Building Freedom Tower Starts This July 4

It's official: Work on Freedom Tower will start this July 4. Governor Pataki said yesterday:

On July 4th, as we celebrate the birth of our democracy, we will also celebrate the rebirth of our city. We will begin to reclaim our skyline with a permanent symbol of our freedom. On July 4th, 2004, we will break ground on the Freedom Tower.

Originally, work was going to begin during the Republican National Convention. Pataki's advisers probably told him to wise up and distance himself from what will be a contentious convention in NYC. Then there's the fact that Freedom Tower's height is 1776 feet. July 4 is on a Sunday this year, plus it's a national holiday, so the construction crews will probably be paid double time plus.

WTC developer Larry Silverstein was also on hand at Pataki's talk to the Assocation for a Better New York. He said, referring to the two recent court losses about collecting insurance money, "The loss we sustained in court was a loss that New Yorkers sustained in court, because that's the money that's needed for the rebuilding of the Trade Center and so it's a loss of all of us, not just me."

Gothamist on Freedom Tower.

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By Jen Chung in News on May 6, 2004 6:54 AM

Comments [rss]

Tom

Just rebuild improved twin towers....enough of this freeDUMB tower crap

Gavin

"Freedom Tower"? "Tallest Building in the World"? Can't we just swallow our pride and call it the "World Trade Center" again? At least that name, having "world" in it, seems to include our neighbors in the world and respect other cultures and political structures. And tallest doesn't mean it's the best. Plenty of landmarks around the world are not the biggest this or the tallest that. Honestly.

Rob Anderson

you people are all idiots. ;)

Raymond perez

I AGREE WITH THE LAT WRIGHTER I WANTED TO SEE TWIN TOWERS BUILT BACK ITS REALLY A SHAME IM VERY SAD THERE BUILDING SOME TOWER (FREEDOM) WITH CABLES AND WINDMILLS ISTS A JOKE ID REALLY LIKE TO SEE TWIN TOWERS I FEEL LIKE I WAS ROBBED WHEN THE WERE TAKEN FROM US AT LEAST BUILD TWO....

Jason

Personally, I'm glad Silverstein lost his insurance case. He set a 70-floor limit on all buildings on the WTC site, which is how the Freedom Tower originated, complete with windmills on top. He ignored calls for a new set of Twin Towers, has very little regard for any architectural innovation, and neither does George Pataki, who I also despise. All they want is short-term greed and profit above all else, and the insurance verdict Silverstin got against him is a just punishment.

John

I might just call it One World Trade Center, since I believe that'll be its address. They're calling the whole development the World Trade Center again, not just the PATH and subway stations. The stations are already still called that (at least the PATH and the E station; 1/9 will probably be Cortlandt Street again, as the R/W is).

Jenn

I was thinking of refering to it as the Memorial Tower, which is slightly less sappy. Or even just calling it the World Trade Center, since that's what the Path & subway stations I believe will be called.

Joe

It's just another media sensation that we'll hear about for the next two years. The name is absurd - how much freedom can you have in a tower? Particularly one with an undoubtedly high-budget security system and all of the latest terror prevention materials and protocols. Probably can't even fart without some sensor checking the air for bio-chemicals. Woe to those who trigger that alarm... I might be one, on free chili day. In any case, the word 'freedom' is being turned into a media whore. Which is a damn shame.

Sterling

Since it's in Manhattan maybe we should call it the "We Hate America Tower"?

tien

can we please, please decorate the freedom tower with some american flags, play god bless america every hour, and sing the national anthem every morning? because then, and only then will my life be complete.

Alex Trebek

The reason why "Houston Street" isn't pronounced like Houston Texas is not at all similar to why New Yorkers don't call it "Newark Liberty Airport." Houston Street's pronunciation isn't some random New York nickname thing. It's because the street was named after a specific person whose name was pronounced that way (William Houstoun).

Read an interesting note on Houston Street.

You're right about the cheesiness of the "Freedom Tower" name. Does anyone have any suggestions for a nickname? Like a lot of people, I personally used to call the old WTC the "twin towers," and never the "World Trade Center."

jenny

I'm hoping this "Freedom Tower" crap is only going to be a touristy thing. Much like only tourists call it Newark Liberty Airport or pronounce Houston St. like it's a city in Texas.

christine

is it seriously going to be called 'freedom tower'???

hater

Larry Silverstein is a dirty liar. The fact that he lost the court cases has nothing to do with rebuilding the world trade center - he was manipulating the insurance policies to try and get a double payout. Unfortunately, he can't do that. And even if he had won, he would be short of the total amount needed to rebuild, because he's spent a ridiculous amount on legal bills thus far. He spins it as if it's a travesty against New Yorkers that he lost. But New Yorkers on the jury seemed to be unimpressed by his bogus claims of "patriotism" and the need to rebuild. Of course we need to rebuild. But not with money that he has no right to have.