Twin Towers Advocacy continued

[TalB]

http://www.twintowersalliance.com/petition/bulletins
3/13/08 — The Glass Is Half-Full… The downfall of Eliot Spitzer is a sad spectacle and we hope to see him channel his prodigious talents and energies into a constructive new life. Meanwhile, we have received many inquiries into what we think the change may mean for the World Trade Center. New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo wrote a column today entitled “Downtown: Eliot Leaves A Mess” and this letter we sent to the editor is how we see it…

“When Steve Cuozzo moans that the WTC is years behind schedule, he fails to appreciate that every one of those years is one in which we didn’t build the wrong plan. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Gov. Paterson, a man who never glimpsed the Twin Towers, had the courage to reject what was forced on us by elitists with no vision?

“Faced with spending more than $3 billion trying to undo the wanton destruction of Pennsylvania Station, our new Governor has compelling evidence that doing the wrong thing to satisfy short-term pressures is a losing proposition.

“Gov. Spitzer chose a remarkable and humble running mate. Wouldn’t it be rich if the sensory acuity that results from being blind means that for the first time in a long time the people of New York may have a Governor who not only “listens,“ but actually hears — and really cares what the people think?

“There is a world of difference between pragmatism and realism. Pragmatists think that expediency is what matters at the World Trade Center above all. Realists know that we are sure to regret it, if we try to replace the irreplaceable Twin Towers with anything except better versions of themselves.”

[Daquan13]

Oh. I'm not arguing with him, nor am I upset or angry with him, nor am I trying to start a fight with him.

I said that because the plans to bring the street back through Ground Zero WOULD IN FACT make every area of the NWTC ACCESSIBLE and practical.

If the superblock was brought back, then access to the towers and all the other stuff, IMHO, would make access to them very limited.

I think that you might agree with that.

[BradRousse]

Oh, I do... I'm just urging caution on another flame war breaking out.

[TalB]

The buidlings were on the edge of the plaza, plus they had driveways, so access was possible for deliveries. Also, it's not like that superblock was only open durring office hours, so people were allowed to cut through rather than walking all the way around it. I think people tend to associate the WTC superblock with the private ones, which are only open durring certain times depending on the one who owns it or in some cases, they are never open to the public at all. Parks are pretty much superblocks themselves in that matter yet I don't hear anyone wanting to get rid of those, and just about every road in Central Pk, except for the tranverse roads were recently closed. The reason why Minorou Yamasaki, the architect of the WTC, wanted to have a superblock was b/c he found it to have unity and to get people away from the streets into an open space.

[redbaron_012]

TalB you have said exactly what the WTC superblock was all about....All the buildings were around the perimeter so had access for vehicles where needed and a big public space...square gave respite from traffic. Although a massive Office complex the square was a paved area yet much like a park, many European style squares offer similar size, the break from the typical NY streetscape was a plus for New Yorks diversity. The new complexes may have streets reintroduced but tell me if you will be able to drive up to the building..park out front and go inside???? probably not...so if its just through traffic....don't see the amenity added to Lower Manhattan itself?

[TalB]

I don't know how people say that the superblock destroyed lower Manhattan when it actually created a median for the neighborhoods of the Financial Dist, BPC, and TriBeCa. As a matter of fact, if superblocks are so bad, then why was one recently created on Wall St near Trinity Church? Durring the workday, Nassau St is closed off to vehicular traffic. I forgot the name of the street that is closed to all but emegency vehicles near City Hall, though it's probably either Duane/Elk Sts. Rockefeller Plaza, which runs through the Rockefeller Ctr between 5th/6th Aves, is a pedistrian street. Why hate the WTC superblock yet support all others? This was the question asked to Stephen Proyer over at the Aftershock at Pace University by Louis Epstein on the LMDC being selective on why they have said nothing against the other created superblocks like the one at Wall St yet he didn't want to answer on that only to proove him right. When I said driveways, I was reffering to the service entrances that was there, which is why those buildings had garages.

[BradRousse]

Originally Posted by TalB

I forgot the name of the street that is closed to all but emegency vehicles near City Hall, though it's probably either Duane/Elk Sts. Rockefeller Plaza, which runs through the Rockefeller Ctr between 5th/6th Aves, is a pedistrian street.

..City Hall's nowhere near Rockefeller Center...

[cincobarrio]

park row, son.

- brad, talb is just differentiating a street closing and a pedestrian street; not saying those two examples are nearby.

[BradRousse]

Oh, is THAT what he means?

Re-read it a couple times, didn't catch that somehow...

[TalB]

Click to read the open letters said to Governor David Patterson and realtor Larry Silverstein by the TTA.

[BradRousse]

You know, I have a REAL bone to pick with TTA. The way they make it out that the Twin Towers were THE icon of New York, THE place that mattered, and that their absence has not only lessened the city, but made it so it isn't New York anymore. JUST because they aren't there.

And this really, REALLY ticks me off, how they've put these towers on such a high pedestal that they're the ONLY thing that makes New York City what it is.

Does this mean New York was nothing before the 1970s? That the immigrants weeping at the sight of the Statue of Liberty, or those lining up to see the city from the Empire State Building were deluded or should have been going "Man... there should be twin towers here, then things will matter"? By TTA's logic, this is what it is. And this is tragic and unbelievable to an astonishing degree.

Were they -A- symbol of New York? Yes. Where they -THE-? No. There is no one symbol of this city. It's so complex and sprawling, that to point to ONE (read two) building and say "yup, that's it" overlooks so much of the city's history and character that it's INFURIATING. This, and the fact that Alex Butziger wished the Statue of Liberty was destroyed instead publicly several times, is why I stopped supporting rebuilding: you're so obsessed with the Twin Towers you've put them in a perspective that's overblown. You cannot look me in the face and say with a straight one that a construction project (which was huge, won't argue it) is our greatest achievement when we've LANDED ON CELESTIAL BODIES.

Look... the Twin Towers are only "the most famous buildings in the world" in the sense the Titanic is "the most famous ship in history"; they gained immortality through their very shocking and public destruction. Again, where they famous? Sure. THE most? Hardly.

And for God's sakes, comparing Paterson's physical blindless to your perceived view of blindness about the reconstruction efforts? Jeez.

Is this a rant? Yes. Do I think certain people are going to come after me for this? Yes. But, this is the thing, TTA: if you honestly think that the only thing that has ever mattered about New York City was the Twin Towers... you have problems with perception.

[Daquan13]

TalB, as much as I might applaud your efforts to fight for what you believe might be right, and I'm not trying to fight with you, nor am I trying to start an argument, but whoever is comparing Gov. David Paterson's leagal blindness to their perceived view about blindness concerning the rebuild efforts at Ground Zero, well, that is a real low blow.

The guy was just sworn in as Gov, and he was automatically upgraded to gov in the middle of a high-profile scandal that he had no control over.

And besides, Spitzer had ok'd and gone along with the rebuild for Ground Zero last year not too long after he himself was sworn in and took office.

[jmancuso]

TTA has become an irrational obsession towards the former world trade center. nearly 7 years have gone by and with any major loss, the deep emotion surrounding the buildings themselves more or less has dissipated and i think most people at this point are content on leaving the twin towers in the past and moving onto something else.

[Daquan13]

Point well taken!

I mean, it's quite obvious that the officials have their minds made up, and for TTA to just keep on going around and saying; "Oh. We can still get them rebuilt", they still have yet to even be able to convince the officials to even go that way.

This is the reason why I say that it puzzles me that they are supposedly trying to get the job done, but they are bilking people out of money to make them think that the old towers will come back.

[redbaron_012]

BradRousse I have to agree with your post. Maybe using 'THE' landmark of New York more means how they had a dominating effect on New Yorks skyline....many cities, now and moreso since the 1990's have huge skyscraper skylines with pinnicles even higher than New York but the Twin Towers made the New York skyline instantly recognisable. OK ESB and the Chrysler Bld.etc also do that but from a distance the WTC twin towers were very unique in the world. what is it that they don't see in this beautiful pic? (Not mine) I rest my case!

[BradRousse]

It's the skyline writ large, though.

Oh, I won't deny it, they certainly had presence and a certain uniqueness, but it's coming up on seven years. That and I doubt people would be so obsessively poetic on 9/10.

[Daquan13]

Yes, and in all that time, if that that website still thinks that it'll happen, well, I'm sure that everyone knows the reel.

[TalB]

Originally Posted by Daquan13

Point well taken!

I mean, it's quite obvious that the officials have their minds made up, and for TTA to just keep on going around and saying; "Oh. We can still get them rebuilt", they still have yet to even be able to convince the officials to even go that way.

This is the reason why I say that it puzzles me that they are supposedly trying to get the job done, but they are bilking people out of money to make them think that the old towers will come back.

The same thing can be said about Hillary Clinton in the last number of months when trying to nominated. At first she lost the Iowa caucus, and many though it was all over for her, but then she won back in the New Hampshire primaries and several others after that. After Barrack Obama came closing in on Super Tuesday, many thought again it was over for Hillary, especially won he won 12 straight primaries, but it wasn't. She then started win key primaries in Ohio and Texas, where she came back from behind, and caught up and it changed it around again. Had she just given up when being hammered, she probably wouldn't be where she is right now. It really shows why one shouldn't give up just yet. Therefore there is a chance for a Hillary Clinton-esque victory. Now that I am thinking about it, the financial issues and JP Morgan Chase reconsidering is sort of like Obama starting to loose his support after problems occurring.

[cincobarrio]

"Had she just given up when being hammered, she probably wouldn't be where she is right now... sort of like Obama starting to loose his support after problems occurring."

LOL where's that? roughly 150 pledged delegates behind barack obama and virtually finished? what do you even mean by "caught up and changed it around again"? she is FURTHER BEHIND now than she was before ohio and texas even went down (she flat out lost texas overall, by the way). with the way you're talking about obama 'losing support', i guess you missed his speech in philly as well; yeah, the one from a couple days ago that's being unanimously praised by the entire country (not to mention he wrote it himself). the way you talk about this election sounds just like the way you talk about the trade center, in hardcore denial.

[BradRousse]

Originally Posted by TalB

The same thing can be said about Hillary Clinton in the last number of months when trying to nominated. At first she lost the Iowa caucus, and many though it was all over for her, but then she won back in the New Hampshire primaries and several others after that. After Barrack Obama came closing in on Super Tuesday, many thought again it was over for Hillary, especially won he won 12 straight primaries, but it wasn't. She then started win key primaries in Ohio and Texas, where she came back from behind, and caught up and it changed it around again. Had she just given up when being hammered, she probably wouldn't be where she is right now. It really shows why one shouldn't give up just yet. Therefore there is a chance for a Hillary Clinton-esque victory. Now that I am thinking about it, the financial issues and JP Morgan Chase reconsidering is sort of like Obama starting to loose his support after problems occurring.

...what.