Freedom Tower Re-Design Unveiled

[Patrick]

"Revamped Freedom Tower Has Safer Design
Wednesday, June 29, 2005


NEW YORK — The newest plan for the Freedom Tower (search) at the former World Trade Center (search) site features a more bomb-resistant design pushed well away from the street and incorporating heavily protected elevators and utilities.

The details are part of a redesign detailed Wednesday for the soaring skyscraper in lower Manhattan, a project that has been delayed by bureaucratic squabbling.

The new design for the 1,776-foot tower is meant to make it more resistant to truck bombs. The building will now be 90 feet — instead of 25 feet — from West Street, the major north-south thoroughfare along the Hudson River.

The strengthened structure exceeds city fire code requirements, and will have biological and chemical filters in its air supply system, according to a statement posted online by the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.

The tower will have extra-wide emergency stairs, a dedicated staircase just for firefighters, enhanced elevators and "areas of refuge" on each floor. Stairs, communications, sprinklers and elevators will be encased in 3-foot-thick walls.

The tower will be capped with a mast incorporating an antenna, meant to suggest the torch of the Statue of Liberty. "

[mranderson]

I like this plan. Although it will not be the same without the Trade Center, I still like it.

[pdjr]

No re-design will ever be the same. Nor would I want it to be similar. The base is now fortified, the setback more stringent. Larry Silverstein should get a round of applause. He's doing a brilliant job rebuilding his lease.

[Karried]

I had hoped the point would be in the shape of a middle finger

[pdjr]

I had hoped the point would be in the shape of a middle finger

I almost spit out my tea. Good one indeed!