What should be done with the WTC site?

Dis · May 24, 2002, 02:02

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...238628,00.html

I'll even include a silly poll.

I have a bad feeling this is going to get ugly. All the so-called unity we had last year seems to be gone. I can see lawsuits and every other ugly event happening with regards to decisions on what to do with the site.

Yeah I'm pretty sure I had a similar thread last year. But things have changed a bit from last year.

Grrr · May 24, 2002, 02:10

I was just about to post the same poll

.

A huge banana would be good. I'll vote later.

Urban Ranger · May 24, 2002, 02:11

Make it into a large memorial with gardens, monuments, and a museum.

notyoueither · May 24, 2002, 02:15

As an outsider, I'd say it would say more about the American spirit if you rebuilt the 2 towers and added 10 additional stories for good measure.

Lung · May 24, 2002, 02:28

If you want to see a giant banana, go to Coffs Harbour in Australia. Just don't blame me if you think that you didn't get your money's worth

MrFun · May 24, 2002, 02:42

Make it into a giant memorial that will stand the test of time.

TCO · May 24, 2002, 02:47

Use the land for it's best commercial use. Whatever that is (skiscraper or medium rise or what have you). And have a small memorial park with the names of the victems and a replica of the original towers.

Eli · May 24, 2002, 04:10

I liked the two light beams idea.

Make a big memorial park out of it, with those beams(but make them bigger).

aaglo · May 24, 2002, 04:19

The beams looked nice.
Still, I voted for banana...

The Mad Monk · May 24, 2002, 04:28

The twin towers will never be rebuilt. I really wanted them rebuilt, perhaps even taller, but knowing what we do now about the way they were built, I have to admit it wouldn't be...practical. Manhattan needs the office space, so office buildings should be put up, with a memorial park (or two -- each centered on where a tower stood).

I find it really galling when when people say we shouldn't build another large tower because "it'll just be another target" and "it's arrogant" when nations around the world are still building even taller.

Rand Al'Tor · May 24, 2002, 04:29

A small, discrete but beautiful memorial would seem in order. It's not the buildings that are mourned but the people.

Zoid · May 24, 2002, 06:07

Couldn´t we have a giant banana illuminated by the twin beams of light?

Barley · May 24, 2002, 06:39

I say build a symbolic cemetary with a pillar from the tower remains as a tombstone for each of the 2823 victims. There's plenty of other space that could be re-developed if new yourk really needs more office space.

MrWhereItsAt · May 24, 2002, 06:46

If you want to forget about it - offices. If there is actually the desire to have a proper remembrance - and this has my vote (especially if they make 9/11 a holiday), then the park. Every nation needs its symbols, and IMO rebuilding the towers there just smacks of stubborn arrogance.

Provost Harrison · May 24, 2002, 06:55

Massive f**k-off towers. Bigger than before.

KrazyHorse · May 24, 2002, 07:11

Erect the world's biggest mosque.

Ethelred · May 24, 2002, 07:22

Quote:

Originally posted by notyoueither
As an outsider, I'd say it would say more about the American spirit if you rebuilt the 2 towers and added 10 additional stories for good measure.

I didn't think Canadians thougt the American Spirit was merely piggheadiness.

I have never been thrilled with giant skyscrapers in the first place. Living in California might have something to do with that. Reading Caves of Steel might be an influence as well.

KrazyHorse · May 24, 2002, 07:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Ethelred
I didn't think Canadians thougt the American Spirit was merely piggheadiness.

No; we think it's a national inferiority complex...

Ethelred · May 24, 2002, 07:38

Well that is more what I figured. Building big targets is quite the same thing.

HEY who the heck are we supposed to think is superior to us anyway?

Britain was at one time. Not since they lost India and maybe not since WWI.

France just thinks it superior. Well at least the French know how to have ZPG. I must admit that is pretty civilized of them.

KrazyHorse · May 24, 2002, 07:41

You're still angry that Europe regards you as mere nekulturny colonials...

Provost Harrison · May 24, 2002, 07:46

I think skyscrapers are great feats of architecture myself, especially when done well. The momentum is beginning to start moving more in British cities where buildings have always traditionally been very low-level. I want to see big towers. It isn't just a thing that I want to see the Americans build more of, we all should. They are a great testimony to our engineering capability, as well as in this case showing that you can knock down buildings but achieve very little at the end of the day.

Aeson · May 24, 2002, 07:54

Just some rough statistics..

280 million people
75 year average lifespan
10221 people die per day in the US for the next 75 years

9/11 was a tragedy no doubt. Like the statistics above it isn't something that should be dwelt upon. The losses of friends and family are terrible, but the circumstances surrounding those losses shouldn't qualify how much they are remembered in our society.

Memorial sites should be more personal than otherwise, and don't have to have a fixed geographic location. Regardless of where/if a memorial site is constructed, those who were affected by 9/11 won't forget.

For the nation as a whole I think a memorial site is a bad idea.

Ethelred · May 24, 2002, 07:55

Quote:

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
You're still angry that Europe regards you as mere nekulturny colonials...

Actually most Americans don't care what Europeans think. Maybe more on the East Coast. Here on the West Coast we trade with the Pacific which means a lot of trade with Asia. I have met far more Japanese than I have Europeans. As for culture, Americans don't have enough culture to notice that other countries have more. We import culture and call it American.

Pizza anyone. Its as American as apple pie.

KrazyHorse · May 24, 2002, 07:57

It's just repressed memories. I recommend a rigorous course of Freudian psychoanalysis for the nation...

SlowwHand · May 24, 2002, 09:04

Quote:

Originally posted by notyoueither
As an outsider, I'd say it would say more about the American spirit if you rebuilt the 2 towers and added 10 additional stories for good measure.

Would be tempting.
Ted Turner wants to do this, only higher.

"Actually most Americans don't care what Europeans think. :
And Ethelred. You got it , buddy.

SpencerH · May 24, 2002, 09:28

If there is a commercial advantage (and I think there is) the owners will build similar towers. I'm not sure but wont some of the other nearby towers have to demolished because of damage? They'll be rebuilt too.

Arrian · May 24, 2002, 09:36

My personal feeling on the matter: rebuilt 'em. Talk about a big double-barrelled FVCK YOU. Pigheaded? Yeah, just a bit.

That isn't really rational, though, and doesn't take into consideration the fact that many, many people wouldn't want to work there. There will be buildings erected on the site, but most likely 4 50-story buildings instead of two huge ones.

-Arrian

Provost Harrison · May 24, 2002, 09:40

I think it would be a shame if they didn't, they were a great feat of architecture...perhaps they should just rebuild one tower, but much more capacity than the WTC towers.

Grrr · May 24, 2002, 17:50

I think two twin tower sized gravestones would be a good option.

Andemagne · May 24, 2002, 17:55

I think the site should remain as it is, to remind the
americans that they are not alone in the world and they
should respect others too.