of the year of our country's independence. :cheers:

that's a good idea.

Yeah its definatly more modern symbolic. It makes more sense to have a sympolic height related to the attack not just the country's independence.

I agree :yes:

The tower cranes will be up by tomorrow - hopefully. (: If not, then very soon. The horrible weather may have delayed it.

20th Feb, 2007

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/404952281_f82644918f_o.jpg

when did they start this thing? it seems like its been forever...

I am happy to hear that WTC will get rebuild. I love the design of Freedom Tower and the rest of the complex. I still prefer orginal twin towers... I understand that we have to move on with new WTC complex.

Since Feb 2006 i guess.

well now , its seems like the Americans have finally made their statement after the 911 tragedy : ITs BUSINESS AS USUAL , THIS IS NEW YORK ! to begin with , the design solution for ground zero hardly memorialized what tragic events transpired last Sept. 11 , 001 . all the designer can think of is coming up with two empty holes in the ground with nothing immediately coming to mind with regard to the thousands of innocent lives snuffed while still others are unaccounted for . the Japanese managed to preserve the scars of their carnage in Hiroshima by keeping the bombed-out remains of their church . the Yanks do it American - style ....turn a hallowed ground into JUKEBOX CITY. now this is THE REAL TRAGEDY after the TRAGEDY....of Shakespearean proportions.:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:

You don't have to come see it.
And you don't have to grossly overuse those smilies either.

hey THERENNAISSANCEMAN

^ the americans??? HARDLY...those designs were not chosen by the "Americans" but by a small committee of political assholes....I guess you don't know the whole story behind the desings!! Most new Yorkers hate that final design....including that terrible :Freedom Tower" name...yuk

http://www.renewnyc.com/WebCamImages/pic07022813595900.jpg

something is happening there, perhaps we can see a construction crane next week?

New Yorkers dont like the name or the design. We want our twins back, period. Regardless, something has to go up and this is what we got, got it? now please just shut the fuck up.

over at WNY Vengineer has all the inside info on the tower. as stated awhile ago, the design for the roof and spire is still being done, and this is what Vengineer came up with.

"I looked thru the spire schematics to address londonlawyer's question... and theres a drawing that shows a new design for the base of the spire with the annotation: "new ring". I haven't checked up on this project in a while and its dated december of last year. Maybe this is a new design.

I like this base alot. The change is nothing drastic but the inward angle of the ring accentuates the angles of the tower. Everythings going in the same direction now. It looks like a round nozzle... like that of a jet... no longer a retarded donut.

http://www.avonds.com/Finished%20nozzle%2002.jpg

I also like the cable-stayed look of the support cables. There are numerous cables zig zagged giving it a solid yet transparent look of a continuous ascending spire. You guys should see the lighting equipment they're planning on mounting on this thing. Looks like they're going forward with the light show. :colgate: "

hey THERENNAISSANCEMAN

^ the americans??? HARDLY...those designs were not chosen by the "Americans" but by a small committee of political assholes....I guess you don't know the whole story behind the desings!! Most new Yorkers hate that final design....including that terrible :Freedom Tower" name...yuk
I am glad you know much about the process as I do Carlos. I was at pretty much of all the hearings since they have started, and many of them, including myself, have mentioned on wanting the Twins rebuilt. After Libeskind brought his plan, it was actually the most hated according to Imagine NY, which would determine the finalsts by the LMDC. As a matter fact, hardly anyone spoke in favor of the FT, which was Gardens of the World then. I would like to be lying, but I attended those hearings myself. It lost against THINKS WCC, though neither won, but Pataki overridden his own group to declare Libeskind the winner. I was even at the Winter Garden myself holding up a printout of what was the real winner, which was neither, and when Pataki saw it, he just walked away from me, while Alex Garvin claimed it was irrelevant despite the fact that Pataki made the decision over his. After that, Pataki gave it the name he personally wanted. I know some have been calling me pessimistic, but I am actually being realistic here. I am just telling it as it is and went through. The FT is an example of a scandal and backroom decisions.

Will there be parking underneath the tower?

Cant wait till the Freedom Tower is complete. Its still 2011 right? Surprised they havent had a fued over that too. From design to money its a rock start to the towers birth. Y hasnt any attention gone to 7 WT? I mean they built that in 2 seconds in construction terms. Wat about the other buildings? I cant find any ground breaking time or completion times. I hope since contruction has resumed after a STRIKE?!?!? that its still on time.

Cant wait till the Freedom Tower is complete. Its still 2011 right? Surprised they havent had a fued over that too. From design to money its a rock start to the towers birth. Y hasnt any attention gone to 7 WT? I mean they built that in 2 seconds in construction terms. Wat about the other buildings? I cant find any ground breaking time or completion times. I hope since contruction has resumed after a STRIKE?!?!? that its still on time.

The other towers are dependant on the finishing of the slurry wall on the site. As of right now Maki's tower is the one that will go up first (4 WTC i think). The slurry wall will be finished in mid 2008 I believe.

when did they start this thing? it seems like its been forever...

yeah it has been forever, was it every straighted out about the beams being in the wrong place ?

The LMDC website took down their webcams of the WTC site, which means that there are now no more live cams to look at. :doh: Why would they do such a thing? I live in a different part of the city and wish they put that HD cam back up.

The LMDC website took down their webcams of the WTC site, which means that there are now no more live cams to look at. :doh: Why would they do such a thing? I live in a different part of the city and wish they put that HD cam back up.

Yuck. I guess this means that updates will be few and far apart. :bash:

hopefully the HD-Cam will work again soon, but i don't belive

If cams aren't working... Why not anyone here who lives in NYC or near to it make an effort to take pictures just for all of us?

the same shit is being shown in every pic.

That sucks

the same shit is being shown in every pic.

The 5 columns standing out of the tub.... i would like to see some other images, but thats all we got for a while (unfortunally)

No new images probably because nothing worth noting has happened . . . everything is still backed up in the bureaucracy somewhere. :-(

The 5 columns standing out of the tub.... i would like to see some other images, but thats all we got for a while (unfortunally)


Hey it's 1 column for every year so there's gotta be a new one sometime this year. It's just gonna take a little time. :grouphug:

If cams aren't working... Why not anyone here who lives in NYC or near to it make an effort to take pictures just for all of us?


The following site seems to have loads of new construction picture updates of the FT. It's where I have been getting my pic fix from for the last few weeks:)
http://www.projectrebirth.com/gallery/

I think we'll see more pictures when its more visible above street level. Its hard to get pictures when your on street level and the work is going behind 7 foot high walls in a massive hole.

Ridiculous....with this kind of attitude on promoting its buildings New York City seems to be slowly losing its flavor.

there are hundreds of other projects that get built in a fraction of the time around NYC than this. in the meantime dont even notice though, just waste your time with this.

I don't watch any advance on this tower.

http://www.nysun.com/article/49625
Durst and Malkin Could Lose Big If Tower Is Built

BY DAVID LOMBINO

March 2, 2007

The pair of major landlords waging a campaign against the Freedom Tower have been arguing publicly against the project without disclosing that they personally could lose millions of dollars a year if it is built.

Last week, developers Douglas Durst and Anthony Malkin put their names at the bottom of full-page advertisements in several New York City newspapers by a group they are co-chairmen of called The Continuing Committee for a Reasonable World Trade Center. The advertisements said the project was ill conceived, too expensive, and poorly planned.

The ads were released just after the Spitzer administration indicated it would move forward with the project, and before the Port Authority approved several key construction contacts. They went into detail about the tower's architecture, its security vulnerabilities, its rent roll, its height, its name — just about everything except for the fact that the project includes plans for television and radio broadcast antennae that would replace those on the old twin towers, and compete with those on buildings owned by Messrs. Malkin and Durst.

Mr. Malkin controls the Empire State Building and Mr. Durst owns the Condé Nast Building at 4 Times Square, both of which are now the most desirable locations in the city for the location of television and radio broadcast facilities and their antennae.

Following the destruction of the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building antenna, at about 1,454 feet tall, became the primary antenna for the area's major television stations. The Conde Nast building antenna, at about 1,141 feet tall, became a favorite backup.

The Port Authority, which owns the Freedom Tower, is currently in negotiations with the Metropolitan TV Alliance, a conglomerate of local television broadcasters. The MTVA has committed to using the proposed 256-foot broadcast antenna on top of the Freedom Tower. Sources close to the negotiations say the contract is nearly complete and would net about $10 million a year in annual rent to the Port Authority. A 20 to 30 year contact worth hundreds of millions of dollars would contribute to the financial viability of the Freedom Tower, they say.

A source close to the negotiations between the Port Authority and the MTVA said the new antenna, reaching higher than all competing antenna facilities, at 1,776 feet tall, would be the highest point in the region, offering broadcasters the clearest level of service. Other antennae, like the facilities on Messrs. Durst or Malkin's buildings, could still be used to create a signal redundancy, but would probably command lower rents.

In a telephone interview, Mr. Malkin said he does not view the Freedom Tower's antenna as a "competitive threat." He said his public involvement is not financially motivated.

"Whatever revenues we have are locked in. They are long-term contracts. I will likely be retired or retiring before it become an issue," Mr. Malkin said. "When the World Trade Center was in place and functioning, our broadcast facility was full. If we are not the number one facility, we are the number two. Broadcasters will have to use our facility."

A former top real estate official at the Port Authority who negotiated the last deal between broadcasters and the former World Trade Center, James Connors, now works for Mr. Malkin.

A spokesman for the Durst Organization, Jordan Barowitz, said that antenna revenue was not behind Mr. Durst's public campaign. He said Mr. Durst would like to see the Freedom Tower rebuilt, but redesigned and delayed. Mr. Barowitz said revenue from antennae accounts for less than .5% of the Durst Organization's total revenue.

Both Messrs. Durst and Malkin have said they were continuing a family tradition. In the 1960s, Mr. Durst's father, Seymour Durst, and Mr. Malkin's grandfather, Lawrence Wien, formed the Committee for a Reasonable World Trade Center to protest the original twin towers.

A spokesman for the Port Authority, John McCarthy, declined to comment because the antenna agreement is being negotiated.

A spokesman for the MTVA, Pat Smith, would not comment on the status of the negotiations, but he said new antenna facilities are necessary. He said the broadcasters are committed to a Freedom Tower facility.

"There are still millions of people in the metropolitan area who do not have cable, or who have additional televisions in the house without cable. They are not getting a fully adequate signal. It would also facilitate the transition to digital television," Mr. Smith said.

Before committing to the Freedom Tower antenna, MTVA had considered other sites in New York and New Jersey, including the possibility of a free-standing antenna not connected to any existing building.

in my opinion this is waste time
everybody forguet this tower for a moment
I think this area have no good energy

^Whatever.

I wish I could see the site now. Can someone please take pictures? All the cams are down and I live all the way in Brooklyn. :( I hear a few tower cranes have been erected for the GS Tower, which is right next to the WTC site. The Beekman Tower and 123 Washington are also guna look hot close to the WTC site. There's so much going on and most people have no idea. This city will have one hell of a skyline by 2012; from Midtown to Downtown, trust me, very tall towers will be going up all over the place.

^^ YEAH! I can't wait to see huge change for NYC skyline in 2013! :) :banana:

yes me too, NY really needs more supertalls in Midtown!

^Whatever.

I wish I could see the site now. Can someone please take pictures? All the cams are down and I live all the way in Brooklyn. :( I hear a few tower cranes have been erected for the GS Tower, which is right next to the WTC site. The Beekman Tower and 123 Washington are also guna look hot close to the WTC site. There's so much going on and most people have no idea. This city will have one hell of a skyline by 2012; from Midtown to Downtown, trust me, very tall towers will be going up all over the place.
You wouldn't be missing much anyway as of right now b/c it has been a slow progress.

^Whatever.


There are still no construction cams to check. I used to check like 4 times a day when they were up. It's killing me.

Its gonna be 2020 by the time they finish. Should they have gotten Trump to build em?

yes me too, NY really needs more supertalls in Midtown!

Yeah I like to see more skyscrapers to get built between downtown and Midtown. It look little weird to have two major skylines being separate in same area. It will be nicer of NYC skylines merge into major NYC skyline.

Its gonna be 2020 by the time they finish. Should they have gotten Trump to build em?

Yes I think they should have gone with Donald Trump's original plan.

Twin Towers 2.

Yeah I like to see more skyscrapers to get built between downtown and Midtown. It look little weird to have two major skylines being separate in same area. It will be nicer of NYC skylines merge into major NYC skyline.

I would hope alot of those old brick buildings could stay though, i like the area between downtown and midtown, it would be a damn shame if all that got torn up for some modern steel monstrocities.

I would hope alot of those old brick buildings could stay though, i like the area between downtown and midtown, it would be a damn shame if all that got torn up for some modern steel monstrocities.

Yeah it doesn't have to demolish entire old brick buildings though. They can be built somewhere else or build on it.

New York is a great city, but it needs new skyscrapers.

^^ :yes:

New York is a great city, but it needs new skyscrapers.

It is getting new skyscrapers. That is by far the most uninformed statement I've heard so far in this thread. :ohno:

anytime someone says 'New york city is a great city', and they live in Dubai, there should never be a 'but...' after that.

anytime someone says 'New york city is a great city', and they live in Dubai, there should never be a 'but...' after that.

But the person I qouted doesnt live in Dubai, that someone lives in El Salvador.

New York is a great city, but it needs new skyscrapers.

it is, its actually booming. take some effort and look it up sir. the fact that its booming is overshadowed by Dubai/China. just because its not as fast as them doesnt mean its not booming.

I would hope alot of those old brick buildings could stay though, i like the area between downtown and midtown, it would be a damn shame if all that got torn up for some modern steel monstrocities.

Thankfully it is getting done! It may take time, but the two are merging more and more all the time... m)) Not every building has to be saved just because it's old. I admit there are some brownstones and old lowrises that are nice, but there are some that have to make way for bigger and better!!! It's NYC, things change, times change, and it's a city of skyscrapers!

But the person I qouted doesnt live in Dubai, that someone lives in El Salvador.


El Salvador??? oh lord now..they do need skyscrapers!!!:lol:

It doesn't matter if it's (currently) overshadowed by the Chinese and the Arabs, New York will always have one of the most significant skylines because of its historical and financial significance. Plus the Chrysler Building is virtually impossible to beat.

Ive read that the Freedom Tower needs to be more Iconic.
The Fact to me is that it is Iconic, To ME and almost every American,
we all want to fill that void we lost on that day. And if this building is the one were going to get, we will take it, cuz it will be iconic in our hearts. "Some" of you folks from Asia might not understand cuz you have nice biuldings going up everywhere but they dont become a visual part of your lives like the buildings of New York, WE just simply Fall In LOve with Them. SO lets get the ball Rollin!! PEACE!!

I think that it would have been more respectful to build a memorial for the thousands of dead people has this place rather than to rebuild of them one over, I would not be the quiet aware if I should work in this tower afflicted for my English I am French

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/groundzero/

When you look to the construction, you can see a thing in the left foreground, that looks a bit like a construction crane. What is it true?

that's our last Ground Zero cam :)

Ive read that the Freedom Tower needs to be more Iconic.
The Fact to me is that it is Iconic, To ME and almost every American,
we all want to fill that void we lost on that day. And if this building is the one were going to get, we will take it, cuz it will be iconic in our hearts. "Some" of you folks from Asia might not understand cuz you have nice biuldings going up everywhere but they dont become a visual part of your lives like the buildings of New York, WE just simply Fall In LOve with Them. SO lets get the ball Rollin!! PEACE!!

Amen!

^Whatever.

I wish I could see the site now. Can someone please take pictures? All the cams are down and I live all the way in Brooklyn. :( I hear a few tower cranes have been erected for the GS Tower, which is right next to the WTC site. The Beekman Tower and 123 Washington are also guna look hot close to the WTC site. There's so much going on and most people have no idea. This city will have one hell of a skyline by 2012; from Midtown to Downtown, trust me, very tall towers will be going up all over the place.
If you really want to head over to the WTC site, there is a thing that that was created about 100 years ago and can get you there in in minutes. What was that called again? I figured it out, and it's known as the subway. Saying that you live in Brooklyn is just ludicrous. It will only cost you two dollars for the entire ride not to forget the free transfers at certain stations. When you have the time, take it over to the WTC site and see it for yourself, though don't be too surprised if there is still little or no progress on the WTC site with the FT.

New York is a great city, but it needs new skyscrapers.

this guys never been to ny.

Is ther anything going on on the site? They were supposed to erect two tower cranes in the Beginning of March. Whats going on:ohno:

It is getting new skyscrapers. That is by far the most uninformed statement I've heard so far in this thread. :ohno:

I agree it is getting new scrapers but with the execption of this and a few others they are pretty much like every other scraper in New York, i.e. a brown or grey box, and so it looks pretty much like one of the older buildings. Still love New York though. Just a shame the gems get swallowed up by the boxes a lot of the time.

I agree it is getting new scrapers but with the execption of this and a few others they are pretty much like every other scraper in New York, i.e. a brown or grey box, and so it looks pretty much like one of the older buildings. Still love New York though. Just a shame the gems get swallowed up by the boxes a lot of the time.

Blame capitalism. Blame NIMBYS. Heck even blame the government. Too much beauracracy to build anything. The land is too expensive, and it seems that most residents of NY think they live in the Hamptons. It's pathetic, makes me wonder if government is any good anymore.

You get the most bang for your buck with boxes.

Yep, that's why they built them for so long after WWII, they figured they had already spent enough money "recently".

It is getting new skyscrapers. That is by far the most uninformed statement I've heard so far in this thread. :ohno:

I understand where that person comes from. Some people could be an ignorants or unable to recognize the difference of NYC skyline betweeen last decade to present day because of most newer skyscrapers are "box" and somewhat simple design. That confuses many people often. For example, some of my friends who are into skyscrapers as well as we all do... Visited NYC recently and complained that these new skyscrapers look so old and plain. I went there a while ago and I can see why they complained about it. I think that person who might haven't recognize that these "old looking" newer skyscarpers that are new. :dunno:

Sorry for off of the subject here, I am not sure if you guys already had that discussin before. I never know about it until recently when I discovered that Donald Trump wanted to rebuild WTC complex with same twin towers as before. I got the information from

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/05/19/trump_tower_narrowweb__200x327.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Trump-calls-for-return-of-the-Twin-Towers/2005/05/19/1116361672971.html%3Foneclick%3Dtrue&h=327&w=200&sz=16&hl=en&sig2=k4qt71xSSNRhH58SyM8DSw&start=19&tbnid=g36bmHT9k6T8vM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=72&ei=NZr0RfacGqWmrQOu_4jmAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTrump%2Btower%2B%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

I know it is old news but new news to me. Anyone here know about this?

Please forgive me for being off the subject here.

i hope they built them again..
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/05/19/trump_tower_narrowweb__200x327.jpg

Me too! Do not get me wrong, I like Freedom Tower too but I prefer orginal WTC complex.

Yeah me too, like Trump said", "If something happened to the Statue of Liberty, you wouldn't rebuild it as something other than the Statue of Liberty. We cannot rebuild them as something other than the Twin Towers.

trump blows

^^ Very true! :yes:

Yeah me too, like Trump said", "If something happened to the Statue of Liberty, you wouldn't rebuild it as something other than the Statue of Liberty. We cannot rebuild them as something other than the Twin Towers.

What a terrible comparison! The Statue of Liberty is a statue. The World Trade Centre complex was a collection of office buildings. One is an icon, the other not so much (come on, in the end they were just two towers in NYC's skyline). What happened on 911 is what MADE them iconic. Before that, no one outside of the US knew what they were apart from skyscraper aficionados like us.

Donald Trump is such a moron.

Anyway, we're getting off topic again, but some things just have to be said.

Trump's WTC are a bit of a step backwards....:bash: Twin 'Freedoms' might have been something else though, but I much prefer the current renders of the complex thats going up.

It will be very nice that they rebuild the Twin Towers, but thsi time taller than before, but the Freedom Tower looks very nice and great, I think that the skyline of New York would look great with both constructions if they decide to buil the Twin Towers again.

What a terrible comparison! The Statue of Liberty is a statue. The World Trade Centre complex was a collection of office buildings. One is an icon, the other not so much (come on, in the end they were just two towers in NYC's skyline). What happened on 911 is what MADE them iconic. Before that, no one outside of the US knew what they were apart from skyscraper aficionados like us.

Donald Trump is such a moron.

Anyway, we're getting off topic again, but some things just have to be said.
they were an icon and not only for NY, they were an icon for the USA

I agree... rebuilding the two original towers would probably be the better idea.. but i think we should also add newer surroundings buildings, something like WTC7

I will only say it once here, and I will not repeat on this thread if anyone didn't catch it. Donald Trump is NOT an architect nor is the plan his. That model of the Twins you see by him was designed by Herbert Belton and Ken Gardner. Even if the Twins would be rebuilt, that is if the FT gets scrapped at good point, the most he said he would do with this plan is finance it, he never said he would rent space there. This post was just made to clear up the confusion, and if anyone has anymore questions on that plan or wanting the Twins back, please go over to the Twin Towers Advocacy thread over in the WTC section in the NYC forum.

Any new pictures of Ground Zero yet?

What a terrible comparison! The Statue of Liberty is a statue. The World Trade Centre complex was a collection of office buildings. One is an icon, the other not so much (come on, in the end they were just two towers in NYC's skyline). What happened on 911 is what MADE them iconic. Before that, no one outside of the US knew what they were apart from skyscraper aficionados like us.

Wrong. The twin towers were global icons well before 9/11. For example, I can't begin to tell you how many movies/tv shows had shots of them, songs with them in, etc. It was a landmark well before the attacks.

^^ Amen!

Yep.

The twin towers were the greatest buildings on the planet. Two standing tall together.

You all obviosly dont get the picture, I know yall adored them and all but:THE TWIN TOWERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE REBUILT. THEY HAVE ALMOST FINISHED THE FOUNDATION WORK ON THE FREEDOM TOWER, AND THEY ARE GOING TO FINALLY ERECT THE TOWERS CRANES IN THE NEXT WEEK. lETS ALL JUST BE HAPPY WITH WHAT WERE GETTING!!!

Any new pictures of Ground Zero yet?

These shots from flickr are pretty recent, though there are still no kangaroo cranes as I predicted.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/410892039_2bf3ebd8ca_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/410891386_b5402fb227_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/410891545_fce520128e_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/410891316_f3291af20d_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/410890824_5523cb879f_o.jpg

i hope they built them again..
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/05/19/trump_tower_narrowweb__200x327.jpg

Me too. With all the delays in building this "Freedom Tower" I hope someone realizes they can still build the original WTC's before it's too late.

i hope they built them again..
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/05/19/trump_tower_narrowweb__200x327.jpg
I'm sure they will be rebuilt, maybe in 25 years when everybody will realise NY needs it more than this Freedom Tower, or maybe in another city, but they were too important to forget them forever, if someday the richest person on earth loves skyscrapers, surely he will rebuild them :D. And I'm 110% sure Dubai will build a replica someday :D

Me too. With all the delays in building this "Freedom Tower" I hope someone realizes they can still build the original WTC's before it's too late.
It IS too late, can't you see that there's a core growing? NYC IS getting the Freedom Tower! If you don't want it, Deal with it. I'm sick and tired of people whining for the twins to come back! Accept it, they will NOT come back! :bleep:

These shots from flickr are pretty recent, though there are still no kangaroo cranes as I predicted.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/410891545_fce520128e_o.jpg


What is that guy doing in the street? Making sure he gets arrested?

I don't look a lot of progress.

I hope the mods/admins ban/suspend any mention of rebuilding the twins. ZERO PERCENT CHANCE!!! As good as begging the GREEKS to rebuild their ancient coliseums!

Now that's outta the way, what going on in the site? Its way too slow; is politics getting in the way, or are they really just slow like that?

I see some process on ground zero. Thanks for show new pictures! :)

also can see a progress, not the best but i can see one

They are about four/five weeks old, but still good pictures from Project Rebirth. (http://www.projectrebirth.org/)

http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/tributeCenter.jpg
http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/Untitled_1.jpg
http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/crane2.jpg
http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/DSC_0033minusOne.sized.jpg
http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/Untitled_4.jpg
http://www.projectrebirth.org/albums/recent-construction-feb2007/Untitled_HDR_00.sized.jpg
^Nice shot of 7WTC and that red sculpture.

^^ Great pictures! :) Thanks for sharing! :) Last picture looks very interesting... :lol:

In one of the pics I have shown yesterday, the shot where the FT is rumored to rise, I don't see any cranes there as I do for the rest of the site.

Need more pictures of this foundation! PLZ... Hurry up and build this TOWER ! ! !

I don't really know, architecturally speaking, I'd never ever want the old twins back. No offense, but I don't think they were pretty in any way, just two huge boxes. Don't get me wrong, though, it's not like I'm happy they got destroyed, but now that there's a chance to build something else, I'll say go for it. And well, as for the symbolic value of the old buildings .. I wouldn't know, I'm not from NYC, let alone the US, and I'd never heard of the buildings before 9/11 (I was only 11 or something anyway). So they never really meant anything to me (which might explain why I'm not eager to get them back)

And I agree with most people, btw, just hurry up and build something! :cheers:

I don't really know, architecturally speaking, I'd never ever want the old twins back. No offense, but I don't think they were pretty in any way, just two huge boxes. Don't get me wrong, though, it's not like I'm happy they got destroyed, but now that there's a chance to build something else, I'll say go for it. And well, as for the symbolic value of the old buildings .. I wouldn't know, I'm not from NYC, let alone the US, and I'd never heard of the buildings before 9/11 (I was only 11 or something anyway). So they never really meant anything to me (which might explain why I'm not eager to get them back)

And I agree with most people, btw, just hurry up and build something! :cheers:

The towers were plenty iconic/symbolic or whatever you want to call it. that's why they were 3 terrorist attacks on them... If they weren't, they would have been ignored.

And I'm 110% sure Dubai will build a replica someday :D

i hope so..

i hope so..

will be odd to see it rivaled/dwarfed there, though XD

I don't look a lot of progress.The only thing that looks like progress is steel going up.

If they weren't, they would have been ignored.

Are you suggesting that if terrorists had attacked a less iconic building nobody would have really noticed???? Thats a joke. I think it was more the terrorist attack and loss of human lives that caught world headlines than the fact that an iconic building had been destroyed. To be honest outside the US a lot of people wouldn't have even know about the twin towers prior to 9/11

^^ He meant that WTC would have not been attacked if they weren't iconic.

BTW some foundation work's going on the site.

^yeah I suppose, but they were an obvious target due to their size and dominance of the downtown skyline, but that didn't necessarily nake them beautiful buildings.

The Towers were attacked because of what they stood for.Capitalism!

I'm sure they will be rebuilt, maybe in 25 years when everybody will realise NY needs it more than this Freedom Tower, or maybe in another city, but they were too important to forget them forever, if someday the richest person on earth loves skyscrapers, surely he will rebuild them :D. And I'm 110% sure Dubai will build a replica someday :D

maybe a nice tower for Las vegas

I like the "Freedom Tower".... wonderful building. Also the waterfalls look real impressive as a memorial site.

Go NY!

heres a render with a height correction for 2WTC.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/4481/newtcor8.jpg

http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_201/silversteinportworkers.html
Volume 19 Issue 44 | March 16 - 22, 2007

Silverstein, Port, workers guarantee insurance fight

By Josh Rogers

http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_201/pay.gif
Developer Larry Silverstein spoke to a rally of construction workers in Midtown Monday. They called for two insurance companies to pay Silverstein $800 million he needs to rebuild the World Trade Center.

About 300 construction workers rallied Monday with World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority against two holdout insurance companies whom they say owe $800 million to rebuild ground zero.

“Pay up now,” the workers chanted outside the Hilton New York in Midtown as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners met inside. Truckers driving by honked their horns in support.

Silverstein and the Port, which owns the site, have reached agreements with many of their insurers. Most of the speakers at the rally pointed out that the two worst holdouts are foreign-based firms — Allianz of Germany and Royal & Sun Alliance of England. U.S. Rep. Anthony Wiener, a 2005 mayoral candidate who’s expected to run again in 2009, called for a state investigation into the insurance firms at the rally, organized by the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.

Silverstein told the crowd that the C.E.O.’s of both firms were co-signers of ads in 2001 saying: “Insurance will be a foundation upon which we will recover and rebuild. You can depend upon us to facilitate claims …with compassion and to meet our responsibilities.”

The firms also promised to “fulfill the hopes and prayers of those who have been taken from us.”

“Where I come from in New York City, we call that chutzpah,” Silverstein said to cheers. He said whether it’s small business owners in Lower Manhattan, or Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans and Mississippi, insurance companies always delay making payments as long as they can.

He said the firms are collecting 9 percent interest on the $800 million. “The float amounts to a huge amount of money,” he told reporters.

Allianz released a “fact sheet” challenging many of the claims of Silverstein and the Port. One apparent area of agreement between the Port and Allianz, though, is that the firm is not required to make any payments now.

The Port’s counsel testified at an Assembly hearing last year that the insurance payments to rebuild were voluntary. Anthony Shorris, the Port’s new executive director, said on Monday that the firms should “do the right thing,” the precise phrase Kenneth Ringler, his predecessor, used last year.

Allianz claims its obligation to pay will begin when all five W.T.C. towers are built. Construction on the Freedom Tower is underway but the Port has not yet prepared three Church St. sites for construction and there is no design yet for the fifth site on Liberty St., where someday a bus garage and tower are expected to replace the damaged former Deutsche Bank building still overlooking the site.

When 16 insurance companies were threatening to stop payments last year, Silverstein said construction could stop in a month if they followed through with the threat. He did not say Monday whether it was a matter of months or years before W.T.C. construction would halt if he did not get the $800 million from Allianz and Royal.

He has received just over half the $4.6 billion he has won from the insurance companies and $3.3 billion in tax-free Liberty Bonds have been dedicated to the W.T.C.

The Port and Silverstein will divide the insurance money under an agreement reached last fall, whereby the Port got the development rights to the Freedom Tower and Tower 5 on Liberty St. Allianz and Royal contend the new agreement changes their obligations.

Silverstein originally sought $7 billion in insurance payments based on the legal theory that the plane attacks on the Twin Towers represented two separate occurrences. He won that argument on 10 of his 26 polices, including three owned by Allianz and Royal or their affiliates.

Royal recently sold off its American subsidiary, now called Arrowpoint Capital. Silverstein and the Port are challenging the sale and filed a lawsuit last month. Arrowpoint and Royal did not respond to a request for comment.

Relations with other firms, however, are going better. Silverstein announced an agreement Wednesday with TIG insurance, which will pay him and the Port $12.535 million. The firm, which lost on the two-occurrence question, had already paid Silverstein $9.1 million and agreed to pay the second $9.1 million and 90 percent of the interest Silverstein claimed.

With reporting by Brooke Edwards

Don't know if this has been answered before, but in Wikipedia it says "82 Floors (26 Floors not occupied , ending in total of 108 Floors)." Why are they wasting 26 floors?

EDIT: Nevermind. Should've read the rest of the article. Either way, it seems kinda silly to shove all the mechanical floors up there.

i lik the complex, just beautiful

Don't know if this has been answered before, but in Wikipedia it says "82 Floors (26 Floors not occupied , ending in total of 108 Floors)." Why are they wasting 26 floors?

EDIT: Nevermind. Should've read the rest of the article. Either way, it seems kinda silly to shove all the mechanical floors up there.

yeah, this is for EVERYONE to know since most dont, but they dont start counting floors until about 200 feet up over the base. technically 1WTC is in fact 108 floors.

Does ne1 know, are they definatelygoing to build the other surrounding towers, or are they still in the proposal stage?

yeah, this is for EVERYONE to know since most dont, but they dont start counting floors until about 200 feet up over the base. technically 1WTC is in fact 108 floors.

The floors that they're not counting are on the top of the tower not the bottom.

::sigh:: what a mess...

Don't know if this has been answered before, but in Wikipedia it says "82 Floors (26 Floors not occupied , ending in total of 108 Floors)." Why are they wasting 26 floors?

EDIT: Nevermind. Should've read the rest of the article. Either way, it seems kinda silly to shove all the mechanical floors up there.

That was done to pretty much have office space below the same height as the Twins were.

So what exactly is the latest with the freedom tower as of today, and how much longer will it be before they erect the tower cranes? This is begginging to be ridiculous:ohno:

Agreed! I think they should shut the bleep up and start the construction right away! Talk is cheap, take the action!

i've the feeling the new WTC never be build :ohno:

theyre waiting til we've killed all the future terrorists in Iraq..
then they'll be certain that this building will be safe.
:bash:

no seriously, its probably that theyre developing the other 3 buildings, to make them rise together? seems odd that theyre taking their time.

Well think about it... The cost of construction is on the rise... If they wait... They will have spend more... I think they should go ahead get it started before it become too expensive.

I agree with the post above, I will be shocked if and when this thing ever gets built.

Freedom Tower - rulez! I love NY =)

Each day I'm getting more a more disappointed with the project, not because of the shape of the building, but about its slow starting... There is always so many external problems around... The fact is that the construction has no rhythm

and we can't see the progress because we've no webcam and no update's :sleepy:

^^ Exactly!!! And that makes me wonder, is this building still under construction? And How much longer till we see the cranes erected, becuase this is getting absolutely ridiculous!!:ohno: :ohno:

Too bad it will not be built as designed by the winning team by Lieberskind.
Now, the design of the complex looks rather mediocre, lacks cohesivness.
Too much politics killed it.

^Please.








BRIAN LYONS (construction manager): http://wtc.com/video/21_brian_lyons.wmv
Norman Foster (Tower 2 architect): http://wtc.com/video/22_foster_interview.wmv
FRANK HUSSEY (construction worker): http://wtc.com/video/23_frank_hussey.wmv
Richard Rogers (Tower 3 architect): http://wtc.com/video/26_rogers-interview.wmv
David (7WTC architect): http://wtc.com/video/28_david_childs.wmv
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS: http://wtc.com/video/29_environ-standards_event.wmv

These videos were made many months ago and were just released.

As much as I hate to admit, I understand people getting anxious and even impatient. The best update we've ssen in a loooong while is something like a "Hey, a few beams of steel just went up! woooot :D "

But I still stand firm in my opinion that this one is a sleek looking glass skyscraper.

^^ I agree, sleek, angled, but the spire is too tall.
truthfully, I think downtown Manhattan will start to rival midtown. Isnt that crazy? How sick will NYC skyline look with the entire WTC complex complete...along with goldman sachs..it will look glorious.

Ive learned to appreciate the skyscrapers going up around the world nowadays. While I am biased towards the traditional art deco and gothic styles of scrapers, the world is always changing and many towers, when I view them with this attitude, look 10X better. especially FT.

^^ I agree, sleek, angled, but the spire is too tall.
truthfully, I think downtown Manhattan will start to rival midtown. Isnt that crazy? How sick will NYC skyline look with the entire WTC complex complete...along with goldman sachs..it will look glorious.

Ive learned to appreciate the skyscrapers going up around the world nowadays. While I am biased towards the traditional art deco and gothic styles of scrapers, the world is always changing and many towers, when I view them with this attitude, look 10X better. especially FT.

Sick or slick?

Sick or slick?

downtown will look slick, and very futuristic, if the wtc buildings resemble the renderings. but I meant to say it'll look sick, as in very good.

::sigh:: what a mess...


I agree. Someone should give Donald Trump a call. :runaway:

Here is a recent shot done by Flash over at Cityscapes, though I don't see anything new here.

http://metroscenes.com/newyorkcity/images/nyc_metroscenes2007_32.jpg

The needle top is not quite coherence with the spire.

great shot

Whats the job at the top right with tower cranes

nice shot, but from that distance i can see nothing

Whats the job at the top right with tower cranes


It´s this little building...http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=goldmansachsheadquarters-newyorkcity-ny-usa

Maybe there are no Tower cranes left, like dubai stole them all

My friend, who's in contact with some of the workers, says he's pretty sure that some tower cranes will be up in April. I can't believe the NY Times had it wrong. I sill wish I could see the site via a live cam. I hear that all of the below grade beams will be up after spring.

Just wanted to let yall know that if you go to wikipedia and look up freedom tower. Then go to the constuction section, you will see an updated image of the contruction site! That assures you that they are making great progress their and cranes will be up very soon:banana: :banana:


I dont know how to post pictures here but if anyone can it will be greatly appreciated.


PS. I wonder what theat huge red thing is in the ground?

Just wanted to let yall know that if you go to wikipedia and look up freedom tower. Then go to the constuction section, you will see an updated image of the contruction site! That assures you that they are making great progress their and cranes will be up very soon:banana: :banana:


I dont know how to post pictures here but if anyone can it will be greatly appreciated.


PS. I wonder what theat huge red thing is in the ground?

Judging by whats int he middle, it seems to be the base of the crane that maybe erected.

From Wikipedia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Freedom_tower_2007-mar26.jpg

Sorry for the large pic.

Looks like work is starting to pick up a bit

finally

This is gonna be one massive building:nuts:

tower crane base :cheers:

a great tower but I have to say NYC is lagging behind of the new rising Asian cities.

^^ Those chinese cities have the room to build anywhere they wish and they dont have to mind possible monuments like the ESB or the woolworth building... NYC is old an has so many monuments that it is difficult to build something.

Absolutely right... When China has to decide between building a new tower or keeping a structure that has been there for possibly 100 years, then I'll be impressed.

Stating the cause of a city's lack of comparable development doesn't negate it. If New York is falling behind, it's because of the old monuments that have to be avoided and such - but that doesn't mean it isn't falling behind.

its gonna look great, spire is sort of annoying though. seems like we pu$$y'd out or something, you know? for example hong kongs ICC and shanghai's SWFC own this tower... maybe for this sacred site height was not an issue though. a classy design, IMO. we already know what u.s. cities are capable of in terms of architecture.

great update! hope it'll rise now

Stating the cause of a city's lack of comparable development doesn't negate it. If New York is falling behind, it's because of the old monuments that have to be avoided and such - but that doesn't mean it isn't falling behind.

Say, didn't your mother ever tell you that just because someone jumps off of a bridge your gonna follow them too? Jesus, this isn't follow the leader here. :bash:

seems like it's almost ready to rise!!

Say, didn't your mother ever tell you that just because someone jumps out of a bridge your gonna follow them too? Jesus this isn't follow the leader here. :bash:

Sorry, what? What leader was I following? And how do you jump OUT of a bridge? And.. oh, too many confusions have arisen from that post, I'm gonna leave the rest alone - back to the topic at hand, sorry everyone.

New York has style, history.... Dubai.... it's a "fugazy" if you ask me.

And how do you jump OUT of a bridge? .

Ive done it....once. cant remember exactly how I did it though, and the landing was violent

New York has style, history.... Dubai.... it's a "fugazy" if you ask me.

By fugazy, I believe u mean to offned Dubai, I am 100% with you man... Dubai is cool, but Its a poser city

By fugazy, I believe u mean to offned Dubai, I am 100% with you man... Dubai is cool, but Its a poser city

Fugazy means A really bad knockoff, a copy. I don't agree with the assessment. Dubai isn't copying, they're creating something totally different while borrowing some common themes. They're like Las Vegas in that way, just less cheesy and far more impressive.

Fugazy is not to be confused with Fugazi, which is a punk(ish) band that took it's name from US military slang term originating in the Viet Nam war. It means "Fucked Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In."

I really should stop hijacking threads like this... The mods may come down on me..

This tower better to get built! I know they already started the construction but I hope it will not be on hold again like they always. :ohno:

This tower better to get built! I know they already started the construction but I hope it will not be on hold again like they always. :ohno:

I dont want to jinx anything, but I think that construction wont end on the WTC site until it is completed in 2013:cheers:

don't think that tower will be completed until 2013...more 2015 or later ^^

or it could be never completed, too. :lol:

WTF? When is that word, T-O-W-E-R has became a bad word?

I dont want to jinx anything, but I think that construction wont end on the WTC site until it is completed in 2013:cheers:

Or later than 2013...

WTF? When is that word, T-O-W-E-R has became a bad word?

A-p-r-i-l - Joke maybe :lol:

hey THERENNAISSANCEMAN

^ the americans??? HARDLY...those designs were not chosen by the "Americans" but by a small committee of political assholes....I guess you don't know the whole story behind the desings!! Most new Yorkers hate that final design....including that terrible :Freedom Tower" name...yuk

HEY , TowersNYC !
TELL ME SOMETHING , WERE THOSE MEMBERS OF THE "SMALL COMMITTEE " BY ANY CHANCE WERE BRITISH , GERMAN , FRENCH , BELGIAN , NORWEGIANS, SPANISH , ITALIANS , FINNISH , AUSTRIANS , ESKIMOES OR PERHAPS TIMBOCTOUANS ?
IF THIS PERHAPS IS THE CASE , THEN IT IS PLAIN INDEED THAT AMERICAN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION CAN EASILY BE DISTORTED BY PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR OWN RACE
WITHOUT MUCH AS A WHIMPER OF PROTEST:ohno: FROM THESE YANKS.

New Yorkers dont like the name or the design. We want our twins back, period. Regardless, something has to go up and this is what we got, got it? now please just shut the fuck up.

over at WNY Vengineer has all the inside info on the tower. as stated awhile ago, the design for the roof and spire is still being done, and this is what Vengineer came up with.

"I looked thru the spire schematics to address londonlawyer's question... and theres a drawing that shows a new design for the base of the spire with the annotation: "new ring". I haven't checked up on this project in a while and its dated december of last year. Maybe this is a new design.

I like this base alot. The change is nothing drastic but the inward angle of the ring accentuates the angles of the tower. Everythings going in the same direction now. It looks like a round nozzle... like that of a jet... no longer a retarded donut.

http://www.avonds.com/Finished%20nozzle%2002.jpg

I also like the cable-stayed look of the support cables. There are numerous cables zig zagged giving it a solid yet transparent look of a continuous ascending spire. You guys should see the lighting equipment they're planning on mounting on this thing. Looks like they're going forward with the light show. :colgate: "

HEY SPOOKYMAN , YOU MUST BE LOOKING DOWN YOUR BACKSIDE FOR INSPIRATION WHEN YOU COMPOSED THIS ARTICLE:ohno:

you're really a fan of the Freedom Tower?

this is definitely not a tower for the WTC, I also will the Twins back. Nothing other would look great in NY!!! they should build that tower in Shanghai or so, maybe there it would look great but in NY, NO!!

i must agree that the WTC need a more impressive replacement. they in their day were as much a feat of engineeriing as the current burj dubai. i think anything less than monumental design overhaul, ie think the radical nature of some of the original proposals. rather than this tame and rather boring box with a spire that is far too tall. the fact is, the WTC were something special and the freedom tower, is just another building in my mind. in fact i find its design quite boring.

HEY , TowersNYC !
TELL ME SOMETHING , WERE THOSE MEMBERS OF THE "SMALL COMMITTEE " BY ANY CHANCE WERE BRITISH , GERMAN , FRENCH , BELGIAN , NORWEGIANS, SPANISH , ITALIANS , FINNISH , AUSTRIANS , ESKIMOES OR PERHAPS TIMBOCTOUANS ?
IF THIS PERHAPS IS THE CASE , THEN IT IS PLAIN INDEED THAT AMERICAN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION CAN EASILY BE DISTORTED BY PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR OWN RACE
WITHOUT MUCH AS A WHIMPER OF PROTEST:ohno: FROM THESE YANKS.

Whoa... calm down there.

Most people have NO idea what's really going on. At the WTC site and a small radius around it, over 15 billion dollars of construction is taking place.



-We have this hotel tower u/c at 123 Washington (next to Tower 5): http://www.pbase.com/image/66804062.jpg
-You have the GS Tower right by the WFC towers; it's u/c now (750 feet tall, as tall as 7WTC)
-We have the 850+ feet tall Beekman Tower u/c right now (over 75 floors/maybe tallest rez in NY)
-We have the Freedom Tower tower cranes going up now
-The PANYNJ is working on Tower 4's slurry wall (950 feet tall)
-South Ferry Terminal (for the Staten Island Ferry) work is going smoothly
-The PANYNJ is working on Tower 3's slurry wall (1,255 feet tall)
-The site is being cleared for Tower 2 (1,340 feet tall)
-The memorial and 2 billion dollar transit hub are u/c
-We still have yet to see a design for WTC Tower 5 at 130 Liberty Street (most likely over 800 feet tall)
-You have a plethora of medium rez towers going up
-Plus Silverstein is making plans for a 60+ floor tower at 99 Church Street, which is right by 7WTC (over 800')
-The Fulton Street hub is u/c
-All of the streets and utilities in the area are being upgraded
-I'm 100% sure I'm missing another very tall tower or two
-That sexy floating terminal for the WFC will be u/c shortly and there's too many other big projects to list

The amount of work for that small area is utterly insane. Just picture all of the other supertalls for the rest of the city that are being planned now. I don't care what anyone says; NY isn't behind anyone.

Most people have NO idea what's really going on. At the WTC site and a small radius around it, over 15 billion dollars of construction is taking place.



-We have this hotel tower u/c at 123 Washington (next to Tower 5): http://www.pbase.com/image/66804062.jpg
-You have the GS Tower right by the WFC towers; it's u/c now (750 feet tall, as tall as 7WTC)
-We have the 850+ feet tall Beekman Tower u/c right now (over 75 floors/maybe tallest rez in NY)
-We have the Freedom Tower tower cranes going up now
-The PANYNJ is working on Tower 4's slurry wall (950 feet tall)
-South Ferry Terminal work is going smoothly
-The PANYNJ is working on Tower 3's slurry wall (1,255 feet tall)
-The site is being cleared for Tower 2 (1,340 feet tall)
-The memorial and 2 billion dollar transit hub are u/c
-We still have yet to see a design for WTC Tower 5 at 130 Liberty Street (most likely over 800 feet tall)
-You have a plethora of medium rez towers going up
-Plus Silverstein is making plans for a 60+ floor tower at 99 Church Street, which is right by 7WTC (over 800')
-I'm 100% sure I'm missing another very tall tower or two
-That sexy floating terminal for the WFC will be u/c shortly and there's too many other big projects to list

The amount of work for that small area is utterly insane. Just picture all of the other supertalls for the rest of the city that are being planned now. I don't care what anyone says; NY isn't behind anyone.

I totally agree, I prefer the new WTC anyday:cheers: I think people didnt really like the old WTC because of the design, but because of its dominance, and arogance. Which is what made them such a target.

Ebola,

Have they erected the tower crane yet? And how tall is that tower that you posted thats next to tower 5?

Thanks. I think the crane on the core is half-erected b/c I see something tall on top of it's base on one of the low-quality cams. There will be 4 tower cranes erected for this skyscraper. I know two will be up soon.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k241/ebola111/Freedoer.jpg
All I am sure of. ^ If the tower crane isn't up yet, it can't be THAT long of a wait until stuff happens. All of the beams for the substructure will all be up after spring.


Edit: I just got a clear view of the area and there is no crane up there yet, but it will be soon and I see another tower crane erected at the GS Tower site!! ;)

Thanks. I think the crane on the core is half-erected b/c I see something tall on top of it's base on one of the low-quality cams. There will be 4 tower cranes erected for this skyscraper. I know two will be up soon.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k241/ebola111/Freedoer.jpg
All I am sure of. ^ If the tower crane isn't up yet, it can't be THAT long of a wait until stuff happens. All of the beams for the substructure will all be up after spring.


Edit: I just got a clear view of the area and there is no crane up there yet, but it will be soon and I see another tower crane erected at the GS Tower site!! ;)


Dol you think it will be erected by the end of this week? Sorry to keep asking questions, but I am so anxious to see this building rise. This has to be the most anticipated skycraper under construction in the country:)

By the way, I was looking on Project Rebirths cam, and it looks as though the first leve of the building on the SE side is being poured, but Im not sure

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

More progress, fantastic!

you're really a fan of the Freedom Tower?

this is definitely not a tower for the WTC, I also will the Twins back. Nothing other would look great in NY!!! they should build that tower in Shanghai or so, maybe there it would look great but in NY, NO!!


I feel the same way. When you watch old movies or TV shows based in New York you see the twins on the skyline. It's like knocking down the Empire State Building, Jin Mao Tower, Petronas or the Sears Tower and putting a funky replacement for it.

If you don't like the Freedom Tower, deal with it. I mean really now.

Well, hell, who knows... at the rate they're building this thing... they might change it 50 million more times.

It's too late, can't you see that there's a core growing? NYC IS getting the Freedom Tower! If you don't want it, Deal with it. I'm sick and tired of people whining for the twins to come back! Accept it, they will NOT come back! :bleep:

Like I said before, They are not coming back, The core is going to rise in the next few weeks and the cranes will be erected! I bet you're going to whine for the twins to come back even after the Freedom tower is topped out!

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1130/gennycoq3.png

is this diagrams about empire state building and chrysler building correct?

No I don't think so. I don't think ESB has over 102 stories. Chrysler building... It doesn't look right to me... I am not sure what exactly...

ESB does have 102 floors and the heights are correct. Same goes for the Chrysler Building. Not sure what the Generali Tower is doing in that diagram though. :lol:

What are you talking about? ESB has 102 stories.