World Trade Center: To Rebuild Or Not To Rebuild

Should the World Trade Center towers be rebuilt? Architects, politicians, city officials, developers and others are engaged in a fierce debate.

1 minute read

September 20, 2001, 8:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Now the towers are gone, and their absence has become vastly more potent than their presence ever was. And so the discussion of what, if anything, to put in their place, is already shaping up as a profoundly complex collision of values in a nation confused and in pain.""City officials are forming a commission to address the question. Normally placid architects thump their desks and talk about revenge and fighting back. Historians decry the building of a replica as an act of Disneyfied history...and want a memorial on the 16-acre site. US Senator Charles Schumer..calls for building 'something grand,' while developer Donald Trump envisions 'a soul-soaring statement of our faith in the future.' One proposal whistling around the Internet features a rendering of a five-tower center that looks remarkably like a human hand with the middle finger raised to the terrorists."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Thursday, September 20, 2001 in The Boston Globe

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Washington

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing

A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Bluebird sitting on branch of green bush.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire

Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

May 1 - AP News

1984 Olympics

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles

LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

May 1 - Newsweek

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.