Ten years later: One World Trade Center

As I write this article, it is Sept. 11— exactly 10 years since

the attacks on the World Trade Centers in 2001. For many of us, pictures of the burning buildings and later, the gaping holes where they once stood, have become common images both as something we remember and something we now teach in history class. We have visited

Ground Zero, written songs about our memories and some of us have been personally affected by the loss of a loved one on that fateful Tuesday. Yet even as we grieve, we heal. As part of this healing, in 2003 the Lower Manhattan D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation began plans for a new building,

one that would both commemorate the Sept. 11 attacks and bring new life to the area. What arose was the Freedom Tower, the final design of which was approved in June of 2005. When it is finished (current projections say 2013), it is set to be the tallest building in the United States.

The project was originally overseen by Larry Silverstein,

who owned the lease on the Twin Towers in 2001. However, the overseeing of the Freedom Tower was later handed over to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In accordance with the latter's approval,

construction commenced on April 26, 2006. The tower is set to be one part of a large redevelopment of the area being overseen by Silverstein. In total, the area

will contain five new skyscrapers, a memorial and museum

to 9/11, retail space, a transportation center and a performing arts center. Collectively the area will be known

as the World Trade Center. In accordance with this title, the Port Authority changed the title of the Freedom Tower in 2009 to One World Trade Center; the other four buildings

are also numerically named (Two World Trade Center,

etc.). The World Trade Center website hails the project as "A 21st Century Renaissance of New York." When One WTC is complete, it will soar 1,776 feet into the air, roughly 350 feet higher than the Empire State Building. Designed by David M. Childs of the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, One World Trade Center is due to contain

108 floors and 2,600,000 square feet. The building will not only contain office spaces, but also restaurants and an observation deck. In total, One World Trade Center is expected to cost $3.1 billion. Perhaps the most moving part of the project is the National September 11 Memorial, which opened to the public Sept. 12. This tribute to the tragedy consists of two reflecting pools built into the remaining bases of the original towers, and filled by the largest man made waterfalls in the country. Around the rims of the pools are inscribed the names of all those who

lost their lives on Sept. 11 along with the fatalities of the lesser known attack on the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993. The September 11 Museum is situated in between the two pools. The remaining towers—2,3,4,5 WTC—will surround One World Trade Center and are owned by Silverstein Properties. Only One WTC will be under the possession of the Port Authority. In a rather odd system of numbering, a seventh, but not a sixth, World Trade Center will be built. Six World Trade Center was

part of the original World Trade Centers and held the U.S. Customs House. One World Trade Center is currently being built on the same site that six WTC once stood. There has been no talk of building a second sixth World Trade Center. For as beautiful as the whole complex will be,

its design and conception were anything but simple.

Brainstorming for the project began less than a year after

the attacks, in July 2002, with six original design

suggestions. All proposals were met with mixed responses. In fact, before the current design was selected,

two different cornerstones were laid for two different

projects. Concurrently to these suggestions was a push for

the original towers to be rebuilt. Those in favor claimed that it was necessary to prove that the United States would not

be cowed by terrorism. However, Silverstein Properties never gave credence to these ideas, and settled on the

proposal of architect Daniel Libeskind. Yet even after the design was "chosen," the topic was far from settled. The design being built now is a conglomeration of changes decided upon by multiple authorities and overseen by architect David Childs, who is still the head architect of the project. Paul Greengrass, the director of the Bourne trilogy once said "Remembering is painful. It's difficult, but it can be inspiring and it can give wisdom." Never have these words been truer than when thinking about Sept. 11, 2001.

In order to heal, we must remember; in order to draw the inspiration to move on, we must remember; in order to gain the wisdom to learn from our devastating experience, we must remember.The work being done at Ground Zero is a project in remembrance. We remember the pain of that day, but we memorialize the heroes and the unity it brought to the U.S. Regardless of whose design was the best, the important part of the rebuilding is that we mourn, we heal and we remember.

Timeline

September 11, 2001

• Attacked by members of the terrorist group al- Qaeda, the original twin towers were destroyed leaving destruction and the deaths of 2,997 victims in its wake.

July 2002

• Six proposals were made for the rebuilding of the World Trade Centers and Ground Zero including the rebuilding of the original Twin Towers.

June 2005

• The design known as The Freedom Tower (now renamed One World Trade Center by the Port Authority) was approved. In all, there will be six new WTC buildings.

April 26, 2006

• Construction commenced on the building of One World Trade Center. The location is where the original World Trade Center once stood.

September 12, 2011

• On the day after the 10th anniversery of the attacks, the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero opened to the public.  The memorial includes two acre - size reflecting pools and the world's largest hand - made waterfalls

2013

• Set to be completed in 2013, One World Trade center (the lead building in the new World Trade Center complex) will be the tallest building in the United States at 1,776 ft.