Quote:
Originally Posted by P Raff
Even still, none of these buildings that we admire from our grandparent's generation became admirable without at least a renovation to at least sustain its beauty. The WTC looks awful right now, and like I said, that won't change without serious work.
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It may look awful now, but once upon a time (almost 50 years ago) it was brand new, a symbol of civic pride, and the trading powerhouse. Did I mention the fact that the International Trade Mart Building was the first World Trade Center build in the WORLD? It was literally world-class and stands as the start of what would become a network of over 300 WTCs around the world in almost 100 countries.
The funny thing is, the City wants a monument to mark the 300th founding anniversary of New Orleans. But it seems fine with tearing down the monument that marked the 250th anniversary!
Just a little bit of history:
"It was quite a thrill to attend the Topping Out Ceremony held on July 6, 1965 and to read all the flattering things published in the press and broadcast on TV and radio about the new landmark for New Orleans. Even the Paris European English edition of the New York Herald-Tribune published a special supplement paying tribute to this new concept of global trade sponsorship. It is a beautiful building, designed by famed architect Edward Stone and now stands as a distinguishing symbol at the entrance to New Orleans harbor, just as the Sugar Loaf Mountain does at the entrance to Rio de Janeiro or the Statue of Liberty when entering New York Harbor.
So you can imagine the satisfaction and gratification that was Mr. Cobb's on April 30, 1968 when the formal Dedication Ceremonies took place, as part of a larger and combined celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Founding of New Orleans.
Ambassadors of many countries came, there were parades, banquets and the
Organization of American States held its First meeting outside of Washington, DC here in New Orleans on that occasion."
The whole story of the International House and International Trade Mart can be found here:
http://wtcno.org/wp-content/uploads/...rt_Website.pdf
If the Convention Center and partners are so hellbent on building an observation deck/"monument"/thing/monstrosity, let them build it on their own property or they can buy out a chunk from the Hilton parking lot and put their little wire frame ride there. I want a functional building, NOT a Las Vegas attraction.
In my perfect world, the developer would restore the building's exterior and lobby back to the day the keys were handed over, put in the "W at WTCNO", and lease out the top 5 floors for consulate and WTC offices. And to kick off the 300th anniversary in style, a re-dedication ceremony of the property, and host ambassadors from all over the world once again.
We've already lost one huge chunk of the complex. I can only hope we don't make the same mistake twice.
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