Final seven proposals for WTC with pics

I voted #6, classic looking like the Empire State but still taller than the old WTC. Nice park in front and all.

#2 was my second choice.

 

I voted #2. Some of those look pretty goofy.

 

I voted for group 5

 

Group 6 for me. Some of those looks rather implausible and straight out of the Batman movies (those funky buildings that decorate Metropolis).

But hey, what do I know? I'm no architect. I don't like to pretend I'm one either.

 

I picked #1.

 

what the hell?? They could build a huge letter "D" and it will be a tribute to all those r****ds at football games


#6 is the only one that DOESN'T look totally goofy...

 

I vote for #5, followed by #2. I would really like to see a new world's tallest building at that site, which it looks like #2 would do (#5 doesn't indicate height). I think the big question though is who is going to occupy the buildings. You can't just treat commercial real estate like artwork in that you can commision renderings of proposals, and then it gets built. There has to be legitimate demand to fill the buildings with rent-paying tenants. I think that assumption is FAR from a given with the current economy the way it is, especially in NYC, which is getting hit much harder than the rest of the country. And constructing these mammoth buildings under the assumption that "oh in time they will get filled up" is not how business is done. There must be demand to fill the buildings by the end of construction, or the project is very uneconomical.

Proposals 5 and 2 are definitely sweet, though.

 

Larry Silverstein, the lease holder, will demand that his office space is replaced by the new buildings at the site. You can guarantee that the square footage will be as large or greater than what was previously there -- demand or no demand.

 

I voted for 5.

 

Who picks up the operational and maintenance costs of unleased space if there is not sufficient demand? Taxpayers? Larry himself? Bottom line is somebody is going to have to eat costs unless a reasonable amount of the office space is filled. You can't just build a spec building in todays market without sufficient demand.

 

#6 was the only one that didnt suck big time. the rest were actually really really pathetic.

 

I voted for 6.

I noticed that some of the plans had twisted buildings. I guess the desks will ALL be on one side of the office.

 

I expected a little more myself. None of the designs look all that great in my opinion.

 

I liked #6 and #1. The rest don't even seem reasonable or feasable.

I like the skyline with #1

 

#6 is the only one that I liked.

#3 looks like utter and complete sh*t.

The rest just look goofy.

 

None of them look good. I want buildings there, but those all look stupid. I guess I just can't see them well enough. They all look like they should be casinos or something.

 

I wouldn't want Group 2 to win because the group rebuilt the Reichstag and it would open up a can of worms for all the conspiracy theorists out there...

I like Group 5 the best.

 

I have to diagree with the majority. I think most of the designs look pretty cool. There is a definite modern or postmodern theme running through them which makes them unusual, but also interesting to look at. The #6 that everyone likes is pretty boring.

However, I think most of them still have a pretty major shortcoming: they don't integrate well with their surroundings to make the city look like an organic whole. Number 2 is especially atrocious in this regard. Only two of them blend well: #6 and #1. But, since #1 is much more interesting than #6, I'm going with #1.

 

Silverstein closed on buying the WTC, and after 9/11 walked away with over a hundred million in insurance money.

And he gets demands on the new site?