Gothamist: Freedom Tower's Latest Obstacle: Finding Tenants!

newyorkette

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 21:54:13 -0500

Yeah, yer right, but at least nobody thinks my apartment building is on sacred ground. I have a big problem with sanctifying things because of tragic deaths. It's like saying other deaths that weren't associated with historical moments are less significant, or that one person's grief is more acute than another's. Wouldn't I be just as aggrieved if my husband got killed by a car than if he got blown up? Or if someone stabbed him to death, or if he just died of a heart attack at my dinner table? I'm just saying people can't make that space both a business venture as well as a shrine. You can't have it both ways. Or.... can... you?

fred

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:13:50 -0500

then i guess the whole world is basically off limits. Someone or something has died everywhere. I'm surprised 99% of europe has been rebuilt or japan. this is new york city, we dust ourselves off and move on. life goes on.

newyorkette

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:33:34 -0500

Maybe they offer the spaces as coops or rentals at affordable prices for the families of the victims. Personally, I wouldn't want to live or work in a place that's at once a new target and a virtual cemetary so fraught with other people's memories and grief.

hiraku

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:40:23 -0500

i really wish they never came up with the name freedom tower... should have left it wtc1 or something. it just seems like a hollow name nowadays. btw, i too wish they just rebuilt a better version of the old twins, but design by committee combined with bad architects was never known to produce great things.

anon

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:11:33 -0500

Toby: the twin towers have no chance of being rebuilt (while I also wish they had), so the only thing you can do is get behind something that does have a chance and is the best compromise, the freedom tower. Dan: very defeatist and unrealistic attitude. Most people, thankfully, have more courage and shorter memories than you give them credit for.

Dan

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:02:54 -0500

So they can't find tenants? Well, duh. Obviously, even the name screams "Target". And while statistically someone's chances of getting caught in a new terrorist attack on this building are probably minimal, emotionally every single person going into this building is going to know it's a symbolic target. Hell, I wouldn't want to work there. That was the beauty of the Think team's design of the two latticework towers -- almost no one would have to work there, and possibly (I don't know) the very design would make them less vulnerable to a plane-type attack. Plus, they were way, way cooler than this big boring building going up.

Toby

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:46:42 -0500

To anonymous: Since you seem not to have the balls to be other than anonymous perhaps you should stfu. Give me a ream of paper and I can come up with 500 Frank Ghery style "designs" for you. Now this seems to be a much better alternative and one that will fix what is broken.

anonymous

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:23:20 -0500

But really, stfu.

anonymous

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:25:21 -0500

Er, Toby: my apologies for the 'stfu'. I was reverting to my high school persona. Have a very nice day.

anonymous

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:19:44 -0500

Toby: please show us an example of how you would design a better tower than the freedom tower, otherwise stfu.

Kojak

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:07:59 -0500

I hear you realist. Didnt know management was that bad. Some of the offices companies have in there are impressive, though it does seem a bit old. And yeah, the design is uninspired and pathetic. What about something akin to the Bank of China building in Hong Kong? Now that is impressive.

Toby

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:02:09 -0500

They really need to design a better building or replace what was lost. Enough with the garbitecture! Most likely if and when the orridly ugly pos gets built there will have to be incentives for tennants - your tax dollars at work.

realist

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:00:14 -0500

Kojak, the ESB is a poor comparison. It is antiquated space that is represented by a notoriously poor management team (infighting).

billy

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:57:05 -0500

the WTC site (un)development has been a huge embarassment for NYC ever since 9/11/2001.

Kojak

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:54:15 -0500

The empire state building has a vacancy rate of 20% Imagine how high that rate will be with this building, even 20 years into the future. Historically supertall buildings have always been completed right when the market for tenants starts to go down. It’s very difficult to build and finish a building such as the freedom tower right when the market is at its peak. It’s a long term investments that will take years to see if it will be a success or not. In the long run, it probably will be a success.

S.D.

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:45:44 -0500

Actually, according to Wiki Page Towers 1 and 2 had over 8 million square feet of floor space combined. Not sure if there is a shortage of office space ot not. NY's Office space is considered too expensive which is why a lot of companies are moving to Jersey City. (So much for supporting Manhattan!) Even though I'm not a fan of the design, I Hope it get Built as specified.

realist

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:24:52 -0500

If they fail to build this tower as tall as designed it is a loss for New York. The twin towers certainly didn't have 1 Million sf leased before they were built and they were, eventually, a huge success financially. NY needs the office space too. New York's decline is solidified with the lessening of this tower.