Once upon a time, a pair of giant saltine boxes dominated New York City’s skyline.
That all changed on 9/11, when the Twin Towers went from eyesore to icon; from inside joke to nationwide rallying cry.
Now, from the ashes of Ground Zero, the heaven-scraping Freedom Tower scoffs in terrorism’s face.
New York City; born and raised!
I wear those words like a patch of pride; even though I haven’t lived there in years.
Growing up, the Twin Towers were not my favorite buildings; but they sure were TALL!
I remember Grandma Rachel once treated my family to lunch at Windows on the World: a spinning restaurant on the 106th floor .
Then September 11th happened; and the Twin Towers were gone.
A few weeks after the attacks, I visited Ground Zero with my film and video cameras.
Once the dust cleared, it seemed like nothing would ever be build there again.
In fact, it took years of heated debate and controversy before plans for the Freedom Tower were even approved.
Since 2001, I have made regular pilgrimages to Ground Zero to witness its evolution.
For a long time, there wasn’t much to see or photograph.
That all changed when the Freedom Tower began to rise.
The Freedom Tower: America’s “Tallest” Building
Don’t get me wrong; I’m all about the Freedom Tower.
As a symbol of national pride and resilience, it’s a fabulous testament.
However, I ask the planners, financiers and architects one question…
Really? Really?
With all that time and money, this is what you came up with?
I imagine the idea session went something like this:
“OK. How’s about we rebuild one of the Twin Towers… but half way up, we twist it!
Then, we’ll put a really big antenna on top and make it the tallest building in America by default.”
When One World Trade Center opened in 1972, it had no antenna; yet, the “North Tower” was the world’s tallest building.
To me, the Freedom Tower’s altitude claim-to-fame is a bit of a sham.
Ground Zero and the September 11th Memorial
In the shadows of the rebuilt One World Trade Center, a pair of waterfalls memorialize the Twin Towers’ original location.
Surrounded by the engraved names of those who perished in the September 11th attacks, the site is a somber reminder of that fateful Tuesday morning.
Nearby, a long line of visitors wait to pay $24 to enter a fancy 9/11 museum.
The Web site promises, “an educational and historical institution honoring the victims and examining 9/11 and its continued global significance.”
That sounds great, but I pose this question: how does price gouging honor a national tragedy?
Photographs of the Freedom Tower
Just like the New Yorkers living below it, the Freedom Tower tells the world,
“Hey, look at me!
Youze can knock me down, but I’m gonna get right back up and be stronger than ever.”
Sure, I have a few reservations; but, I already love the Freedom Tower and can’t wait for the day I have an excuse to go inside.
For the first time in more than a decade, the New York City skyline is whole again.
What do you think of the Freedom Tower?
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