Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Citizens Union

You're on an older version of the site, please click here to view the current site

Rebuilding NYC - brought to you by Gotham Gazette
Gotham Gazette Gotham Gazette

Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Citizens Union

You're on an older version of the site, please click here to view the current site

Rebuilding NYC





Focus on Ground Zero


•  The Cleanup
•  Health Risks Near Ground Zero?


Current News
All News



9/11 In Arts And Culture
The Anniversary
Rebuild Downtown
The Memorial
Governance
Impact on New Yorkers
Economic Rebuilding
Security
Charities
Ground Zero









Subtopics

The Cleanup
Twenty four hours a day, workers at the site cleaned up the debris from the World Trade Center attacks.
Click here to find out more...

Health Risks Near Ground Zero?
Are there really health risks for those that live or work near Ground Zero? A number of articles and stories seem to suggest this may be the case.
Click here to find out more...


Gotham Gazette Articles

A Year With Libeskind(3/1/2004)
It has been a year since Daniel Libeskind was chosen to make a master plan for Ground Zero, and his plan has changed significantly since then. But because Libeskind's role has never been clear, there is disagreement about whether these changes are a betrayal of Libeskind's plan, or a natural part of its evolution.

Permanent PATH Station (1/23/2004)
The plan for the permanent PATH station at Ground Zero, recently made public, is an oval-shaped structure of glass and steel with two "wings" rising from its spine. The retractable glass roof of the building allows daylight to reach the train tracks 60 feet below street level.

Revising Absence (1/12/2004)
A revised design for the memorial at Ground Zero was recently made public. The design covers the austere plaza of the original design with trees, incorporates access to the bedrock level on the footprints of the Twin Towers, and adds an underground area containing artifacts from the September 11th attacks.

The Freedom Tower(12/19/2003)
Released on December 19, the 1,776 foot tall Freedom Tower is the result of a fiery collaboration between two architects. It is said to have features that echo both the Statute of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. See the design.

A Good Work In Progress(12/19/2003)
Mark Ginsberg, the president of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects, writes that while the Freedom Tower is a well thought out design with some exciting features, there are still issues that must be resolved for it be a success.

Stick With Libeskind(12/19/2003)
The design for the Freedom Tower brings David Childs' building more into line with Daniel Libeskind's vision, writes Beverly Willis, the co-chair of Rebuild Downtown Our Town. But it does not completely fulfill the necessary task of keeping to the Libeskind vision, and therefore poses a potential threat to the success of Ground Zero as a whole.

The Revised Plan (9/21/2003)
Rebuilding officials have released a revised master plan for the World Trade Center site. A look at the changes, from slimmer towers to a new park.

The Winning Plan(2/24/2003)
The design by architect Daniel Libeskind featuring a 1,776-foot spire and an open pit where the twin towers once stood was chosen Wednesday night as the final plan for the World Trade Center site. The plan also features a museum at the site and structures that will create memorial spaces free of shadows each September 11. The single spire will be the tallest structure in the world.

Ground Zero Finalists(2/4/2003)
On February 4, rebuilding officials named two finalists to design the World Trade Center site. The selection committee chose architect Daniel Libeskind, whose design exposes the Twin Towers original foundations and leaves the hole at Ground Zero for a memorial, and the THINK team of architects Rafael Vinoly, Shigeru Ban, Ken Smith and Frederic Schwartz. Their World Cultural Center plan includes two open steel latticework towers with a museum, an amphitheater and other cultural spaces at different heights.

Nine Plans(12/14/2002)
The nine new plans for Ground Zero include four that feature what would be the tallest buildings in the world, and two that create 16 acres of roof-top parks. Read an overview of the nine plans commissioned by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, including links to details on each design.

Rethinking The Six Plans(7/22/2002)
After the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation released six different designs for rebuilding the World Trade Center site, 5,000 citizens responded at a town hall meeting. This week find out why the public responded negatively to the plans and what issues the officials in charge of rebuilding must resolve to come up with a plan satisfactory for the people.

The Firm Of "Blah, Blah and Blah?"(6/2/2002)
This week, Gotham Gazette's Rebuilding NYC presents a profile of Beyer Blinder Belle, the urban planning and design firm selected by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. The firm is best known for renovating Grand Central Station during the 1990's. Will they be able to bring creativity and vision to their efforts to create a plan for the World Trade Center site?

Six Months Later (03/11/02)
The city has made an amazing recovery in the six months since the terrorist attacks. Ground Zero will soon be cleared of rubble. Subways, schools, and businesses have reopened. And two temporary memorials will be unveiled this week. But as New York moves to the next phase of rebuilding there are many unanswered questions about what to build, who is in charge, and how it will be funded. Gotham Gazette takes a look at the status of recovery and rebuilding, how far we have come and where we are headed.

Awards and Alarms (12/3/01)
America loves nobody more these days than a New York City firefighter. But the cheers at sports stadiums, the free trips and the bouquets cannot erase the difficulties confronting the department, writes David Schwartz and Christopher Stewart. The problems in some ways have just gotten worse. Many firefighters ache from the loss of so many "brothers" on September 11. Leaders with expertise and decades of experience lost their lives, and a nasty rift separates the commissioner from the rank and file. Meanwhile, as Jane Latour writes, the department remains overwhelmingly white and male, with fewer blacks than it had 36 years ago.



Latest News

As 9/11 Slips into the Past, New York Pauses to Mark Anniversary - Sep 12, 2004
With broken voices and shattered hearts, parents of 9/11 victims read the litany of the lost at the World Trade Center site yesterday to mark the third anniversary of the terror attacks. But the constant noise of traffic on the adjacent West Side Highway was a reminder of how, for many in New York and the nation, the horrors of 9/11 have begun to slip into the past. (New York Daily News)

Some Mourning 9/11 Losses Avoid Ground Zero - Sep 12, 2004
Recent interviews with more than 300 relatives of those killed on September 11, 2001 found that scores have not been to ground zero since the attacks. They have their own reasons: dread. Privacy, a feeling at odds with something as public as a ceremony shown live on television. Anger at officials they believe did not do enough to prevent the attacks. Fear, among some who do not live in Manhattan, of going to the place that was forever changed and that forever changed them. (New York Times )

9/11 Families Make What May Be Last Trip to Ground Zero - Sep 12, 2004
Relatives of those who died at the World Trade Center walked seven stories down to the bedrock yesterday, knowing the descent to the hallowed ground may be their last. (New York Daily News)

Fundraising For Memorial Has Yet to Begin - Sep 11, 2004
Eight months after the World Trade Center memorial design was unveiled, Gov. Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg have yet to find a prominent person willing to lead the foundation that's raising the money to build it. (New York Daily News)

New Images Give Best View Yet of Future Ground Zero Development - Sep 11, 2004
A stunning new look of the future World Trade Center site was unveiled yesterday, complete with the world's tallest building, a poignant memorial to the victims of the terror attacks, and a striking new cultural complex and rail station. (New York Post )

Parents Will Read Name at Modest 9/11 Anniversary Ceremony - Sep 10, 2004
Parents and grandparents of victims, will be the emotional heart of tomorrow's Ground Zero ceremony, where they will read the names of all those killed in the attacks. But as older generations step to the podium, they will be presiding over a decidedly trimmed-down day of remembrance. (New York Daily News)

Visitor Center Planned for Ground Zero - Sep 10, 2004
Yesterday, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation extended its support - but not any money so far - to the Tribute Visitors Center being planned for a storefront at 120 Liberty Street, opposite ground zero and next to Ladder Company 10 and Engine Company 10. (New York Times )

More News on Ground Zero...