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A possible site plan (view from the west). Two new towers are behind the footprint memorials. There can be five or more memorial areas: the two original footprints, the area at the front right behind the curved wall, and possibly smaller memorials in each tower. The West Side Highway is at the front..
Fig. 1. The original 16-acre World Trade Center site prior to 9/11. The magnificent 110-story twin super skyscrapers (dark blue) sometimes cause outrageous high ground wind conditions. Of the four smaller buildings (yellow), only the hotel is considered unusually attractive. The iconic Koenig Sphere and fountain (light blue circle) are near the center of a somewhat impractical, dull, and unfriendly plaza. Original plans called for a more attractive and expensive plaza, and rebuilding the site could be an opportunity to correct the plaza faults. Delivery vehicles entered at the south side of the site.
Fig. 2. The original Gardner concept: The two (white) original footprint memorials and the two (blue) similarly arranged new super skyscrapers (WTC 1 and WTC 2) complement each other. Other site plans are possible and the site dimensions can be increased slightly. The above shifted site plan is meaningful, forms an attractive pattern, and restores the skyline. The new twin towers are located 300 feet 'east' and 40 feet 'south' of the original footprints. (Just shifting the towers 300 feet horizontally would result in a less attractive "blocky" pattern.) The new towers are above train lines (bad) and the towers and memorials are possibly inappropriately close. Footprint memorials would be based on victims' families' recommendations. Ancillary buildings are not shown. Wind and sun conditions should be considered; there will be high gusts. Entrances to the PATH and subways would be located at position C or D. The Koenig Sphere and fountain might be restored. Suggestions are welcome for possible construction at positions A, B, C, and D.
Fig. 3. Above is the site plan of the model shown on this web site. Original footprint memorials and the Memorial Plaza are based on victims' families' recommendations. WTC-1 and WTC-2 are new 115-story twin towers. Modeled on the successful Time-Warner Center, these towers are presently planned to have commercial space on the lower floors, hotel space on the middle floors, and residential and public space on the the upper floors. WTC-3, WTC-4, and WTC-5 are 12-story buildings. Streets might be underground. WTC-2 and WTC-3 are attached. WTC-5 might be replaced with a park. Church Street width might be reduced. The proposed outdoor footprint memorials and proposed Memorial Plaza are shown below.
Fig. 6. The LMDC site plan - a plan without meaning. All streets (except Greenwich) crossing the site will have negligible impact on traffic patterns, but are unsuited for security and will consume valuable space. Greenwich Street would be benificial but it will be inconveniently blocked for security; instead it should be underground. Infrastructure is an impractical intertwined mess. The memorials are designed mostly underground, and eventually might have to be closed or abandoned. The memorial architects want no artifacts above ground; the Koenig Sphere and fountain are gone, but the Koenig Sphere can be seen underground for a fee. The fortress-like Freedom Tower is above a train line and will be out of place and inappropriately near the memorial. The Freedom Tower would be the tallest building in New York and a landmark structure, but private industry would never build this special building at this poorly chosen commercial location. The Calatrava "Transportation Hub" is an expensive useless giant modern art sculpture that costs as much as one Twin Tower would. Since Trump's comments the Freedom Tower has been completely redesigned with better Coney Island techniques, but it is still at a bad location and will either be sold for a large loss or will be a taxpayer subsidized white elephant. Where is "Libeskind's genius" to be found?
"Throw it all away." — Donald Trump
"In April 2002, the rebuilding authorities — politicians and their appointees — made the most critical design decisions and sealed them in a blueprint: Take away the site's uniqueness by subdividing it with a series of roads and predetermining the area of the site to be devoted to a memorial for the victims of 9/11. This blueprint dooms all quality architectural efforts, as we have seen." — Eli Attia (architect of the Millenium Hilton, across from Ground Zero)
The memorials, Freedom Tower, street plan, Calatrava sculpture, and Vehicle Security Center are gross mistakes of urban planning that will be taught as an example for future generations to avoid.
The "Onion" agrees with New York officials who say it is better to celebrate our accomplishments rather than criticize our failures:
"From the wreckage and ashes of the World Trade Center, we have created a recess in the ground befitting the American spirit," said New York Governor George Pataki from a cinderblock and plastic bucket supported platform near the Hole's precipice. "This vast chasm, dug at the very spot where the gleaming Twin Towers once rose to the sky, is a symbol of what we can accomplish if we work together."
"From the wreckage and ashes of the World Trade Center, we have created a recess in the ground befitting the American spirit," said New York Governor George Pataki from a cinderblock and plastic bucket supported platform near the Hole's precipice. "This vast chasm, dug at the very spot where the gleaming Twin Towers once rose to the sky, is a symbol of what we can accomplish if we work together."