Trump Sounds Off on World Trade Center

**Cindy Hamlin** · 05-18-2005, 05:51 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050518/ap_on_re_us/trump_twin_towers

Tell us how you really feel, Donald!

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 **** architecture I've ever seen in my life."

I agree with his comments about making the tower like it was before. We learned a lot since 9-11 and have changed a lot so let's make it better and grander!

**For-Life** · 05-18-2005, 06:14 PM

I like the park idea

My parents just got back from NY and went to ground zero. I think it is an important area and to lease that area out to businesses just seems wrong.

**Cindy Hamlin** · 05-18-2005, 06:17 PM

But would not leasing it out to businesses "thumb our nose" at the terrorists? I think it would be a real symbol of American endurance and resiliancy.

**For-Life** · 05-18-2005, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by Cindy Hamlin

But would not leasing it out to businesses "thumb our nose" at the terrorists? I think it would be a real symbol of American endurance and resiliancy.

Well yes and no

I mean it would say that the US is too strong to knock it down, but I think the US has already done that and the terrorist know that.

I think it is more important to remember those who were attacked and those who tried to save them. The Heros if you will.

**Cindy Hamlin** · 05-19-2005, 07:42 AM

Could not the building be restored and a large plaque saying that this building was rebuilt to honor the memories of those lost on 9-11...? A testament to American resolve in the face of terror...? Proof that we cannot be beaten...? etc, etc I think it is important to remember, but it is even more important to show that our lives go on and that we remember and we prevail. That is a powerful statement!

**For-Life** · 05-19-2005, 08:06 AM

I do not think a plaque would do it justice.

A building is going to be built and prices of the leases will be escalted, because it is the site of a great tragedy. Business will prostitute the horrific event for business, and to me that is a problem.

I would rather see a memorial park dedicated to the lives of the thousands. THe park would be a sign of peace and strength of the American people. I also like the idea of a light shining into space like they had for that short period of time.

**rinselberg** · 05-19-2005, 10:24 AM

I have not been back to Manhattan in ages, and I never lived or spent any appreciable time in New York City. And I have no credentials as an architect or city planner. So (to be frank about it) I am just posting this for the heck of it but ...

I think the new Freedom Tower concept looks better than the Twin Towers ever did. The Twin Towers were too big and rectangular. I think that Trump's judgement about what would be an appealing developmental architecture on the WTC site is SUSPECT. I also think that rebuilding the Twin Towers to their original size or better would be an OVERDEVELOPMENT of the site -- that it would be very hard to find enough clients to fill up all that commercial space again. I've read that a number of potential clients are kind of leery about going back onto the WTC site because they think it might be too tempting a target for some kind of "second strike".

Maybe they should rebuild the Twin Towers but DOWNWARD, in the form of two vast, deep UNDERGROUND fortified bunkers, with some kind of anti-aircraft missile or gun defense at the surface -- NO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A RATHER TASTELESS JOKE. I enjoy an occasional tasteless joke. After all, it's just a post ...

See ya'!

**coda** · 05-19-2005, 11:47 AM

I lived in and around Manhattan for about 4 years back in the early 90's. I saw the smoke from the WTC bombing from across the river in Hoboken. I used to use the WTC subway and PATH stations under the towers. Whenever I was turned around comming out of the subway anywhere in Manhattan I would look up and could generally rely on seeing either the WTC towers or the Empire State Building and could get my bearings. I've been back a few times since 911 and, like many of my friends still in the city, feel the hole in the sky where the towers were.

All of that said, they were ugly, really ugly. They were always ugly and rebuilding them would just be a perpetuation of the uglyness and there's no reason for that.

I believe however that there are a number of compelling reasons for building a new structure of similar size in their former site. From an economic standpoint 4% of the entire city's office space was lost on September 11, and between 10 and 25% (depending on who's estimates you believe) from the "downtown" area of Manhattan. Either way that's a lot. Those lost office spaces represent lost jobs, lost tax revenue and lower GCP (Gross City Product, like that I just made it up). Yes, a new facility won't address all of those issues but it should help. Another compelling issue, for me at least, is showing our resolve to recover and rebuild after terrorism. We are a strong country made up of strong individuals and strong ideals and I believe that a new large commercial complex on at least some of the site fits well with our (and New York's) self image, something important to foster.

**chm2023** · 05-20-2005, 12:30 PM

Have to agree the WTC was a blight on downtown NYC, the proportions were dreadfully inappropriate for that space. I was there about a month ago and drove past the site. Green space would be great there; the new designs don't do much for me either, but then Donald Trump criticizing architecture is rather comical, look at the monstrosities that bear HIS name!

I would rebuild with a park as the central point; let's face it, if you were calling the shots, would you like to put several hundred of your employees into a new tower in that space?