Should the World Trade Centers be Rebuilt?

Sitting here thinking about the aftermath and rubble, I've decided to make a poll to see what everyone thinks. Do you think they should rebuild the World Trade Centers or tear what's left down and make a park or memorial to the victims?

Personally I believe they should rebuild them. The World Trade Center was everything the United States stood for and more. To level it and make a park in memory of all the victims is like a victory to the terrorists, a permanent "graveyard" if you will. If we built them back up again, it would signify the perserverence of the U.S. and once built, would be like flipping two middle fingers standing high saying to the terrorists "f*** you".

financial considerations aside, because I have NO idea how much it would cost to rebuild (upwards of a billion dollars I'm sure)I absolutely believe they should be rebuilt.


for all of the reasons that Donna said.

I have mixed feelings on this subject as I was part of the first bombing and remember what it was like and remember when those F***** said that they didn't care how long it would take but they would bring both of those buildings down. They succeeded. I know people that worked in the buildings and I actually have a friend who worked there at the first bombing and lost her job because she refused to go back into the building. For these reasons, I don't believe they should rebuild. On the other hand, the towers were absolutely a beautiful site. I saw them for the last time when we were landing in Newark actually on an emergency landing (lost our hydrolic lines while the landing gear was going down and lost the steering for our landing and for the approach to out gate and not knowing if our landing gear was locked so we had to be towed in and this was after we took off from my destination 4 hours late. My friends and family were waiting for me at the cat show and actually held up the show until I got there.) I can't picture Wall Street without them. I've worked in lower Manhattan most of my life and loved it especially when we use to go out for lunch or a drink after a bad day. It won't be the same but I will be back there remembering all of my old good times. So, I have mixed feelings but will be there no matter what they decide to do about it.

Frannie

Our World Trade Center here in Portland spans a couple blocks, and is not towers but a series of buildings joined by skybridges.
I believe something should be rebuilt, not a park, but not the towers either...maybe something less "impressive" like our Trade Center here in Oregon?

I do think they should rebuild but maybe in a different area in Manhattan (if possible). I just think there should be some kind of memorial. If they do rebuild in the same location maybe they can make a memorial in the front or entryway of the building.

I also think they should rebuild, but I like Sabras idea of building it in another place, or if they do build in the same place, having a memorial there also.

I agree with what Debby said.

Too early to make a call on this issue. I think the thrust now should be to rid the world of the threat that caused this tragedy.

My opinion is that they should not rebuild. It is obvously a target for terrorists, and even though some think it should be rebuilt to prove a point....look at how many lives are lost. To me it is not worth it.

Build a memorial instead.

I don't think it should be rebuilt: this is a place where thousands of people died, it should be a place or rememberance, of quietness. A memorial should be built, or a park, where people would go and could rememember. This is a place that must make us think and pray. I think it's a place where we must have silence in sign of respect.

I also think that gigantic towers like that should never have been built because they are impossible to evacuate in time. Think about it, the bigger they are the more likely targets they are. If this area had been an area with buildings of normal height it would never had been chosen for a terrorist target.

Anne-Claire

I agree with Anne Claire. Yes it really was an amazing sight but think about the fact that there would have been less victims had the building been smaller.

given the price of real estate in Manhattan, I think it's pretty unlikely the area will be turned into a park. But I think of, say, Rockefeller Center, with the open space (think of all those piccys of the ice rink and the tree at the holidays) but also with office buildings. Perhaps some kind of combination, with a memorial on the first floor and office space up above? Though it may be a very long time before we get around to doing it . . . Who owns the land, anyway?

by all means we should rebuild. If for no other reason to show the world America can and will rise above the ashes and overcome this evil known as terrorism. That we are trully One Nation United

I firmly believe the site of the New York tragedy should become a park, in memory of the victims. Skyscrapers are fire traps, as has been shown time and again over the past 100 years. Fire marshals have railed against such death-trap structures unsuccessfully. Corporations insist such structures are necessary symbols of economic might. You may judge for yourselves which rationale seems more humane and sensible.

Here is a cartoon which was published shortly after the Triangle Waist Company fire at New York in 1911. Please contemplate the dangers inherent in so-called "high rise" buildings.



=^..^=

I appreciate your informing us of this decision. Well, I guess symbolism has once again triumphed over human life. One can only hope better protocols for evacuation are developed. A survivor from one of the towers described firefighters near exhaustion from carrying oxygen tanks and hoses up those many flights of stairs. That single anecdote speaks volumes about the safety of skyscrapers.

=^..^=

Wow, I can't believe that there are plans to re-build so soon!

You know, TipTop, you are exactly right! To that person, unfortunately, to them, it's all about the money & not the poor, innocent people laying under that rubble. You'd think out of respect, they would just lay off on the money issue & remember the people who have lost their lives!

I think that something should be rebuilt on that site to show the world that we will not be forced to move or let them feel they succeeded. The buildings were insured and since we were not in a war at the time, the insurance money will be used to rebuild. The plans, I have heard, will not be for the building to look the same, be quite as high, etc. which is probably a good thing as it may be too painful for people to consider working there - knowing so many people died. However, if it is a lower building, with a memorial park surrounding it, it may prove to be a nice tribute to the people who lost their lives. I agree that it would not be feasable for the owners of the property to turn it into a park - reality is that there is no New York property available and the expense would be too great - New York City itself has been in financial distress for years and could not afford to buy the property and maintain it as a park. I think with thought and careful consideration, it could hold a little for everyone. Since we will not have a say in the actual decision, the best thing we can do is offer our prayers and wishes to the victims and their families-