Thread: World Trade Centre

They say you can easily spot a tourist in New York City. They’re the ones wandering around with stiff necks because of looking up at all the skyscrapers instead of watching where they’re walking. Needless to say, we’d fallen into that category within minutes of arriving. And now it was time for even more neck straining.

Although the World Trade Centre complex was actually made up of seven buildings (including a hotel), to most people it simply meant the immense 110 storey, 1350-ft. high majestic Twin Towers. Built from 1966 to 1977, a lot of locals considered them a bit of an eyesore when first completed. To me they were the most amazing buildings I ever set my eyes on. Standing in front of them for the first time, I remember gawping (cartoon style), at the sheer size of them. Absolutely fantastic.

We were heading for the observation deck and entered tower one by mistake. Although we could have headed up to the famous Windows of the World restaurant on the 107th floor, there was no need what with being full of burger and chips from earlier. We realised our mistake when a security guard approached us asking if he could be of any assistance. “Aye”, I said, “we want to get up to the roof.”

“Well if you gentlemen would care to make your way across the concourse to tower two, you can do just that.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” And off we went.

It was clear to see how busy it got during peak tourist times with all the roped off areas to form queues to the front desk. Today, however, there were only half a dozen people in front of us, and after paying our entry fee we were whisked off in the elevator up 107 floors in 58 seconds! There were some excellent displays all around the 107th floor, all showing the history and progress through the years of NYC.

One model in particular caught my eye. It was a scale model of the whole city. Everything was there, the five boroughs, all the bridges, the water. Every building was an exact replica and I guess the whole model must have measured about 15 feet square. The twin towers were like a centrepiece, looking majestic while overseeing the whole city.

I had a stroll over to a window and got tingly feet while being able to look virtually straight down to the street below. We were stopped on our way to the roof by a guy offering to take our photo while standing in front of a big picture of the twin towers. The photo then got placed in a special display type folder named `Top of the World Trade Centre`.
They printed the photos for you while you visited the roof and you bought them on your way out. All for about $20. Well being a total all in tourist it was a souvenir not to be missed.

It was an escalator that took you up to the roof. When standing at the bottom of it looking up, it seemed as though when you got to the top it just kept going and sent you straight off the side of the building.

I’m pleased to say though, that that wasn’t the case! When you got to the top there was a big thick railing keeping you well away from the sides. The first thing that struck me was how windy it was up there!

Then again, 1350 feet straight up on top of a 110 storey building, there’s going to be a bit of a breeze. Makes you wonder what was going through the mind of Frenchman Philippe Petit when he tightrope walked between tower one and two in 1974. I have enough trouble on the top rung of a step ladder.

Getting as close to the safety rail as possible, I began taking in the views in front of me. The vistas from the top of the Empire State Building were impressive enough. But this. Well. Damn well amazing. It’s said that on a good clear day you could actually see the curvature of the Earth from here, you’re that high up. Looking over at tower one with its massive aerial, the immensity of these huge buildings really hit home. My camera once again went into overdrive. The whole city was spread out below us again, only this time in brilliant sunlight.

I could have stayed up there for the rest of the week, just looking, but we had to make tracks and still had a lot of other sights to check out. We picked our photos up on the way back down and once at ground level headed for the subway to get back to our hotel. And there was our next surprise. Beneath the towers, we were amazed to find a huge underground mall containing countless clothes shops, hair salons, cosmetic stores, and loads of eating establishments. All hidden away under here. A surprise on every corner!

It was here that the ‘Aftershave Incident’ happened. I had walked into one of the shops and picked up a bottle. I hadn’t realised that my finger was on the nozzle and accidentally sprayed myself right in the eyes. I dropped the bottle and held my face in agony. My eyes were burning. No amount of help from the staff could ease the pain and an ambulance was called. The upshot was I had to spend the rest of the week in hospital, and pay for the broken bottle of Aftershave.

Only joking. We actually grabbed a pretzel each and jumped on the tube.

Now. I can’t continue without mentioning the atrocities that occurred exactly six months after we had stood on the roof of tower two. 9/11. I vividly remember watching the images on television and being totally dumbstruck. Angry. Livid. Sad. Sick to the gut. Unbelieving. I simply could not believe what I was seeing. Could this really be happening? Yes it was, and like the rest of the civilised world, I was outraged. There has been plenty said and written (and actions taken of course), in reprisal. Suffice to say that the sorrow and grief felt worldwide involved me also.

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Steve - You had an experience I never had. Though I was in New York several times while the World Trade Centre existed, something always came up that kept me from doing what you did. When I was about 12 my dad and I went to the top of the Empire State Building and when the twin towers were built I promised myself I'd visit them, but never did.

Few people seem to remember that when the design for the towers was first made public there was concern raised about the lack of solid floor support across the span between the inner core and the outer walls. The design allowed larger open interior spaces without support columns. The concern was that should anything cause one floor to drop it would trigger a cascade effect and bring down the entire building. That concern was set aside because no one could think of anything that could cause walls to buckle and floors to start dropping.

No one imagined the possibility of fully fueled heavy jets being deliberately flown into the buildings. In addition to the lives lost, the property damage, and the economic loss to businesses, the world lost a fair measure of innocence that day.

Your account of an innocent holiday reminds us of that loss. Thank you for taking us with you on a trip many of us never made.

Hi garza. Could'nt agree with you more, once the horror and disbelief of the 9/11 attack died down it was then that realisation of what the long term effects would be. And not just with the 'War on Terror' that was launched in super quick time, but all the totally innocent people that lost their lives and the grieving families they left behind. A lot of world innocence was most surely lost that day. I count myself extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to visit the WTC (even more so when our choice of dates for the holiday was either the 10th of March 2001 or 10th September), and it's my pleasure to share my experiences here. Thank you for your kind words.

Hey Steve. In light of the absolutely fantastic event that just happened, I won't pepper your post with corrections. Really, I don't think there were any, maybe 1 or 2 tops. Your enthusiasm for this leg of your trip really shines through, especially the giddy nervousness as you get closer to the top, and the wonder of the city & miles of vistas all around. I also laughed at the broken aftershave-aside. That sounds like something that I'd do, too. I wouldn't have skipped your older posts, but it seemed appropriate considering the circumstances. Excellent.

The last time I was there, during the '90s, I too felt the same way as I stood near those windows. It felt to me like the tower could topple over if too many people were on the same side. That was my fear of heights playing with me. The observation deck was closed (too windy, I think) but I still got a lot of great pics from inside anyway. We also went at night once. I looked down, & could see my car parked on Vesey St., & it looked like a Matchbox Car. The nighttime view was breathtaking. I mean, in a word that's far overused & misused, it was awesome.

The next time you visit NYC, try the ESB or Rockefeller Center at night. You won't be disappointed.

Again, excellent post.

Hi CFFTB (Is there something else I can call you?!). Well first of all I must totally agree with you on a couple of points; yes it is an absolutely fantastic event, well done the US Navy Seals, he got exactly what he deserved. I'm so pleased he wasn't just captured and put on trial or anything like that, wipe him out and thats it, job done! And I must agree with your feeling of the tower seemingly going to topple over, I'm also scared of heights and it was a strange and nervy feeling looking out of those windows! I think we might have hit lucky the day we were on the roof, much more wind and we might not have been allowed either! Thanks once more for your continued support, I really do appreciate it. Bye for now and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Steve,

I am a former New York City Fire Lieutenant who was assigned to a firehouse just a few blocks away from the Twin Towers. I had been in those building nearly every tour I worked, for everything from false alarms to medical emergencies and even small fires (and also the 1993 bombing which killed 6 people). I enjoyed reading your experiences as a tourist at the World Trade Center. I am always interested in seeing these kinds of experiences immortalized for future generations, which you have very nicely done. Thank you for writing it. I am new here, and I am not educated as a writer or as an English major so I don’t think I should be attempting to critique anything. I wouldn’t even know what to look for. That said, I find your writing engaging and it kept my interest.

Your description of the observation deck made my mind wander back in time… If I had known that the Towers would be destroyed one day, how would that have changed things? Would I have stroked the corner stone of the building each time I walked past it? Would I have laid my hand on the marble walls in the lobby as if feeling a heartbeat? On the observation deck - would I have breathed in the biggest breath of air I had ever taken, inhaling everything my senses would allow so that I would “never forget”?

As you can see, your piece had an effect on me. Thank you for sharing.

Joe

P.S. I will be posting a piece from a manuscript I am working on about the events surrounding 9/11 and the Trade Center. Thank you again for sharing.

Hello Joe, thank you very much for your kind words on my WTC piece. I'm delighted you enjoyed reading it and felt compelled to comment. I was totally fascinated with the Twin Towers for a long long time before I was lucky enough to finally visit New York City and see them for myself. I dont think anyone anywhere in the civilised world ever even thought anything like the events of 9/11 could ever happen. I am keeping a keen eye on the rebuilding work underway at Ground Zero and my biggest wish was that the Twin Towers would be rebuilt exactly as they were. I'm sad to see that's not going to happen. Would you mind if I added you to my friend list Joe?, as I'd be very interested in reading your work on the events around 9/11, and i would probably miss it otherwise! Anyway, thanks again, it was good to hear from you. Steve.

Steve,

Thank you for the kind words. By all means you can friend me. I am still figuring things out here (when I'm not getting side-tracked on the debate forum). Saw your post on the "revenge killing" thread and I have to say I agree with you. I think I will stay away from that thread. I could have written some really productive things instead of debating what seems so obvious to me and most people... Talk to you soon, Joe.

Hey Steve. I'm heartened to know that you're keeping up with the rebuild. As of now 7WTC is complete (they're now working on the inside) & 1WTC (the big one) is up to the 64th floor. They just started 2WTC a couple weeks ago, there are girders in place. Same with 3WTC. 4WTC is about to the 20th floor. Nothing on 5 or 6 yet. Why they completed 7 while some others haven't even been started is a long, drawn out story involving infighting, red tape, & bureaucracy. Also, the memorial pavilion has already been clad in glass, & one of the tridents (the steel skeleton that made up the outer wall of the original twins) is already in place, wrapped in protective plastic, ready for display when the pavilion opens in September.

I know a lot of people, especially in the US, haven't been keeping up with the progress because it took so long to get things started. But now that the main tower is starting to rise above the tops of the other buildings in the area, excitement is starting to build. Whenever I take a ride to NY, I make sure to take pics. Hope you'll get back there soon. Btw you can call me Maria.

Joe: looking forward to reading your future posts on 9/11.

Originally Posted by garza

Steve - You had an experience I never had. Though I was in New York several times while the World Trade Centre existed, something always came up that kept me from doing what you did. When I was about 12 my dad and I went to the top of the Empire State Building and when the twin towers were built I promised myself I'd visit them, but never did.

Few people seem to remember that when the design for the towers was first made public there was concern raised about the lack of solid floor support across the span between the inner core and the outer walls. The design allowed larger open interior spaces without support columns. The concern was that should anything cause one floor to drop it would trigger a cascade effect and bring down the entire building. That concern was set aside because no one could think of anything that could cause walls to buckle and floors to start dropping.

No one imagined the possibility of fully fueled heavy jets being deliberately flown into the buildings. In addition to the lives lost, the property damage, and the economic loss to businesses, the world lost a fair measure of innocence that day.

Your account of an innocent holiday reminds us of that loss. Thank you for taking us with you on a trip many of us never made.

I see what you mean Garza, its sad to think that 2 simple pillars supporting the centre of each floor probably would have been enough to prevent collapse, 4 pillars for sure would have been more than enough.

Hi again Maria. I'm actually following the WTC Progress page on 'Twitter' as well now! The whole area looks like it's coming along nicely, and that's great to see. Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, I haven't been very active on the site lately, promise to try harder in future! I have some more writing about NYC just about ready to post and as always I would really appreciate your views/comments if you don't mind. Oh, and I love your profile pic!

From what I understand, the Empire State Building took a lot of flack for the lack of office space actually available in the building, and when the WTC was built it promised huge areas within for office space etc. I'm 99% certain that I read something years ago (or maybe saw something on TV) claiming that, because of their design, the Twin Towers could withstand an aeroplane smashing into them and that they would not just simply collapse, as happened on 9/11. It's very easy to read into any one of the hundreds of 'Conspiracy Theories' that are readily available and to believe in them. But that, I suppose, is a whole different kettle of fish.

Hey Steve. I've been missing awhile too. Became very discouraged with my story, & had to make countless revisions, but of course kept up with the goings on re: WTC. That avatar is actually courtesy of wtcprogress.com, & I usually change my desktop photo with my own pics I've taken. Most recently on 9/18. I'll go to the memorial in the winter for the first time, when it's quiet, then again in late spring.

The towers actually did withstand jets crashing into them. What they couldn't withstand is that the "fires were hot enough to weaken the columns and cause floors to sag, pulling perimeter columns inward and reducing their ability to support the mass of the building above." I'm not really a wikiphile, but this is the easiest way to understand the explanation. Check out this link if you like:
Collapse of the World Trade Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There have been many theories, conspiracy or otherwise, as to how and/or why they collapsed. Another was recently released in an article - not a conspiracy theory - regarding strictly the scientific aspect, but seemed a little implausible to me. It was in Popular Science magazine & had something to do with molten aluminum mixing with water pouring down to weaken the lower floors, where it wasn't even starting to buckle anyway. But with the new tower there are so many precautions & redundancies in its construction, it far surpasses the construction of the twin towers as far as safety. Architecture, well that's subjective.

I'll be back Steve. Finally winding up my inner rubberband again. Take care.

P.S.-You're right about the ESB. Most of the prewar buildings, even though their architecture blows the doors off of the modern buildings, can't keep up with the floorspace needed in today's workplaces. So you get the big boxes. Glass, masonry, etc. These buildings are economically efficient but sterilize the aesthetics (sic?) imho.

Thats a very interesting page on the link you gave me Maria, thanks. It gives yet another official explanation of how the towers collapsed the way they did. It just seemed very strange to me when they did collapse (and still seems strange to me now, to be honest), how they came down perfectly, espacially when the top floors looked to be toppling over as if to simply fall off by themselves. And what about building 7? Another perfect collapse. We've just had a TV show here in the UK following five people (Brits) who travel to the sites where the planes crashed looking for 'the truth', because these five people believed very strongly in the conspiracy theories. They talked to various 'experts' in different fields, and the outcome at the end of the show was that two out of the three changed their minds, but not completely. There are a lot of people in the UK with very strong views on 9/11, and not everyone is prepard to accept the standard 'this is what happened, and why' line. Anyway, speak to you soon (well, sort of!), bye for now!