World Trade Center

All seven buildings comprising New York City's World Trade Center complex were destroyed on September 11th, 2001, when two terrorist-piloted commercial aircraft crashed into the Twin Towers. Rebuilding efforts are currently under way at the site, now commonly referred to as Ground Zero.

Fast Facts

1. August 5, 1966: Ground breaking
2. April 4, 1973: Official opening
3. 1972-1973: World's tallest building (surpassed by Sears Tower)
4. Chief designer: Minoru Yamasaki
5. Chief engineer: Leslie E. Robertson
6. Original complex: Six buildings
7. Office space: 10 million square feet
8. Zip code 10048 (WTC only)
9. 1987: Seven World Trade Center built
10. July 24, 2001: Silverstein Properties becomes WTC leaseholder
11. September 11, 2001: All buildings in complex destroyed in terrorist attack, 2,750 killed¹
12. May 23, 2006: New 7 World Trade Center opens
13. 7 World Trade Center: First certified "green" building in New York City¹

Before 9-11

Prior to the September 11th disaster, the World Trade Center was the place of business for over 40,000 workers². Over 430 companies from 28 countries³ had offices in the Trade Center including Morgan Stanley, Aon Corporation, and the Salomon Brothers.

September 11, 2001

On the morning of September 11, 2001, four commercial jetliners were hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists. The first plane crashed into the North Tower, with the second plane crashing into the South Tower roughly 20 minutes later. Approximately an hour later, the South Tower collapsed, with the North Tower following 30 minutes after that. The debris from the towers destroyed the other buildings in the complex, with the final building, 7 WTC, collapsing at 5:20pm¹. 2,750 people¹ were killed in the attack.

After 9-11

Architect Daniel Liebeskind designed a master plan for the new World Trade Center. The site will have six buildings in total, which will house offices plus a transportation hub, performing arts center, memorial and museum. Architects Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Fumihiko Maki, Santiago Calatrava and David Childs are designing buildings in the complex.

New WTC Facts

1. Total planned buildings: Six
2. Freedom Tower: Designed by David Childs
3. Tower 2 (200 Greenwich St.): Designed by Foster and Partners
4. Tower 3 (175 Greenwich St.): Designed by Richard Rogers
5. Tower 4 (150 Greenwich St.): Designed by Maki and Associates
6. 7 World Trade Center: Opened May 2006

Related Pages on Mahalo

Twin Towers | 9-11 | New York City | 9-11 Video | 9-11 Anniversary | Rudy Giuliani | Osama Bin Laden | Terrorism

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