Fear that skyscrapers might be a persistent target of terrorist attacks did not last long beyond the days and months following 9/11. Neither terrorists nor the Great Recession have stopped the city's skyline from continuing to reaching skyward.
"Shortly after the Twin Towers fell, there were predictions of the end of skyscrapers as a practical form of architecture. Others thought Ground Zero — hallowed ground — should not be rebuilt to such heights," according to an article by James M. O'Neill. "Yet, despite the searing emotional impact of the Sept. 11 attacks — and the economically stifling Great Recession of 2008 — the Manhattan skyline that Berman and other North Jersey residents know so well has been strikingly transformed."
"In the decade and a half since the Twin Towers fell, 15 of Manhattan’s 35 tallest skyscrapers have been built. And others will soon join them," adds O'Neill. To illustrate that point, and the scale of change that has come to the Manhattan skyline since 9/11, the article includes an interactive graphic.
For more reading on the growing heights of the New York skyline, but without the context provided by 9/11, the New York Times Magazine released a big, interactive issue documenting and illustrating the 21 buildings currently reaching above 800 feet in the city of New York.
Read the full story: Since 9/11, New York City's skyline has only grown taller [interactive]
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago Avenue bridge construction delays enrages city leaders
The bridge has been closed since 2025. The city originally aimed to re-open it in December, and now expects to finish construction in 2027.
NYC bus network redesign speeds up Queens buses
Rush routes have seen a 4.6% speed increase after the redesign.
California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer
The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority