North End Avenue / Vesey Street, New York - June 28 2012.
One World Trade
Center: New Tower Already Source Of Hope
By Amanda Crum
One World Trade
Center: four words that bring on a wave of heartache, memories, love, fear, and
pain to just about every American. In New York, the dramatically altered
skyline has gradually been accepted, if only because the knowledge that the
dark recesses of sky would be filled once again.
While the new tower
won’t be completed until 2014, its bones are there, reaching up into the
atmosphere with the strength of all the survivors and the families of those who
lost their lives eleven years ago today. And while there have been many delays
and agonizing months of re-planning, developers are happy to say that the new
building incorporates the safety features and security measures it desperately
needed while incorporating itself into the layout of the city better than the
original tower did. New streets will be opened up, creating a better planned
space than what was there before.
“It is not finished,
but we have created a place that is much more like the rest of New York than
the old World Trade Center — much more pedestrian friendly,” said Janno
Lieber, Trade Center project director.
As far as security
goes, the new building will feature a windowless base which encompasses the
first eleven stories and is strong enough to withstand car bombs. There will
also be over 600 police officers assigned to protect the World Trade Center
buildings. Among other things, this news is a comfort to the people of New
York; however, seeing the new structure standing proudly 1,368 feet in the air
does them a world of good, as well.
“The tall buildings
make you feel good,” said Michael Keane, who fled the collapsing towers on
9/11. “We had suffered for a long time.”
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