Tower Power

This is pretty much what the new One World Trade Center looks like as we speak. I happened to be driving on the West Side Highway in lower Manhattan this week and was pleased to be confronted by an unblocked visual of it. I must confess to an unexpected emotional reaction; totally mixed. Pleased to see it rising and, conversely, horror remembered. For years all of the work has been underground and it was an agonizing wait for something concrete (literally) to make an appearance. It looks to me to be about 70 stories high right now and the structure seems to inch up almost daily. I suspect, but I’ve not read one word about this, they’ve covered some of the façade with glass just to create a pleasing visual to hold us over. The current estimate for completion is “the end of 2013” but I certainly wouldn’t count on that, especially when so many shameful delays toyed with our trust in the powers that be.

When finished, and the media tower on the top is in place, it will measure 1776 feet and, hopefully, provide us with the symbol we’ve been waiting for. It’s hard to be dispassionate about this building even though, frankly, it will become the tallest building in the world totally dedicated to office use, because it rises from some pretty horrible circumstances and will forever be connected with the destruction of the buildings that preceded it. It’s made of glass and steel and I just pray it provides hope instead of breaking our hearts every time we see it.