METRICS AND HIGHLIGHTS
The final Twin Towers II facade treatment pays homage to the original design, while still allowing for 40-inch wide, floor-to-ceiling windows. The new design reflects the contribution of an eminent design professional. We believe that the transcendent spirit of the original WTC now has been captured throughout the project, while the advanced technology of today has resulted in breathtakingly new Twin Towers.
The Twin Towers II Plan can fix all that is currently broken at Ground Zero. The current meltdown that has been taking place in the Financial Services industry - and the buoyancy that is being drained from our city and nation - can only be successfully answered with an historically confident move. Just as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center bucked the temptation to give in to forces beyond our control, new Twin Towers would be proof-positive that we are in charge of our destiny and have the character it takes to bend the most trying circumstances to our advantage.
Two towers with a uniform floorplate can be built with much greater speed and economy than four unique towers involving scores of different floorplates - putting us ahead of schedule, not behind. The groundwork that has been done, including the foundation of the "Freedom Tower," is just as suitable for The Twin Towers II Plan. And even the materials already procured can be incorporated into the overall plan to keep waste to a minimum. Finally, the benefit of allowing construction workers to build what they have always longed to build can't be overestimated.
What's more, this project could be realized in less time than the existing plan. It would be a good deal less costly to both build and maintain, saving hundreds of millions and, perhaps, billions in construction costs and ultimately, in the cost of operation. Contracts could be renegotiated to accommodate the change of course and converting the plan would not prove difficult or wasteful overall. Furthermore, it would result in a far more appealing commercial venture, making a much greater return on the investment likely.
The well-conceived plan paid careful attention to the diverse needs of the population and the markets. Incorporated at the plan's inception, the mega-sized trading floors that Wall Street firms are now demanding are a prime example. Another instance is the mixed-use option with the possible inclusion of stunning residential units, which would add immeasurably to Lower Manhattan's luster as a premier 24/7 financial capital.
The full plan incorporates twin memorials that were designed in close cooperation with many 9/11 families. A fragment of the original facade is incorporated into the image below. But the plan as presented to the Port Authority sought to keep the focus on restoring the skyline, by stipulating that if the current 9/11 Memorial design is built, new Twin Towers rising beside it would bring powerful resonance to the message and transform it from one of abject loss into one of ultimate renewal.
In the end, resurrected Twin Towers would be the most stirring and profound memorial of all, a testament that we will always triumph over the worst adversity.
