is it in foundation level ?

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/395/rgz20090703.jpg

WOW the other tower is progressing quite rapidly.

I'm surprised they’re putting trees at the base of a supertall tower at all. Where else does that happen? I hope this works out as well as they intended it to. They are definitely treading new water here. :lol:

Actually, a lot of buildings have trees around their bases. It's just that I don't know of many supertalls that have had THIS MANY. Even the twins had trees around their bases but not nearly this many. Could you imagine if they had an 80 foot tall barricade of dense leaves around their bases?

I like it when there are a few trees here and there, but this is kinda overkill. I understand the WTC is unique and they're trying to symbolize life, but there are already plenty of trees in the memorial. At least Towers 2-4 won't have so many.

Hmmmm, my eyes may be playing games with me, but are those beams going from the outwar perimeter columns connecting to the core?

^^^^^^
no I don't think so i think that are the suporting beams of the groudfloor. If you look you see they strecht further outside the wtc1 into the memorial.

Hmmmm, my eyes may be playing games with me, but are those beams going from the outwar perimeter columns connecting to the core?

What you are seeing is shadows cast on the droped sections of the lobby floor forms where the concrete beams that support it go.
There are no steel floor beams tell we get to the 2nd floor.

Wow, it's really coming along. I haven't been checking the progress lately so there are a lot of new details that have sprung up all around.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/395/rgz20090703.jpg

Is it just me or have they started dismantling the roof of the PATH station, near where the Memorial entrance building is going to be?

Yeah, they've been dismantling it for a while now. I remember in the October report how it said the existing PATH hub roof would remain in place throughout the installation of the huge, permanent arches over the eventual PATH mezzanine to act as protection for commuters, but I THINK the eventual PATH mezzanine is only going to stretch as far south as about where the museum entrance/pavillion will be at the plaza above. Can you confirm or deny this, Zen? Or NYatKnight?

I think the area directly below the pavillion will be built with traditional columns (not the huge calatrava arches) and will be retail shops. My guess is that's why they have to remove that area of the existing roof. Hopefully we'll see steel going up there soon.

Actually, a lot of buildings have trees around their bases. It's just that I don't know of many supertalls that have had THIS MANY. Even the twins had trees around their bases but not nearly this many. Could you imagine if they had an 80 foot tall barricade of dense leaves around their bases?

I like it when there are a few trees here and there, but this is kinda overkill. I understand the WTC is unique and they're trying to symbolize life, but there are already plenty of trees in the memorial. At least Towers 2-4 won't have so many.

You do realise that they are just trying to fill up the empty space created around the tower for safety reasons (car bombs) ;)

BTW, are you measuring the circle by radius when you say it's 18 feet wide? The diameter seems to be about 1/6th the length of the FT, which is about 200 feet long.

I measure the pit as being three workers in diameter, so either it's +/-18 feet wide or those guys are 12 feet tall. I think the perspective in that picture is foreshortening the near side of the tower foundation by a misleading extent.
(I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it's a lot of big words, so I'm hoping it will fool people)

You do realise that they are just trying to fill up the empty space created around the tower for safety reasons (car bombs) ;)

That's a good one :lol::lol:, really good one, anti car bomb trees :lol::lol:

I think that around the WTC site there are simply going to be many bollards and different types of barriers (fixed or drop arm or whatever other models are out there.)

Wait,
or bollards that look like trees:)

:cheers:

The 18 foot circle is a planter, not a fountain (refer to drawings A-500 through A-504.4, for slab re-enforcement see drawing S-1.001 B-R) . It's only about 16 inches deep but gets a stepped wall around it.

18 foot radius. I forgot the drawing I measured is half scale.

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7356&d=1246590887

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7356&d=1246590887

Wow, have you got some more shots of the following pages of the schedule?

Post the floor plan for floor 75 here. Really cool stuff.

Cool pic, Zen. I too would love to see pics from other parts of the prints but I'm sure it ain't gonna happen. :) I got to see the plans for the towers and the mall... BRIEFLY... but my friend made me not take any pictures. I'm going back to the site in a few weeks and he's already said that he'd be happy to give me a tour of the actual construction site and the design studio in WTC7 again. I promise I'll take plenty of pics and video. Though be warned, it has to go through approval with him first and last time that took two months.

That's a good one :lol::lol:, really good one, anti car bomb trees :lol::lol:

I think that around the WTC site there are simply going to be many bollards and different types of barriers (fixed or drop arm or whatever other models are out there.)

Wait,
or bollards that look like trees:)

:cheers:

Why don't make patterns of bollard, barrier, bollard, barrier, etc? It may give more security, but note the memorial centre takes up more space.:)

That's a good one :lol::lol:, really good one, anti car bomb trees :lol::lol:

:|

The trees will be there for decoration/landscaping not for protection, the (empty) distance from the road is the bomb protection measure, along with the bomb-proof shell base of the tower. Did you forgot that the tower was pushed back from the main road by suggestions from NYPD?


Kids ... :ohno:

Hey man you gotta to admit that you initially kind of implied that they were using the trees for safety reasons (car bomb protection). :|:)

Yeah, but wouldn't the trees catch on fire one by one? That's one disadvantage of "Car-Bombing Protection Trees." :D

When I saw that circular shape in the new concrete pour I wondered if the 'Sphere' sculpture damaged in 9/11 will be brought back to the site ? I saw it in Battery Park while visiting NY in September 07 but think it should go back to the memorial area if not a plaza fountain like it's original position....It would feel strange to see it slowly turning with water rushing at it's base like pre sept. 2001.

By request here it is, 75th floor strucural drawing.

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7355&d=1246590837

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7358&d=1246591174

By request here it is, 75th floor strucural drawing.

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7355&d=1246590837

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7358&d=1246591174

Thanks! I love octagons, and hexagons and triangles too.

Thanks! I love octagons, and hexagons and triangles too.

That are not real Octagons except the outer perimeter, the interior and the core seem to be completely unsymmetrical... just like an octagon which was drawn by a little child...

I was always worried that the core of the Freedom Tower would be so massive, and that the tapering exterior would become so great, that these two combined would greatly shrink the area for actual office space (especially on the upper floors). But this floorplan helps to put a lot of these fears to rest. Some facts: Each floor of the Twin Towers was 208' x 208' (43,264 sq. ft.) with a core 136' x 89' (12,104 sq. ft.), for a total area for actual office space of 31,160 sq. ft.... on each floor. The overall floor area for this floor of the Freedom Tower is 30,502 sq. ft., with the core taking up 8,800 sq. ft., which leaves 21,702 sq. ft. for actual office space. So, each floor of the Freedom Tower (or, at least THIS floor) will contain about 70% of the area for actual office space as each floor of the Twin Towers. Considering that there HAD to be an increased core size for things like emergency firefighter elevators, refuge rooms on each floor, and just an overall stronger and more robust core... I think 70% of the original office space on each floor is still a pretty large area.

BTW, Zen, I may be wrong but I think you mentioned before that each floor would have a fireproof refuge room (or rooms) within the core where occupants could take shelter in case of a fire. If this is so, do you know which area(s) in the print are the refuge rooms?

It looks like they're filling in the last corner of the North Pool:
http://i40.tinypic.com/2nkmp2v.jpg

Judging by the picture, it seems that they held off until now because the surface of that corner actually forms part of the roof for the underground museum and memorial.

STATEMENT BY CHRISTOPHER O. WARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ, IN RESPONSE TO SILVERSTEIN PROPERTIES NOTICE OF DISPUTE
Date: Jul 06, 2009
Press Release Number: 84
"It’s unfortunate SPI is walking away from the negotiating table simply because the public has been unwilling to sacrifice critical transportation projects to subsidize private speculative office space.

"As the 2006 Master Development Agreement (MDA) makes clear, the Port Authority is meeting all of its obligations, and we look forward to a quick arbitration decision should Mr. Silverstein continue down this legal path.

"In the meantime, the Port Authority will continue making progress on all of its projects on the site, including the 9/11 Memorial, the WTC Transportation Hub, One World Trade Center and the public infrastructure. We will also continue to invest every dime of the insurance proceeds back into the rebuilding as part of the $11 billion in capital capacity that we are spending on the site’s reconstruction.

"We are certain that SPI understands that an arbitration decision under the MDA will not resolve when there will be a market for two private office towers on the site, and how this speculative private office space should be financed. A resolution to these issues can only be accomplished through good faith negotiations, not a legal fight.

"That is why the Port Authority has offered several different proposals that would give Mr. Silverstein the ability to build a rational amount of office space while protecting scarce public resources for the public projects on the site and for the critical transportation projects that are vital to this region’s economy. We continue to urge SPI to accept any one of these multiple proposals."

Contact:
Port Authority of NY & NJ Media Relations
212-435-7777



WTC developer threatens arbitration at ground zero

By AMY WESTFELDT – 10 minutes ago

NEW YORK (AP) — The private developer of the World Trade Center site threatened Monday to go to an arbitrator unless he and the site's owner quickly settle a monthslong impasse over how much each should pay to build office towers at ground zero.

Larry Silverstein, who wants to rebuild three office towers at the site of the Sept. 11 attacks, gave the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey two weeks' notice before he would go to an arbitrator to resolve issues with his lease.

Terms of the 2006 lease require Silverstein and the Port Authority to go to arbitration before going to court.

The two sides have been squabbling for months about how quickly to build the office towers and how much each should pay to do so. Silverstein has asked for the agency to front as much as $3.2 billion in financing to build two of the three towers; the agency has said it would back financing for one.

Interventions by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and two governors who control the Port Authority have failed to reach an agreement.

Silverstein said the arbitration notice is "designed to inject a renewed sense of urgenty to these discussions."

"One way or another, we must take any and all steps necessary to resolve, once and for all, the disputes that have arisen as a result of the Port Authority's continued and admitted delays," he said.

Silverstein said the agency won't meet construction deadlines that were set in a lease agreement to build a multibillion-dollar transit hub, a vehicle security center and support for a city subway line. The earliest deadlines for that are two years away, when the agency would be in default on the agreement.

If the case went to arbitration, Silverstein would seek financial damages from the agency for delays.

The Port Authority has said it can't use billions in government money to back Silverstein's private project, even though the project is on the public land it owns. The executive director, Christopher Ward, said an arbitrator's ruling wouldn't resolve how many towers the agency would agree to finance, which is not an issue written into the latest lease.

"That is why the Port Authority has offered several different proposals that would give Mr. Silverstein the ability to build a rational amount of office space while protecting scarce public resources for the public projects on the site," Ward said.

The agency has said it wouldn't be able to pay for other projects like a rail tunnel serving Penn Station or improvements to LaGuardia Airport if it guaranteed financing for Silverstein towers.

The impasse threatens to stall construction of a half-dozen projects on half of the site, including the transit hub and office towers, all surrounding the Sept. 11 memorial.

The two sides haven't spoken directly in more than two weeks, when meetings spurred largely by city officials stopped. They have spoken behind the scenes to Bloomberg administration officials. The city doesn't own the 16-acre site in lower Manhattan but has agreed to lease office space in one of Silverstein's towers.

The mayor has been more critical of the Port Authority's position in the talks; he called Silverstein's move Monday "one step closer to stalemate."

"Unfortunately, not everyone has worked as hard as necessary to find a solution," Bloomberg said. "No one disputes that the Port Authority is engaged in many projects important to our region, but pitting those projects against the development of the World Trade Center site creates a false choice."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gsMWFqclEuOiOzudD9z5ci6OLugwD9999QMG0

Sounds to me that the Port Authority would not fare well at an arbitration hearing.

And if you think about it makes sense, since they were very late on finishing the foundations for the eastern part of the site.

having to live in fear because of their own unfair/busybody foreign policy
:lol:

^^WTF?


Anyway, just build the dang towers !

I dont want to sound like a jerk, but the tower's core and the tower itself is tiny in comparison to the old WTC towers. In comparison to the surrounding buildings its way too slim. I mean the floor space doesnt look that much. I really wish they rebuilt the old ones. Not to mention the speed, I've looking the same pictures for 3 years now with little progress. Not to mention the speed.... if they continue with this pace, the tower wont be completed until 2015. Is it so hard to build a bulding? Countries other than our own build 12 olympic stadiums and tallest buldings in the world for 1/2 the time! Its ridiculous.

^^ Hey look its TalB ^_^.

The core is bigger than the old WTCs core, your just blind.

^^ Talb?

Anyways, it's my opinion that this tower is taking ages, I could have build it faster myself. (figuratively). But then again we are full of politics and money nonsense. It's frustrating to come visit WTC thread and the only difference to the tower is debated by people who look for the slightest difference on the same image. The 600 something meters building in Tokyo (thread) was started a while back and will be finished faster than this... its frustrating!

Again this is my opinion.

the surrounding buildings happen to be abnormally large^^ and you forget the original towers took 6 years.... not so speedy

and if you really want to compare an observation tower in tokyo to the wtc then go ahead, just know that it's pretty stupid.

^^Yeah but these will take at least twice as long if they dont speed up the process. Its year 8 and the building isnt even 1/3 rd the hight.

Ok then Burj Dubai.... it was completed in 4/5 years. lol

I dont want to sound like a jerk, but the tower's core and the tower itself is tiny in comparison to the old WTC towers. In comparison to the surrounding buildings its way too slim. I mean the floor space doesnt look that much. I really wish they rebuilt the old ones. Not to mention the speed, I've looking the same pictures for 3 years now with little progress. Not to mention the speed.... if they continue with this pace, the tower wont be completed until 2015. Is it so hard to build a bulding? Countries other than our own build 12 olympic stadiums and tallest buldings in the world for 1/2 the time! Its ridiculous.

You don't sound like a jerk, yer just blind. Tower One has just under 400sq/ft of office space per floor than the Twins.

I've been in construction for almost 30 years, this tower is going up fast, all things considered. More importantly, once it's done, in 2013 or 14 it well be THE safest tower on the planet.

Yer not a jerk, yer just clueless.

[Am I a nasty drunk ?]

Guest89 is the 4,673,890th person to compare Tower One in down town Manhattan to some tooth pic in the middle of nowhere.

and you forget the original towers took 6 years....
and you forget construction methods have improved since the 60s/70s....

You don't sound like a jerk, yer just blind. Tower One has just under 400sq/ft of office space per floor than the Twins.

I've been in construction for almost 30 years, this tower is going up fast, all things considered. More importantly, once it's done, in 2013 or 14 it well be THE safest tower on the planet.

Yer not a jerk, yer just clueless.

[Am I a nasty drunk ?]

First of all I said i didnt want to sound like a jerk, cause i know how upset ppl in this thread get when some1 questions the construction process, so i wanted to avoid that.

Second I thought our country was one of free speech? I am giving you my opinion on a tower that is taking ages to build and saying if it was in another country like China, it would be atleast half way up by now.

Third obviously you need to buy a ticket and visit other construction sites around the world, none of them take this long for a tower. Its been 8 years since 9/11 and we still have a gaping whole. Its emberrassing.

Anyways I just wanted to leave my opinion.

Nah, your post is pretty "emberrassing." I know you're only trying to fling dirt, but whatever. The gaping hole that you think has been there since 9/11 is isn't exactly there anymore fyi. The memorial, transit hub sections, vech center and other parts have filled it in, and clearly T1 has completely brought the deepest part to grade and above.

and you forget construction methods have improved since the 60s/70s....

and you forget the methods to building this and the past wtc are completely irrelevant :lol: this is turning into a dumb thread :lol:

I'm starting to get really excited about it rising faster when its ready. It's not every day you get to watch something this iconic become part of the Manhattan skyline.

Is there a single construction site on earth as logistically complicated as this one? People who complain about the speed really don't have any idea what is happening here...

You are totally free to voice your opinion, just remember so am I. It is also very unfair to compare anything going up at the WTC site to anywhere else in the world. Did almost 3,000 Chinese die at the tower site you are thinking of ?

As for this gaping hole you speak of, it no longer exists.

Almost forgot what I came here for. Notice the floor count?

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7361&d=1246936675

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7362&d=1246936685

You are totally free to voice your opinion, just remember so am I. It is also very unfair to compare anything going up at the WTC site to anywhere else in the world. Did almost 3,000 Chinese die at the tower site you are thinking of ?

As for this gaping hole you speak of, it no longer exists.

Almost forgot what I came here for. Notice the floor count?

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7361&d=1246936675

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7362&d=1246936685



They are counting form below grade, right? Floor 102 can't be 1,578 feet tall unless they started counting from below the street or something.

Also, this may be somewhat outdated. I heard they ditched one restaurant floor, so now both floors 101 and 102 are observation, and above them are mech and whatever else is up there.

Zero elevation is 300 feet below mean high tide at Battery Park Point. All PA projects (like tunnels) use that as a bases. The finished Lobby floor is 311' 2".

I hate weighing in on these rants that someone starts seemingly once a month. But here goes. The WTC site has made an amazingly amount of progress within the last twelve months. Does anyone still remember that ramp that was sitting in the "hole" all those years. It's long gone. All the steel that has been put in for the Memorial has all been erected in just the last 10 months. 1WTC is 100 feet high. 4WTC is nearly at street level. The slurry wall installation has begun on the Vechicle Security Center area. Abatement of the Deutsche Bank building is nearly complete. All the while the PATH lines have continued to be utilized by thousands of people daily. Kudos to all the 700 workers on this site and thousands more behind the scene.

Between Sept 11, 2001 to May 2002, the site was in cleanup mode. It wasn't even until Feb 2005 that the NY Medical Examiner finally ended their ID'ing remains of the deceased. During that time architects and designers poured over proposals for the new WTC.

The area received a brand new state of the art 7WTC tower in May 2006.

This area has come a LONG way since 9/11. It's unfortunate that design changes, litigation, and bureacracy have slowed things down. But the WTC is finally showing progress, so enough with all the "it's going so slow.." comments.

Whewww.

Hope we get to see this project completed soon.

I dont want to sound like a jerk, but the tower's core and the tower itself is tiny in comparison to the old WTC towers. In comparison to the surrounding buildings its way too slim. I mean the floor space doesnt look that much. I really wish they rebuilt the old ones. Not to mention the speed, I've looking the same pictures for 3 years now with little progress. Not to mention the speed.... if they continue with this pace, the tower wont be completed until 2015. Is it so hard to build a bulding? Countries other than our own build 12 olympic stadiums and tallest buldings in the world for 1/2 the time! Its ridiculous.

The Shanghai financial center cornerstone was laid 12 years ago. It's almost finished. And the logistics of the site were miniscule compared to the WTC. The Burj Dubai has been under construction for 5 years and still has a ways to go. The Tokyo Sky Tree is a Lego toy compared to a real office tower.
Taipei 101 took over five years to complete. Considering the vast complexity of the site and competition for resources from hald a dozen other projects on the same spot, the Freedom Tower is doing just fine.

Zensteeldude is too polite. I bet he wore out his delete key on that one.

I am at the site today and I am very suprised by the amount of activity across the entire project area! It seems like there are busy construction guys and girls everywhere. I walked around the entire perimeter and peeked through every opening I could find. Amazing!

@Viperfreak2: So I hope you took the opportunity to take lots of pics!!!

The Twin Towers took 7 years to build, not 6 (1966-1973). But Minoru Yamasaki began designing the buildings 4 years earlier, in 1962. So that's 11 years. If we take 2001 to be when the designing stage of the FT began, then we're only on year 8 now. The tower will be done in 2013. So, the Twin Towers took 11 years, the FT will take 12.

Sure, it'll take longer for the other towers to be completed (except for maybe Tower 4), but remember that it also took several more years before the other towers in the original WTC complex were completed, like WTC3 and WTC7.

I took a huge number of pictures and videos> am trying to download them to my computer right now. I'm having trouble because at 12 megapixels each, my computer says 149 minutes to transfer from the SDHC card to the hard drive!

the surrounding buildings happen to be abnormally large^^ and you forget the original towers took 6 years.... not so speedy

and if you really want to compare an observation tower in tokyo to the wtc then go ahead, just know that it's pretty stupid.

That was a record construction time those days, if i remember correctly!

The Shanghai financial center cornerstone was laid 12 years ago. It's almost finished. And the logistics of the site were miniscule compared to the WTC. The Burj Dubai has been under construction for 5 years and still has a ways to go. The Tokyo Sky Tree is a Lego toy compared to a real office tower.
Taipei 101 took over five years to complete. Considering the vast complexity of the site and competition for resources from hald a dozen other projects on the same spot, the Freedom Tower is doing just fine.

Zensteeldude is too polite. I bet he wore out his delete key on that one.


You are so disillusional! Burj Dubai opens in like 2 months and its completed. Maybe you should visit the Burj Dubai thread once in a while. And I don't know about Zensteeldude being too polite, but I guess I am being too polite with you and I certainly wore out my delete key.

Do some research and open you eyes... I can't believe how ignorant some people can be. The WTC site is the slowest construction I have ever seen. They say ignorance is a bliss, not in your case. What I am saying is Dubai completed a manhattan like skyline within a few years and we are stuck with this whole in the ground with little steel coming out. The Trump Tower in Chicago finished faster than this along with many other supertalls for way less time.

Anyway I am just replying to your comment, dont take it personal. If you think thats fast construction from the 60s ... have at it hoss.

Whatever happened to the Freedom Tower cornerstone? I think it was supposed to come back to the site at one point, but it seems useless now.

July 7

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/221/dscn9264s.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4038/dscn9265.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3381/dscn9267.jpg

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9343/dscn9268j.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/1585/dscn9269.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2620/dscn9270.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/5004/dscn9271w.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/449/dscn9272.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6238/dscn9273.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/9693/dscn9275.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5613/dscn9277.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1359/dscn9278.jpg

Click on the following pics to view large:

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7500/dscn9279.jpg (http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7500/dscn9279.jpg)

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8685/dscn9283c.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1939/dscn9283m.jpg)

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4429/dscn9284d.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4846/dscn9284.jpg)

In addition to the fantastic pics above, there's more good news. The earthcam webcam is now back up. Well, basically, only you have to click on the second cam here...

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

...click the little magnifying glass to open it in a new window and then use your browser's magnification tool. I'd been doing this for the past few weeks and today with its really low resolution but when I did so just now, I see that the resolution is now as good as it was before. In fact, is it just me or is this resolution actually better than it was before?

I took quite a few pictures, but since they're all pretty similar to those already posted I'll just post a few that are from a different viewpoint.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2527/3698581052_4ba13c3ba8_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34471641@N07/3698581052/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/3698583688_560531158a_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34471641@N07/3698583688/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3697774371_38170bb3c3_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34471641@N07/3697774371/

Thanks for the heads up with the webcam. It looks like the resolution might be a little higher but the picture is smaller. Before you could see part of T4 and the Winter Garden.

You are so disillusional! Burj Dubai opens in like 2 months and its completed. Maybe you should visit the Burj Dubai thread once in a while. And I don't know about Zensteeldude being too polite, but I guess I am being too polite with you and I certainly wore out my delete key.

Do some research and open you eyes... I can't believe how ignorant some people can be. The WTC site is the slowest construction I have ever seen. They say ignorance is a bliss, not in your case. What I am saying is Dubai completed a Manhattan like skyline within a few years and we are stuck with this whole in the ground with little steel coming out. The Trump Tower in Chicago finished faster than this along with many other superclass for way less time.

Anyway I am just replying to your comment, dint take it personal. If you think thats fast construction from the 60s ... have at it hoss.

I find it ironic that the very thing you hide behind is the very thing you bitch about, we are a free country and that is a good deal of what's slowing the WTC rebuilding. Of course you are free to relocate to a dictatorship such as China or the U.A.E just so you can enjoy speedy construction.

I well waste no more time on you.

Again, great shots meh cd. Did you get stoned or did you rent a chopper ?:)

Hey Zen, any idea when the next core jump might be?

Thanks for the heads up with the webcam. It looks like the resolution might be a little higher but the picture is smaller. Before you could see part of T4 and the Winter Garden.The difference is, now the small picture is a Flash animation that links to the original high-res version. When you zoom within flash, you gain additional resolution.

The difference is, now the small picture is a Flash animation that links to the original high-res version. When you zoom within flash, you gain additional resolution.

But it isn't the original high res version that we had. As I said, the original version had more of the T4 site and included more of the WFC complex and the Winter Garden. I'm not complaining, but rather trying to explain what I meant. I suspect that this is the reason that the rest of the image appears crisper.

Zen: lol! Both, perhaps. I'd recommend the helicopter tours to anyone. They're a little expensive but it was definitely one of the highlights. When I'm back next year I might even do it again.

Bookmark this if you want a quick link to the new HD cam!


http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

But it isn't the original high res version that we had. As I said, the original version had more of the T4 site and included more of the WFC complex and the Winter Garden. I'm not complaining, but rather trying to explain what I meant. I suspect that this is the reason that the rest of the image appears crisper.It's the original version, the camera just got moved between when the original interface when down and now. When they adjusted it back, they didn't line it up perfectly with the old shot.


Massive thanks for the link, Uaarkson! Let's just hope Earthcam doesn't try to change it on us.

i really dont understand why the restrictions are just so tight right now for that project! they cant build a tower because it has "too much glass?" what, they think that it will get attacked again?!?!

i really dont understand why the restrictions are just so tight right now for that project! they cant build a tower because it has "too much glass?" what, they think that it will get attacked again?!?!

What on earth are you talking about?

I find it ironic that the very thing you hide behind is the very thing you bitch about, we are a free country and that is a good deal of what's slowing the WTC rebuilding. Of course you are free to relocate to a dictatorship such as China or the U.A.E just so you can enjoy speedy construction.

I well waste no more time on you.


And Chicago (TT)? Moscou? Panama? Seoul? All dictatorship? :bash:

Thanks Uaarkson. Nice to have a decent resolution cam again.

Some areas of the Burj Dubai will be open at the end of the year, but the tower won't be fully completed till 2011 halfwit.
(Feel free to take that personally)

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7971/posible.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/i/posible.jpg/)

^^
Impressive render.

Guys, the next person who comes along and says "oh, it's so slow" why not just say "yeah, but it will speed up soon"?

Those of us who have been following this thread for the past few years know the complexities of the site, the construction timetable and the politics involved. There's no need to get defensive or abusive when someone states the obvious, although I agree the repeated "it's so slow" posts do get tedious and irritating. We'd all like things to happen sooner rather than later but it won't be long before our patience is rewarded when construction swings into the openly visible full-on phase as the tower starts rising. Then maybe the negative posters will find some other project to focus on and the discussion here will be about the tower's progress into the sky.


http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c317/WKirkwood/Skyscrapers/zzWTCspirelights.gif

All I do is remind them that the twins weren't built in a day either. As big as this is the foundations and the base are very complex, with lots of activity underneath. Now I can only hope work goes nonstop until it is finished.

Click on the following pics to view large:

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7500/dscn9279.jpg (http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7500/dscn9279.jpg)


I (still) find hard to believe what someone said some time back tha the steel section on top of the core where the crane rests, is a permanent part of the structure.

I might be wrong, but it really doesn't make any sense to me.

I think I'll trust the guy with the plans - Mr. Zen. What doesn't make sense about it? That it'll be incorporated into the concrete structure? You can see all of the protrusions on the steel where it'll be tied into the floors.

It makes sense!

The cranes used jump from floor to floor using the climbing device at the bottom. But if you look at these two huge fellows (WTC 1 will be built by steel, so big and heavy parts) you will see that their bases don't fit in any elevator shaft. Their bases are even that big, that a hole in the floorplates allowing them to climb there would reach from the core to the edge of the building. The third possibility would be to attach them outside to the building but then the overhang would be bigger, which reduces the max. load.

So the best way is to build a steel structure where the crane sits on top and which climbs ahead of the concrete core... :)

^^ So you are saying the steel structure there will eventually be incorporated into the central core and it is not build on top of the core and raises as the core itself rises, right?

Yes, I would guess the steel will be covered with concrete. Raising the whole steel structure would be a headache.

Maybe structural reasons and the cranes are it's purpose.

yes, the steel will be encased in concrete

Ok, thanks guys. I'm a enthusiast observer and was curious on the method. :cheers:

BTW it's almost 3 years (wow) since I visited the site, my pics were posted back then on the previous thread.

Zen: lol! Both, perhaps. I'd recommend the helicopter tours to anyone. They're a little expensive but it was definitely one of the highlights. When I'm back next year I might even do it again.

How much was the helicopter tour? And what was the company? I'm going to be in NYC in a few weeks.

good info on the last page :)

How much was the helicopter tour? And what was the company? I'm going to be in NYC in a few weeks.

Liberty Helicopter Tours. There's a couple different options for the tour. Like I said I'd recommend them to anyone. I showed up an hour early and we left within 10 minutes of our arrival. I ended up with a window seat, but I wouldn't count on it.

Helicopter tours are like from 140 USD and up.

^^ So you are saying the steel structure there will eventually be incorporated into the central core and it is not build on top of the core and raises as the core itself rises, right?

This might help. The erecting steel goes all the way to the top as does the core.
It's there to give the floor beams something to bolt to and also acts as a header above openings in the core walls.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35124796@N04/3256947180/in/photostream/

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7971/posible.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/i/posible.jpg/)


I really do hope they build tower 2 & 3 and not just FT and T4 because by looking at the picture above, I really don't see anything impressive with the skyline at all. Like how is that going to restore the skyline we lost. To tell you the truth it looks like the original WTC 1 on 9/11 rite after WTC2 went down without all the smoke and dust.

As for construction wise, the FT looks likes like its about to tower up. I guess the basement was the hardest to do, so it took longer. (2yrs)!! T4 looks like its going to be finish before FT. Now if the Chinese or Japanese had control on this project, we would have been seeing the FT from miles away by now.

Now if the Chinese or Japanese had control on this project, we would have been seeing the FT from miles away by now.

Not likely. There are some pretty zippy projects going up in China and Japan, but if they were being built in downtown manhattan on the grave of almost 3000 people, they'd probably be at the same point we're at now.

July 8
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8273/dscn9287.jpg

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3839/dscn9288.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9713/dscn9289.jpg

Click on the pic to view large:
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1989/dscn9291.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1989/dscn9291.jpg)

I really do hope they build tower 2 & 3 and not just FT and T4 because by looking at the picture above, I really don't see anything impressive with the skyline at all. Like how is that going to restore the skyline we lost. To tell you the truth it looks like the original WTC 1 on 9/11 rite after WTC2 went down without all the smoke and dust.

As for construction wise, the FT looks likes like its about to tower up. I guess the basement was the hardest to do, so it took longer. (2yrs)!! T4 looks like its going to be finish before FT. Now if the Chinese or Japanese had control on this project, we would have been seeing the FT from miles away by now.

Agree. That picture = the question: "So where's the other one?"

me personally i would love to have "twin towers" back its what i saw growing up in nyc and its what I saw come down on that terrible day.

regardless I like the pictures and it does look like a nice design

is one fountain higher than the other?

Do we still have name 'freedom tower' in brackets because its still not confirmed that WTC1 is the official name or what?

is one fountain higher than the other?

What "fountains" are you talking about? Do you mean the memorial pools? If so, no. Why would they be?

Help me out: WTC1 will have its' steel beam core encased in concrete all the way up to protect the elevators and stairs. What other buildings are built like this? Will this increase (dramatically) the construction time for each floor, opposed to a building with just a drywall covered core?

July 9

Click on the pics to view large

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3244/dscn9293.jpg (http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/3244/dscn9293.jpg)

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5426/dscn9294.jpg (http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5426/dscn9294.jpg)

Help me out: WTC1 will have its' steel beam core encased in concrete all the way up to protect the elevators and stairs. What other buildings are built like this? Will this increase (dramatically) the construction time for each floor, opposed to a building with just a drywall covered core?

It's concrete core well go all the way to the top to protect the stairs, refuge rooms and sprinkler system. The erecting steel is there primarily to speed construction and tie the floor beams to the core. Yes, this type of construction well take longer. As far as I know only WTC #7 is constructed this way.

Bottom line, #1 well be the safest building in the world.

Do we still have name 'freedom tower' in brackets because its still not confirmed that WTC1 is the official name or what?Or it could be because that's the name the majority of people know it as and will always know it as. Why do some people care so much about NOT calling it that?http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5426/dscn9294.jpg (http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5426/dscn9294.jpg)Great shot. Looks like the entire floor of the North Pool is there now.

IndiansUnite, your photos are awesome. They make up for no longer having the HD Earthcam.

Little OT: What is the brownish stuff they are putting down? It doesn't look like concrete. Looks more like sand, dirt, or wood.

http://i28.tinypic.com/20stx0h.jpg

IndiansUnite, your photos are awesome. They make up for no longer having the HD Earthcam.

Little OT: What is the brownish stuff they are putting down? It doesn't look like concrete. Looks more like sand, dirt, or wood.

http://i28.tinypic.com/20stx0h.jpg

It's been posted before (so I'm not taking credit), but the camera is back.

http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

Just refresh the page to get the latest picture.

They're putting something on top of recently poured concrete in that picture. I'd say plywood if I had to guess? Anyone know for sure?

^^
Impressive render.

Guys, the next person who comes along and says "oh, it's so slow" why not just say "yeah, but it will speed up soon"?

Those of us who have been following this thread for the past few years know the complexities of the site, the construction timetable and the politics involved. There's no need to get defensive or abusive when someone states the obvious, although I agree the repeated "it's so slow" posts do get tedious and irritating. We'd all like things to happen sooner rather than later but it won't be long before our patience is rewarded when construction swings into the openly visible full-on phase as the tower starts rising. Then maybe the negative posters will find some other project to focus on and the discussion here will be about the tower's progress into the sky.


http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c317/WKirkwood/Skyscrapers/zzWTCspirelights.gif

WOW Where can i find a 3D rendition of NY like this:eek2:

nice share

It's been posted before (so I'm not taking credit), but the camera is back.

http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

Just refresh the page to get the latest picture.

They're putting something on top of recently poured concrete in that picture. I'd say plywood if I had to guess? Anyone know for sure?

Thanks. I had seen the earlier post and had even bookmarked the link, but for some reason I could never see anything but the 640x480 "thumbnail", even after refreshing. Tried it now and I now get the huge, crisp image. The earlier discussion about the greater image detail didn't make sense to me. Now it does. :cheers:

I didn't realize concrete had been poured there, though it's obvious to me when I look now. Guess the brown rebar mats make it a little harder to tell than the green rebar they've used in other areas.

July 10

Click on the pics to view large

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4077/dscn9303.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/4077/dscn9303.jpg)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7503/dscn9305.jpg (http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7503/dscn9305.jpg)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2274/dscn9306.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2274/dscn9306.jpg)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6475/dscn9307.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2866/dscn9307h.jpg)

Click on the pics to view large

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2649/dscn9308.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8218/dscn9308c.jpg)

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7633/dscn9312.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7633/dscn9312.jpg)

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5144/dscn9313.jpg (http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/753/dscn9313j.jpg)

^^ Stunning photos, as always! Looks like they're making good progress on the north core, I wonder when it might jump?

And some good news for Tower 2, maybe...

Plan Offered to Finance Trade Center

By CHARLES V. BAGLI
July 9, 2009

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey made a proposal this week that it said could break the long impasse at ground zero and allow the developer Larry A. Silverstein to build two skyscrapers on the 16-acre site, providing he can raise $625 million.

But it does not appear that the proposal will lead to an immediate cessation of hostilities between the two sides or of the acrimony between the authority and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who is concerned that the dispute could eventually halt work on the World Trade Center site.

For the first time, the authority, which owns the site, agreed to guarantee financing for both of Mr. Silverstein’s office towers, which are to be built along Church Street, at an estimated cost of $4.2 billion, according to a letter on Monday from the Port Authority to the Bloomberg administration and the office of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

But up to $1.2 billion in financing for the second tower would come only after Mr. Silverstein raised $625 million from investors or lenders, according to the proposal.

The letter, from Christopher O. Ward, the authority’s executive director, was sent to City Hall on the same day that Mr. Silverstein sought to start an arbitration process, angrily claiming that the Port Authority had violated the development agreement at ground zero.

A spokesman for Mr. Silverstein declined to comment on Thursday. He does not view the proposal as a credible offer, according to an official who spoke with him

“I don’t believe it moves the ball forward,” said Mr. Silver, whose district includes Lower Manhattan. “I don’t believe it gets us closer to a deal.”

Mr. Silver, a consistent supporter of Mr. Silverstein, and Mayor Bloomberg organized a summit meeting in May in a so-far unsuccessful effort to broker a resolution.

Andrew Brent, a spokesman for Deputy Mayor Robert C. Lieber, who leads the city’s negotiating team, declined to comment on the proposal, citing an agreement among the parties not to negotiate in public. But two officials who had been briefed on the new proposal said that it was a step in the right direction, although they noted what they called some serious flaws.

One flaw, one of the officials said, is that the financial structure would make it nearly impossible for Mr. Silverstein to raise $625 million in the credit markets, where there is little money available for real estate projects.

The official said he hoped that the authority would be “flexible.”

The authority has been reluctant to finance more speculative office space at a time when rents are down and tenants scarce.

Under a 2006 development agreement, Mr. Silverstein was to finance the towers with insurance money, tax-free bonds and private borrowing.

Stephen Sigmund, a spokesman for the authority, declined to discuss the proposal in detail, but said: “We have said all along that we will protect our limited public resources for the public projects on the site and the other vital transportation needs of the region.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/nyregion/10wtc.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

Looks like they've removed some of the formworks around the south core. Probably getting ready for the day the north core catches up.

This may be a stupid question; I know this is how the original twin towers and some of today towers were built, but why does it look like the core looks like it will take up more floor space than anything. The core is big as any other building itself. I know that it has to because the freedom tower is an gigantic building, but idk, it just looks like l as soon as you enter the building no more than 5 feet, their goes the elevators.

^^
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/2559/freedomtowergroundfloor.jpg
there you go! as you can see its not much space left beside the core! but thats just for the first few floors! the more you go up the core becomes a little smaller!

the stairs in the corners are just at the base-near floors!

to compare it to the original wtc here's one pic!

http://www.thewebfairy.com/killtown/images/wtc-gallery/nist1d/1-5_96-floor-plan-wtc1.jpg

For some this might be interesting too!
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/983/bild2tsy.jpg

^^ Pollux, but you forgot one important fact, the higher the tower gets the smaller the floorplate are. The top floor won't have the same size as the ground floor. Therefore also if the core gets smaller, also the rest of the floor gets smaller. So the ratio core to office space will be nearly equivalent on every floor i guess.

right! but that's normal for most buildings of this size!


for example petronas towers
http://www.yangsquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/petronas12.JPG

The size of the core is normal for this type of building, since it is the core that will bear the loads and stabilize the building.

There are other construction methods that would have guarantied an overall bigger floor place, however that would have mean very thick concrete outer walls and many inner pillars or load walls, clattering the floor space and make it not suitable for a pure commercial tower, hence used mostly on residential towers.

Today it looks like they are removing the steel that was on the top of the east-west connector. It had been previously suggested that the steel structure was temporary, so... now it looks like they can use the full area as a staging area while they open up Vesey Street.

Today it looks like they are removing the steel that was on the top of the east-west connector. It had been previously suggested that the steel structure was temporary, so... now it looks like they can use the full area as a staging area while they open up Vesey Street.

Cool, I was wondering what were those rails for.

Here's the 75th floor. As you can see the core is much smaller and octagonal.

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7355&d=1246590837

Strange. Were the steel beams only in place so that the concrete could be poured on the connector? They were there for what, two months?

Zen I saw those when you posted them elsewhere but thanks again, bud! Your insight is much appreciated. Has the floor plan for the observation and restaurant floors been finalized yet? I'm curious as to how much square footage is available.

The steel was there to support the slab untell it cured and became self supporting.

As far as I know the floor plans for the Ob. deck haven't changed. There is quite alot of floor space available despite the geometry of the building because the core is rather small up there.

They're putting something on top of recently poured concrete in that picture. I'd say plywood if I had to guess? Anyone know for sure?

And today it's gone:

http://i26.tinypic.com/9fqpmb.jpg

Any idea what it was, and its purpose?

From IndiansUnite's photo yesterday:

http://i25.tinypic.com/21dos1z.jpg

^^
I'm guessing they poured concrete over that last night? I don't know.

^^ The brown stuff is sheeting to protect the fresh concrete against the sun while it's curing. If they don't protect it, the water in the concrete will evaporate due to the heat of the sun. This isn't good for the strength of the concrete as the water must bind with the cement in order to carry loads. :)

^^ The brown stuff is sheeting to protect the fresh concrete against the sun while it's curing. If they don't protect it, the water in the concrete will evaporate due to the heat of the sun. This isn't good for the strength of the concrete as the water must bind with the cement in order to carry loads. :)

Everybody knows you're supposed to use old carpet remnants for that.

Good to see some decent staging areas. Anybody who's ever built anything knows that few things are as important as some place to put your stuff.

I can't quite get my brain around the need for those Fulton St. Steel beams above the slab. Were they just to keep the temporary ones under the slab from shifting? They'd seem like a lot of trouble just to have a work surface while the slab was going in, but with so little free space, maybe.

I'm still puzzled about it as well. The only reason I can think of its purpose is to stabilize or reinforce the strength of the calatrava arches, since they will eventually have heavy vehicles travelling over it constantly (unlike, say, when they're pouring for the memorial). But, who cares. I'm just glad to see the steel gone... made the Fulton Street stretch look ugly and cluttered. Now it's just a nice shiny stretch of concrete. :)

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100218.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100207.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/pano2-1.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/pano-1.jpg

Great shots jwalas. They oughta quiet anybody down who thinks they're not using heavy enough steel on the building.

Thanks, jwalas! I have to say, your camera rocks. Incredibly sharp pics. It appears that they've finished the rebar for the north core for the next jump. Only think left to do now is to close the forms and pour, baby, pour.

Also, if you look closely at IndiansUnite's second to last pic, it looks like in the pic they are pouring the concrete for the western 30-foot "wall" around the North Tower's memorial (the wall where the water will fall down). I noticed a few days ago that they had closed the forms all along that wall and along a good portion of the northern wall too. Hopefully they've poured the northern wall as well. Can't wait to see what it'll look like when the forms are removed and we have actual concrete walls there outlining the memorial instead of just steel columns.

slowly but difficulty...

Great pics jwalas! One thing I find disturbing, I've suspected it for some time and close up pics of the perimeter columns confirms it. The columns are chamfered for welding, a long expensive process that involves pre heating and post heating (due to the grade of steel used). The next section of columns well not simply be bolted on, they well be welded. I assume it's because they are not encased in cement as they were below grade.

Great pics jwalas! One thing I find disturbing, I've suspected it for some time and close up pics of the perimeter columns confirms it. The columns are chamfered for welding, a long expensive process that involves pre heating and post heating (due to the grade of steel used). The next section of columns well not simply be bolted on, they well be welded. I assume it's because they are not encased in cement as they were below grade.

I'd figured that they needed great tensile strength with the columns, so the joins needed to be almost as strong as the columns themselves.
I was hoping someone would publish something regarding the total mass of #1 compared to the original towers. The new one seems to be going for unmatched brute strength. I guess when you make all aspects four times as strong you need a base to match.

I drove past the site today and shot a video:

diJINMrmPrs
The first tower is the Goldman Sachs tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=452972&page=30) for those who don't know.


The original video is in MP4 and way more clearer.

Here are some screenshots. They don't show much detail but whatever, here goes:

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/260/fr2.jpg

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/7519/fr1g.jpg

I'd figured that they needed great tensile strength with the columns, so the joins needed to be almost as strong as the columns themselves.
I was hoping someone would publish something regarding the total mass of #1 compared to the original towers. The new one seems to be going for unmatched brute strength. I guess when you make all aspects four times as strong you need a base to match.

Normally connections are designed to be stronger than the connected members. In the case of the perimeter columns, due to the extreme, reversible, loads and the fact that they are made up of a beam and 2 plates the stagered splice needs to be at least as strong as the beam and plates combined. In order to do this a 5 foot long deeeeeeep grove weld joins the beam of the lower section to the plates of the upper section.

(Under max wind loads the columns may actually be under tension !!!!)

I drove past the site today and shot a video:

diJINMrmPrs
The first tower is the Goldman Sachs tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=452972&page=30) for those who don't know.


Whoa, the Goldman Sachs is looking good. It came out better than I expected. Thanks for the video. :)

Normally connections are designed to be stronger than the connected members. In the case of the perimeter columns, due to the extreme, reversible, loads and the fact that they are made up of a beam and 2 plates the stagered splice needs to be at least as strong as the beam and plates combined. In order to do this a 5 foot long deeeeeeep grove weld joins the beam of the lower section to the plates of the upper section.

(Under max wind loads the columns may actually be under tension !!!!)

As heavy as this building is I was thinking more of earthquakes.

Unless New York gets hit by a 5.0 or higher a force 3 or 4 hurricane is a greater threat.

I drove past the site today and shot a video:

diJINMrmPrs
The first tower is the Goldman Sachs tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=452972&page=30) for those who don't know.



Grt updates IU and everyone! :cheers:

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100218.jpg
Great pics jwalas! One thing I find disturbing, I've suspected it for some time and close up pics of the perimeter columns confirms it. The columns are chamfered for welding, a long expensive process that involves pre heating and post heating (due to the grade of steel used). The next section of columns well not simply be bolted on, they well be welded. I assume it's because they are not encased in cement as they were below grade.
It actually looks like they will be using a combination of welding and bolting on most of the beams if you look at this and some of the other pictures. It only looks like some of them will be 100% welded and the others will only be welded in the center section and bolted on the owner's sections.

I don't know, but I'd guess 5,0 earthquakes would be the standard for New York. Being on bedrock instead of an old lake bed they probably don't have to worry about the low frequency waves that can make low magnitude quakes in places like Mexico City so bad.
The "whatever the heck you call that shape" of the FT confuses me when I try to figure what kind of resonance might exist. I'd wondered if the shape might be practical as well as aesthetic in breaking up resonances. With that massive core I'd guess it was a higher frequency compared to the originals.
Of course, now days they figure impacts as well as natural inconveniences.

I have a question for all you American construction experts. Why is the steelwork not given any protective coating? I understand most of it is inside the building and only subject to elements for a short time during construction, but why then would they have given the reo steel a coating if it is protected by concrete. In Australia 99% of our buildings more than a few stories tall are built with a reinforced concrete framed structure, so any steelwork is usualy an exposed elements and so are coated. :cheers:

What type of coating? They will start putting on a fireproof coating in the second quarter of 2010.

i think he means the epoxy coating to protect from corrosion and all that fun stuff. it's really only used for applications that will be exposed; someone who knows more about it will tell you more lol.

I have a question for all you American construction experts. Why is the steelwork not given any protective coating? I understand most of it is inside the building and only subject to elements for a short time during construction, but why then would they have given the reo steel a coating if it is protected by concrete. In Australia 99% of our buildings more than a few stories tall are built with a reinforced concrete framed structure, so any steelwork is usualy an exposed elements and so are coated. :cheers:

Could you give us an example in picture form?

Any steel embedded in cement is left bare cause the cement grabs the steel better than paint. (The green rebar is an exception but cement grabs onto the coating very well)

Any steel that gets spray on fire proofing is left bare cause the fire proofing sticks to bare steel very well. They have to add stuff to the fire proofing to make it stick to paint !

freedom tower just today(july 13th) from earth cam

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/4434/live.png (http://img267.imageshack.us/i/live.png/)

is that the memorial falls infront?

Any steel embedded in cement is left bare cause the cement grabs the steel better than paint. (The green rebar is an exception but cement grabs onto the coating very well)

Any steel that gets spray on fire proofing is left bare cause the fire proofing sticks to bare steel very well. They have to add stuff to the fire proofing to make it stick to paint !

Question for you, Zen. Will the exterior steel columns continue to be embedded in concrete or will they now be bare with the exception of fireproofing?

And I've asked you before, but I'm having difficulty imagining how the steel structure is going to look once we get past the podium. Are we only going to have 8 huge columns - 2 on each corner - connected by the floors and meeting at the top of the building, or will there also be some vertical columns? I imagine that we won't be seeing perimeter steel like the twin towers because of the huge core, but will there only be 8 supercolumns?

Lastly, where do you think we'll be next August? The podium will be finished, but any idea as to what floor? I'd guesstimate the using the 1 floor per week formula but I'm not sure how long it'll take to finish the podium.

Looks like they are getting ready for another lobby level concrete pour, on the south side this time. They're definitely packing in the rebar down there.

July 13th:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3717728294_4bb56e1f90_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/morrongiello/3717728294/sizes/l/

Question: why did they remove the rows of steel columns and beams that had been lining the top of the concrete area between WTC1 and the first memorial pool section? You can see all the holes where they used to be, but I still cannot for the life of me figure out why they were there in the first place.

Question: why did they remove the rows of steel columns and beams that had been lining the top of the concrete area between WTC1 and the first memorial pool section? You can see all the holes where they used to be, but I still cannot for the life of me figure out why they were there in the first place.

Here

The steel was there to support the slab untell it cured and became self supporting.

As far as I know the floor plans for the Ob. deck haven't changed. There is quite alot of floor space available despite the geometry of the building because the core is rather small up there.

Question for you, Zen. Will the exterior steel columns continue to be embedded in concrete or will they now be bare with the exception of fireproofing?

And I've asked you before, but I'm having difficulty imagining how the steel structure is going to look once we get past the podium. Are we only going to have 8 huge columns - 2 on each corner - connected by the floors and meeting at the top of the building, or will there also be some vertical columns? I imagine that we won't be seeing perimeter steel like the twin towers because of the huge core, but will there only be 8 supercolumns?

Lastly, where do you think we'll be next August? The podium will be finished, but any idea as to what floor? I'd guesstimate the using the 1 floor per week formula but I'm not sure how long it'll take to finish the podium.

Above the lobby slab the perimeter columns well not be encased in concrete but I am not sure if they get spray on fire proofing or intumescent paint (maybe one or the other depending on location).

There well be columns evenly spaced about 40 feet apart on each side to support the outer end of the floor beams.

When it comes to predictions about progress I am a politician, you won't get a straight answer out of me !:)

July 13

Click on the pics to view large

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/1928/dscn9314.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1928/dscn9314.jpg)

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8039/dscn9315.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2282/dscn9315s.jpg)


View from the south pedestrian bridge:

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/5777/dscn9316.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/5777/dscn9316.jpg)

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1796/dscn9317t.jpg (http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8259/dscn9317.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7646/dscn9318.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7646/dscn9318.jpg)


http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2609/dscn9319.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2609/dscn9319.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3737/dscn9320.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3737/dscn9320.jpg)

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/4050/dscn9321.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4050/dscn9321.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9449/dscn9322.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9449/dscn9322.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3627/dscn9323o.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7364/dscn9323t.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5918/dscn9324q.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2839/dscn9324h.jpg)

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5439/dscn9325l.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3981/dscn9325.jpg)

last 2 pics:

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1909/dscn9326g.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5916/dscn9326t.jpg)

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/875/dscn9327.jpg (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/875/dscn9327.jpg)

Great update! I think that's the most people I've seen working on the tower at once thus far. They're making progress, they have to get this ground level taken care of. They most certainly will move faster going up.

for what I see of the pictures i'll say theyr'e moving pretty fast!! since it's a huge foundation and now we see the columns at street level ..... this project looks good for me..or for many here

Could someone please draw for me in the second of the main pics above where the south tower pool will be - i can't picture it. thanks

Northerly here is the footprint of the North and South Tower Memorial pools.

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3478/35676306.jpg

Hope this helps.

you realise that there is a vast amount of work going on with the memorial apart from the main building ,well done ,keep it coming.

It looks like they're getting ready to pour the rest of the ground level concrete for the southern half of 1 WTC. From a few minutes ago:
http://i31.tinypic.com/qxp5s2.jpg

July 14

Click on the pics to view large

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/3696/dscn9330l.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6705/dscn9330.jpg)

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9108/dscn9331.jpg (http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/9108/dscn9331.jpg)

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/456/dscn9332.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/456/dscn9332.jpg)

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/6528/dscn9333.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6528/dscn9333.jpg)

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4750/dscn9334.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3976/dscn9334t.jpg)

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2831/dscn9337.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2831/dscn9337.jpg)

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3554/dscn9338.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3554/dscn9338.jpg)

I wonder if this is going to be a night time pour on the south side? They have been very busy laying rebar there the last two days now.

Northerly here is the footprint of the North and South Tower Memorial pools.

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3478/35676306.jpg

Hope this helps.

Thanks Charger. The Memorial is really shaping up - I guess at the price we'd want to be seeing something extra special. Looks like we will.

I'm really happy with the progress. Can't wait to see when work beyond the lower portion starts.

Very interesting, not sure exactly what this means yet:

http://twitpic.com/9x083

This timelapse camera sits at the base of the "Survivors Stairs" and will film @sept11memorial being built around the stairs, which sit at the base of the WTC site

http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/photos/large/16656483.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0ZRYP5X5F6FSMBCCSE82&Expires=1247671318&Signature=j0G2kT6aO7SvyHyZ2AX7OZcXGZ8%3D

Very interesting, not sure exactly what this means yet:

http://twitpic.com/9x083

This timelapse camera sits at the base of the "Survivors Stairs" and will film @sept11memorial being built around the stairs, which sit at the base of the WTC site

http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/photos/large/16656483.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0ZRYP5X5F6FSMBCCSE82&Expires=1247671318&Signature=j0G2kT6aO7SvyHyZ2AX7OZcXGZ8%3DVery interesting indeed, here's the press release:
http://www.projectrebirth.org/materials/13th_Camera_Release.pdf

I wish they'd give us a shot from the time-lapse camera's perspective. I'm really interested in seeing how the Survivor's Staircase is currently positioned.

They're really going to town on that Vesey Street overhang, and now there's a concrete pump truck parked over there with the stabilizing arms set up. Late night north core pump? Hmmm.

July 15

Click on the pics to view large

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/9302/dscn9340x.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5846/dscn9340a.jpg)

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4771/dscn9341.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4771/dscn9341.jpg)

^^
Looking good. :okay:

And that would be nice, that's probably what the concrete pump is for. When they are going to pour exactly is another question...they may wait until the weekend.

hi guys, im about to draw up a detailed diagram i can update monthly of freedom tower. just getting things right.
so is the steel frame the core of freedom in this pic? with perimiter colums surrounding?
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2831/dscn9337.jpg

^^
The steel is going to be part of the core. Right now the steel is there to support the south crane. Eventually the steel will be part of the core, but incased in concrete. You might have to get creative with the diagram.

^^
Looking good. :okay:

And that would be nice, that's probably what the concrete pump is for. When they are going to pour exactly is another question...they may wait until the weekend.

They've now extended the boom into the site, but I can't tell if it's going to pour into the core or down on the floor below. There's another pump behind the tower that I can't really make out on the webcam. IndiansUnite, you'd better get out there and find out! :)

OMG this building is taking like forever!

Is that the Deutsche Bank Building circled in red? I'm trying to get an idea of where the camera is located. Oh wait, you wouldn't be able to see outside of the bathtub from this level/angle. (Scratches head.)

http://i32.tinypic.com/1z18gb6.jpg

They've now extended the boom into the site, but I can't tell if it's going to pour into the core or down on the floor below. There's another pump behind the tower that I can't really make out on the webcam. IndiansUnite, you'd better get out there and find out! :)

Well they have lights going and last time I checked there were more workers than usual down there for this time of day. It's hard to tell as it gets dark though...

^^ Well I am looking at it now, and the arm is fully extended over the "north" core, so yes people they are pouring the north core as we speak :).

Sounds good, I guess we'll see for sure tomorrow. This pour will probably take them a couple of days.

On the part of the memorial that they have poured concrete over near the south memorial pool, it looks like they are re-laying rebar over the concrete layer. It looks kind of like a checkerboard pattern. Any idea what this is for?

They probably just laid a preliminary floor the first time. I believe planters for trees are going where the squares are. At least, the renders seem to point to this:
http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_03_wtc1.jpg

The ones they already did near the Freedom Tower look about the same size as the squares they are laying out now.

July 15th:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2442/3724841468_b834176290_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/morrongiello/3724841468/sizes/l/

They like to do the big pours late at night, it seems.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/meh_cd/wtc/thelongawaitedpour.jpg

^^
Oh yeah, two concrete trucks there.

I count five. Three in the back and at least two on the right. More in the latest webcam shot.

Looks like their pouring the NW basement floors in that last shot. I can't wait to see it in the morning.

Is that the Deutsche Bank Building circled in red? I'm trying to get an idea of where the camera is located. Oh wait, you wouldn't be able to see outside of the bathtub from this level/angle. (Scratches head.)

http://i32.tinypic.com/1z18gb6.jpg

That angle is looking due south from the survivors stairs (which are just to the right of the camera), down the long corridor between the south tower and the mechanical rooms to the right. The South Tower footprint is to the left of the pic. The thing that kinda looks like the Deutsche Bank Building is the temporary service elevator which you can see on the webcams.

Looks like their pouring the NW basement floors in that last shot. I can't wait to see it in the morning.

Actually in that picture, you can see two concrete pumps, one that is directly pumping over the north core and the other, well that one is a mystery as to what it was working on.

nice building

July 16

There was a lot of drilling activity taking place on the northwest side of the building. They've removed many nettings on the north side that used to block the view. While passing by the site, a brit couple asked me how to get inside ground zero. :lol:

Click on the pics to view large

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4396/dscn9346.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4396/dscn9346.jpg)

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/332/dscn9347.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/332/dscn9347.jpg)

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9168/dscn9348.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5576/dscn9348p.jpg)

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/290/dscn9350.jpg (http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/290/dscn9350.jpg)

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5190/dscn9351.jpg (http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/5190/dscn9351.jpg)

There was a lot of drilling activity taking place on the northwest side of the building. They've removed many nettings on the north side that used to block the view. While passing by the site, a brit couple asked me how to get inside ground zero. :lol:

Oh dear...if only they were giving tours of the construction. You should have told them to come back when Harry is king. :lol:

There was a lot of drilling activity taking place on the northwest side of the building. They've removed many nettings on the north side that used to block the view. While passing by the site, a brit couple asked me how to get inside ground zero. :lol:


Haha, reminds me of a similar experience on my trip earlier this month. It was my first time in the city but I knew my way around and what do you know, a few blocks away from the site a guy with a Jersey accent asks ME where Ground Zero is. I'm from North Dakota but apparently I look like a hardened veteran New Yorker. :lol:

When are they actually going to start on the podium? and what quarter are we in for the WTC?

Is it me or did they really go faster since IndiansUnite started posting daily update pictures. :)

They finally took the boom off of the crawler crane operating in the memorial pit, and it looks like there is steel waiting on Vesey Street. My guess is that it's for the north core crane jump. I wish they were perimeter columns.

They are making progress on removing the area blocking the tower.

[B]

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4396/dscn9346.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4396/dscn9346.jpg)

Sorry to come back to the steel skeleton on top of the core, but I have another question.

In a high-security tower over here that will serve as diamonds exchange and trading center, inclusive of vaults for storing the stones, they used the same encasing of beams on the pillars for the lower part of the tower.

Will this be the case here as well, meaning they will encase the steel beams into the core only for the lower 100' that serves as the security shell and above that it will be a conventional reinforced concrete core?

The last crane inside the memorial pit is being disassembled right now and loaded on trucks. So they can fill the rest of the hole now with steel and concrete pretty soon hopefully!

Looks like the next section of the lobby floor will be casted today. The concrete pump is already waiting for the trucks :)

omg, this is taking forever, poor nyc. actually nyc has only one supertall by roof height, what a shame, what a pity. good luck fellows with your wtc rebuilding. maybe it's finished all by 2030. :lol:

omg, this is taking forever, poor nyc. actually nyc has only one supertall by roof height, what a shame, what a pity. good luck fellows with your wtc rebuilding. maybe it's finished all by 2030. :lol:

The Freedom Tower is perfectly on schedule compared to other towers of its scale. The International Finance Center in Hong Kong took 6 years to build, as did Taipei 101. And the Shanghai World Financial Center took 12 years to build. Because of the added security features and complexity of the WTC site, add another year to 6. 7 years sounds about right to me. They started construction in 2007 and will be done in 2013.

And yes, they are pouring the lobby floor on the South side of the core today.

Pour for the south half of the lobby floor is complete:
http://i32.tinypic.com/34ql277.jpg

One thing I didn't recognize until now is that the perimeter of the building goes right to the edge of the West-East connector. Its roof literally serves as the front steps for 1WTC's south entrance.

another quality new member.. maybe registration should be closed for a bit :P

Never ending project.

And yes, they are pouring the lobby floor on the South side of the core today.

I was watching it in the morning from my office window while taking multiple coffee breaks. ;)

anyways, click on the pics to view large

July 17

10:30ish
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/190/dscn9352.jpg (http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/190/dscn9352.jpg)

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8472/dscn9354.jpg (http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8472/dscn9354.jpg)

1ish
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/1106/dscn9361.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1106/dscn9361.jpg)

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3647/dscn9362t.jpg (http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8038/dscn9362.jpg)

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9705/dscn9363.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/9705/dscn9363.jpg)


http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7915/dscn9364.jpg (http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7915/dscn9364.jpg)


http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/7250/dscn9365o.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5936/dscn9365.jpg)


http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6135/dscn9366.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6135/dscn9366.jpg)

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/6656/dscn9367.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6656/dscn9367.jpg)

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8330/dscn9368.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8330/dscn9368.jpg)

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/2531/dscn9369.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2531/dscn9369.jpg)

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6695/dscn9370.jpg (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6695/dscn9370.jpg)

Last 2-

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/109/dscn9371.jpg (http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/677/dscn9371m.jpg)

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8192/dscn9372.jpg (http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8192/dscn9372.jpg)

Glad to see more frequent concrete pourings. Hopefully we've finally turned a corner on the speed of this tower.

Lobby floors being formed, south core formworks jumping, Vessey street being demo'd. Things really are picking up!

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8472/dscn9354.jpg (http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8472/dscn9354.jpg)

Does anyone know what the large trusses just in the left of the yellow crane in the foreground are for? They look like they're long enough to cross a street, possibly for another pedestrian bridge?

I know much care has been taken to make the height relative to things like the old WTC and a special year in US history but are the plaza or memorial levels relative to the original centre ? I remember standing right at the corner of WTC 1 back in 2000 taking pics and in awe of the two massive towers rising beside me. If I ever visit NY after this project is complete I would surely stand in the same location beside the memorial footprint of WTC 1 but wonder if it would be the actual position / same level above sea level ? That is why I would have liked the stairway to stay in it's original location as it gave reference to what is now completely gone. From these photographs looks like the level may be lower, level with West Side Highway, not the highest side of the site like the original plaza.

I was watching it in the morning from my office window while taking multiple coffee breaks. ;)

Your office is overlooking the WTC site...>(

I'm guessing there are going to be many more coffee breaks in the coming months. Nice Pictures.

I know much care has been taken to make the height relative to things like the old WTC and a special year in US history but are the plaza or memorial levels relative to the original centre ? I remember standing right at the corner of WTC 1 back in 2000 taking pics and in awe of the two massive towers rising beside me. If I ever visit NY after this project is complete I would surely stand in the same location beside the memorial footprint of WTC 1 but wonder if it would be the actual position / same level above sea level ? That is why I would have liked the stairway to stay in it's original location as it gave reference to what is now completely gone. From these photographs looks like the level may be lower, level with West Side Highway, not the highest side of the site like the original plaza.

It'll all be level with the surrounding streets this time instead of being raised above the ground.

Glad to see more frequent concrete pourings. Hopefully we've finally turned a corner on the speed of this tower.

Lobby floors being formed, south core formworks jumping, Vessey street being demo'd. Things really are picking up!

And along with all of these things, we have IndiansUnite giving us daily hi-res photos from various angels, and the hi-def webcam is back. I feel like I'm practically there. :banana::banana:

Anyone else surprised to see the south core formwork already jumping, given that most of the rebar is only about 1/3rd as tall as the forms???

I know much care has been taken to make the height relative to things like the old WTC and a special year in US history but are the plaza or memorial levels relative to the original centre ? I remember standing right at the corner of WTC 1 back in 2000 taking pics and in awe of the two massive towers rising beside me. If I ever visit NY after this project is complete I would surely stand in the same location beside the memorial footprint of WTC 1 but wonder if it would be the actual position / same level above sea level ? That is why I would have liked the stairway to stay in it's original location as it gave reference to what is now completely gone. From these photographs looks like the level may be lower, level with West Side Highway, not the highest side of the site like the original plaza.

The floor of the memorial plaza will be at the same level as the floor of lobby of the original towers (meaning even with West Street). I unfortunately never had the pleasure of visiting the towers so I'm trying to sound like I know more than you, but as I'm sure you're aware, the plaza was basically an elevated platform to make room for the concourse, about 15-20 feet above West Street and about 5 feet above Church Street. I think this design, having the memorial floor at the same elevation as the original lobby floor instead of the plaza floor, is the best idea.

Keep in mind though that the memorial plaza in that pic isn't the final elevation of the memorial. On top of this will be I THINK about 6 feet of dirt to allow for the 400 trees, then on top of that will be cobblestones. So, the final completed memorial plaza will be about 6 feet above where it is now.

this looks like it will be great...time for los angeles to get a new skyscraper

Your office is overlooking the WTC site...>(

I'm guessing there are going to be many more coffee breaks in the coming months. Nice Pictures.


It also faces the east side giving a nice view of WTC4 and the 123 Wash St. http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4828/icontwisted.gif But since all the fat cats sit on that side, the only time to take pics is either early morning or in the evening.

btw I get done with my internship at the end of this month http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2272/sadm.gif I'm in the NY region for a couple of more weeks after that so I'll probably visit the site at least 3-4 times in August.

^^ Nice updates IU. Man....i need to visit NY again this Dec.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8472/dscn9354.jpg (http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8472/dscn9354.jpg)

Does anyone know what the large trusses just in the left of the yellow crane in the foreground are for? They look like they're long enough to cross a street, possibly for another pedestrian bridge?

Actually what you're seeing is an already installed temporary road bridge over the southern PATH tunnel portal. It will be removed and replaced with a permanent structure as part of the highway widening.

North core forms have jumped folks. I expect a pour tomorrow!

Yep, there was a jump.

It is progressing very well and fast ! Nice pics!

meh_cd and RKOwens thanks for your information. It will be good that floor of memorials will be located at the same level as the original lobby. Overall the whole site is sacred but the footprints should relate to an RL which existed before, even though history and memories will recall what happened in the now clear sky above.

finally some progress here. :) if only tower 2 and 3 could catch up! but unfortunately nyc doesn't have the balls to build the whole wtc complex. :ohno: many people around the world (including me) would expect more! maybe everything is finished when my grandchildren are visiting nyc some day. :ohno: btw: nice updates and pics! thx for sharing! :cheers:

^^



So many productive members in SSC , amazing :lol::lol:

^^



So many productive members in SSC , amazing :lol::lol:

indeed. as i see it, the wtc rebuilding has been really productive in the last years. i wish nyc (i really like the city) the best to get its skyline back on top, but for now it's just depressing (even for not american people). again, good luck. now back on topic. :)

I made a video of the concrete pour at the memorial.
http://howtodaylooksgroundzero.blogspot.com/2009/07/pour-me-pour-me.html
Enjoy!

^^thanks for sharing

July 20

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100383.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100387.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100391.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100393.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/jwalas/Construction/P1100397.jpg

I sure am sick of the 'long project' posts. Can you guys just stay out of the thread for a year so it will seem like good progress to you? Even after reading about all the red tape the posts still keep coming.

I fail to see the reasoning behind being upset at the timing of this project. Do none of you remember how many people died at this site?

And about having balls to build all the WTC site? That was a ridiculous statement. It's got nothing to do with balls or NYC. Financiers, developers, architects, construction companies....now there's a few folks that might have had a hand in the schedule....Jesus people, think before you post!

July 20

Click on the pics to view large

1 PM
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/158/dscn9390.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1783/dscn9390v.jpg)

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/8760/dscn9391.jpg (http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8760/dscn9391.jpg)


http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/455/dscn9393.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/455/dscn9393.jpg)

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3971/dscn9394a.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9049/dscn9394.jpg)

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http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1641/dscn9396.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1641/dscn9396.jpg)

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/4706/dscn9397g.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6026/dscn9397.jpg)

Wow, the tower is exploding with action. Thanks for the shots! I wonder what the scaffolding is for going up in front of the south core? Is that for the blast wall, or something else? Great progress either way. They finally have the north core level with the south again. :cheers:

I'm guessing this is the point that we're going to really start seeing it shoot up?

great up date picture anyway....

I sure am sick of the 'long project' posts. Can you guys just stay out of the thread for a year so it will seem like good progress to you? Even after reading about all the red tape the posts still keep coming.

I fail to see the reasoning behind being upset at the timing of this project. Do none of you remember how many people died at this site?

And about having balls to build all the WTC site? That was a ridiculous statement. It's got nothing to do with balls or NYC. Financiers, developers, architects, construction companies....now there's a few folks that might have had a hand in the schedule....Jesus people, think before you post!

glad you mentioned that post..maybe he isnt aware of the state of the U.S. economy......

http://rebuildgroundzero.org/webcam/rgz_000.jpg
^^is this webcam still down?

It's good to see a little bit of progress on Vesey Street every day.

^^ From those photos seems that north core is almost in the same height, with the south? The concrete part

http://rebuildgroundzero.org/webcam/rgz_000.jpg
^^is this webcam still down?

Yes it is. It'll probably be back up on the 1st of August. Usually only stays up for about 10 days or so then goes down for the rest of the month. I'm guessing the website has only so much bandwith per month.

I sure am sick of the 'long project' posts. Can you guys just stay out of the thread for a year so it will seem like good progress to you? Even after reading about all the red tape the posts still keep coming.

I fail to see the reasoning behind being upset at the timing of this project. Do none of you remember how many people died at this site?

And about having balls to build all the WTC site? That was a ridiculous statement. It's got nothing to do with balls or NYC. Financiers, developers, architects, construction companies....now there's a few folks that might have had a hand in the schedule....Jesus people, think before you post!


That's what many of US do, i've been to NYC 3 times, this being the 3, and i don´t bother any more to go to the WTC site, for what, i better come back in 2020 or something to se this tower finished.

That's what many of US do, i've been to NYC 3 times, this being the 3, and i don´t bother any more to go to the WTC site, for what, i better come back in 2020 or something to se this tower finished.

2013, 1WTC is perfectly on schedule compared to other projects of its size. Don't forget that. In Asia many of the skyscrapers that are the same scale as this one started construction in the 1990s. This one started in 2007, so 2013 sounds about right to me. That would be the same amount of time spent on the Hong Kong International Finance Center, which is almost the same height to roof.

That's what many of US do, i've been to NYC 3 times, this being the 3, and i don´t bother any more to go to the WTC site, for what, i better come back in 2020 or something to se this tower finished.

To each his own....

2020? At the rate this is going try 2050, the Freedom tower is rising at La Sagrada Familia pace.

2020? At the rate this is going try 2050, the Freedom tower is rising at La Sagrada Familia pace.

no, the freedom tower will be finished by 2013 / 2014. but the whole WTC site will take much longer (especially 2 and 2 WTC, they are not even u/c).

If you guys keep moaning on how long this one is taking we will probably have a thread of a 2020 or 2050 pages by the time the FT is finished.. if you can't bear with the time the whole complex requires to be completed just walk by and keep the conversation clean of unneccesary posts.. we have already explained what the site has gone through and as well informed people keep saying about 7 years span for building the complex are normal I suppose there's nothing more to say about that.
We don't need to cram this pages with unconstructive criticism so please stay on topic.

Thanks,
Jack

You all must remember, that the originals weren't built in a day either. It took a good 7 or 8 years or more for them to be completed. From the bottom bones to the rooftops.

hurry up

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3136/dsc0346w.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/i/dsc0346w.jpg/)

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/2118/dsc0347.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/i/dsc0347.jpg/)

^^
Nice photos! Thank you, looks like they are raising the forms on the north core now.

^^
Nice photos! Thank you, looks like they are razing the forms on the North core now.

Those pics are a few days old, the north core forms were already raised

you can watch it in real time:

http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

Those pics are a few days old, the north core forms were already raised

you can watch it in real time:

http://archives.earthcam.com/archives5/ecnetwork/us/ny/nyc/gzmpr/gzrobotic1.jpg

Yeah I know, I meant raising the forms for the next pour. The concrete is still drying from the prior concrete pour. They are raising the forms to the next level...

Even If the taliban fly the Starship Enterprise into the completed stucture its not going to collapse...