Trump wants WTC towers re-building as they were
Discussion
To Donald Trump, the proposals for the replacement for the World Trade Center look like a junkyard. His solution? Rebuild the twin towers, more or less.
Standing in the lobby of his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the developer turned TV star on Wednesday presented a model of his own envisioned towers, reflecting the original shape of the skyscrapers that fell Sept. 11, 2001.
The towers he advocates would be 111 stories tall — one floor taller than the lost towers.
Plans for the site, to be dominated by a 1,776-foot Freedom Tower, have been stalled lately because of security concerns, though Gov. George Pataki assured New Yorkers last week that the project was not losing momentum.
"Failure to rebuild is not an option," the Republican governor said in a speech in downtown Manhattan.
But Trump had little use for the futuristic, angular Freedom Tower model.
The plan "looks like a junkyard, a series of broken-down angles that don't match each other. And we have to live with this for hundreds of years?" he said. "It is the worst pile of crap architecture I've ever seen in my life."
However, Trump said he was leaving it up to developer Larry Silverstein, who owns the lease on the World Trade Center site, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land, to execute the design first introduced last year by engineer Ken Gardner.
"I only have the power of persuasion," Trump said. "It's a very simple power, but sometimes it can be very strong."
Speaking for Silverstein, Howard J. Rubenstein said Trump was a friend, but "Silverstein's only concern right now is designing a safe and spectacular Freedom Tower in keeping with the well-established master plan for the site."
Trump read from a letter sent to him by architect Daniel Libeskind, whose plan won an international design competition for the trade center project. Silverstein then brought in his own architect, David Childs, to redesign the signature Freedom Tower.
In the letter, Libeskind was "essentially complaining that the design is no good," Trump said.
He quoted Libeskind as saying the shape of the tower was "the product of David Childs," while he wanted a more slender, classical tower set back farther from the street.
Libeskind added in a statement Wednesday: "The site plan is not just about commercial buildings. The memorial is its crucial centerpiece. It is there for a reason."
Though it would be taller than the twin towers, the Freedom Tower would have much of its top one-third given over to airy latticework and a spire emitting light into the night. Only around 70 floors would be usable office space.
Trump described the existing design as "essentially a skeleton" at the top. "If we rebuild the World Trade Center in the form of a skeleton, the terrorists win."
Trump also left room for an alternative to his plan, if tenants can't be found for the new towers. "If for some reason, it can't be built, because there is a possibility that people do not want to be in any of the buildings on the site, then what we should do is ... build a great memorial park," he said.
Standing in the lobby of his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the developer turned TV star on Wednesday presented a model of his own envisioned towers, reflecting the original shape of the skyscrapers that fell Sept. 11, 2001.
The towers he advocates would be 111 stories tall — one floor taller than the lost towers.
Plans for the site, to be dominated by a 1,776-foot Freedom Tower, have been stalled lately because of security concerns, though Gov. George Pataki assured New Yorkers last week that the project was not losing momentum.
"Failure to rebuild is not an option," the Republican governor said in a speech in downtown Manhattan.
But Trump had little use for the futuristic, angular Freedom Tower model.
The plan "looks like a junkyard, a series of broken-down angles that don't match each other. And we have to live with this for hundreds of years?" he said. "It is the worst pile of crap architecture I've ever seen in my life."
However, Trump said he was leaving it up to developer Larry Silverstein, who owns the lease on the World Trade Center site, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land, to execute the design first introduced last year by engineer Ken Gardner.
"I only have the power of persuasion," Trump said. "It's a very simple power, but sometimes it can be very strong."
Speaking for Silverstein, Howard J. Rubenstein said Trump was a friend, but "Silverstein's only concern right now is designing a safe and spectacular Freedom Tower in keeping with the well-established master plan for the site."
Trump read from a letter sent to him by architect Daniel Libeskind, whose plan won an international design competition for the trade center project. Silverstein then brought in his own architect, David Childs, to redesign the signature Freedom Tower.
In the letter, Libeskind was "essentially complaining that the design is no good," Trump said.
He quoted Libeskind as saying the shape of the tower was "the product of David Childs," while he wanted a more slender, classical tower set back farther from the street.
Libeskind added in a statement Wednesday: "The site plan is not just about commercial buildings. The memorial is its crucial centerpiece. It is there for a reason."
Though it would be taller than the twin towers, the Freedom Tower would have much of its top one-third given over to airy latticework and a spire emitting light into the night. Only around 70 floors would be usable office space.
Trump described the existing design as "essentially a skeleton" at the top. "If we rebuild the World Trade Center in the form of a skeleton, the terrorists win."
Trump also left room for an alternative to his plan, if tenants can't be found for the new towers. "If for some reason, it can't be built, because there is a possibility that people do not want to be in any of the buildings on the site, then what we should do is ... build a great memorial park," he said.
JagLover said:
It shows a lack of imagination.
Donald Trump is perhaps not the best person to talk about tasteful design, or taste in general. Have you been to Trump Tower, or any of his buildings in Manhattan? Gaudy, tasteless, poorly designed and unimaginative. Not saying I am a fan of the design chosen for the WTC, but I think Trump is not the person to give advice.
Frik said:Does he? I thought that he was proud of having real hair that looked so bad?
looks like a junkyard, a series of broken-down angles that don't match each other. And we have to live with this for hundreds of years? It is the worst pile of crap architecture I've ever seen in my life.
And this from the man who wears a syrup...
wanty1974 said:If that's real hair then I think my point has even more gravitas!
Mr Trump said:
looks like a junkyard, a series of broken-down angles that don't match each other. And we have to live with this for hundreds of years? It is the worst pile of crap architecture I've ever seen in my life.
And this from the man who wears a syrup...
Does he? I thought that he was proud of having real hair that looked so bad?
It doesn't matter what they build to replace the original towers. The replacements will become an irresistible challenge to terrorists. They won't get any tenants to take up the floor space, and eventually they will also be destroyed. In short they will become the No.1 target, sharing equal billing with the White House.
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