New 7 World Trade Center

From Debunk911myths

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Rebuilding 7 World Trade Center

See also: WTC7 - gallery

Design

The new 7 World Trade Center has 52 stories and is 750 ft (228 m) tall.[1] The building has 42 floors of leasable space, starting at the 11th floor, and a total of 1,700,000 sq ft (158,000 m²) of office space.[1] The first ten floors house an electrical substation, which provides power to much of Lower Manhattan. The office tower has a narrower footprint at ground level than its predecessor so the course of Greenwich Street could be restored in an effort to reunite TriBeCa and the Financial District.[2]

7 World Trade Center under construction in October 2004
7 World Trade Center under construction in October 2004

David Childs worked in conjunction with glass artist and designer James Carpenter to create a design that uses ultra-clear, low-iron glass to provide reflectivity and light, with stainless-steel spandrels behind the glass to help reflect sunlight.[3] Stainless steel used in the building façade is [[molybdenum-containing Type 316, which provides improved resistance to corrosion.[4] To enclose the power substation, the base of the building has a curtain wall with stainless steel louvers that provide ventilation for the machinery.[5] During the day, the curtain wall reflects light, while at night it illuminates with blue LED lights.[6] The curtain wall around the lobby uses heavily laminated, heat-strengthened glass that meets high standards for blast resistance.[7] Inside the main lobby, artist Jenny Holzer created a large light installation with glowing text moving across wide plastic panels.[3] The entire wall, which is 65 ft (19.8 m) wide and 14 ft (4.3 m) tall, changes color according to the time of day. Holzer worked with Klara Silverstein, the wife of Larry Silverstein, to select poetry for the art installation. The wall is structurally fortified as a security measure.[8]

The new 7 World Trade Center
The new 7 World Trade Center

The building is being promoted as the safest skyscraper in the U.S.[9] According to Silverstein Properties, the owner of the building, it "will incorporate a host of life-safety enhancements that will become the prototype for new high-rise construction."[10] The building has 2 ft (60 cm) thick reinforced-concrete and fireproofed elevator and stairway access shafts. The original building used only drywall to line these shafts.[11] The stairways are wider than in the original building to permit faster egress.[11] Steel columns are encased in much thicker fire protection, which consists of a medium-density, portland cement-based product that adheres well to the steel columns, among other advantages over alternate types of spray-applied fire-resistive material.[12]

7 World Trade Center is equipped with Otis destination elevators.[13] After pressing a destination floor number on a lobby keypad, passengers are grouped and directed to specific elevators that will stop at the selected floor (there are no buttons to press inside the elevators). This system is designed to reduce elevator waiting and travel times. The elevator system is integrated with the lobby turnstile and card reader system that identifies the floor on which a person works as he/she enters and can automatically call the elevator for that floor.[14]

The building is considered New York City's first "green" office tower and gained gold status in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program.[15] Nearly 30 percent of structural steel used in the building consists of recycled steel.[16] Rainwater is collected and used for irrigation of the park and to cool the building.[3] Along with other sustainable design features, the building is designed to allow in plenty of natural light, power is metered to tenants to encourage them to conserve energy, the heating steam is reused to generate some power for the building, and recycled materials are used for insulation and interior materials.[17][18]

Construction

Construction of the new 7 World Trade Center began in 2002, soon after the site was cleared of debris. Restoring the Con Ed electrical substation was an urgent priority to meet power demands of Lower Manhattan.[2] Because 7 World Trade Center is separate from the main 16 acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site, Larry Silverstein required approval only from the Port Authority and rebuilding was able to proceed quickly.[19] Building Seven was not included in the original World Trade Center master plan by Daniel Libeskind, but was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill under the leadership of David Childs, who largely redesigned the Freedom Tower.

Once construction of the power substation was complete in October 2003, work proceeded on building the office tower. An unusual approach was used in constructing the building; erecting the steel frame before adding the concrete core. This approach allowed the construction schedule to be shortened by a few months.[20] Construction was completed in 2006 at a cost of $700 million.[3] Though Silverstein received $861 million from insurance on the old building, he had $400 million remaining in mortgage to pay off.[21] Costs to rebuild were covered by $475 million in Liberty Bonds, which provide tax-exempt financing to help stimulate rebuilding in Lower Manhattan and insurance money that remained after other expenses.[22]

Fireproofing is visible on floor beams (at top) on the 45th floor of 7 World Trade Center, in September 2006, while the space was yet to be leased and modified for tenant needs
Fireproofing is visible on floor beams (at top) on the 45th floor of 7 World Trade Center, in September 2006, while the space was yet to be leased and modified for tenant needs

A 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m²) triangular park was created between the extended Greenwich Street and West Broadway by David Childs with Ken Smith and his colleague, Annie Weinmayr, of Ken Smith Landscape Architect. The park comprises an open central plaza with a fountain and flanking groves of sweetgum trees and boxwood shrubs.[23] As the seasons change, so will the colors in the park, providing a natural complement to the adjacent tower. At the center of the fountain, sculptor Jeff Koons created Balloon Flower (Red), whose mirror-polished stainless steel represents a twisted balloon in the shape of a flower.[24]

Building opened

The building was officially opened at noon on May 23, 2006 with a free concert that featured Suzanne Vega, Citizen Cope, Bill Ware Vibes, Brazilian Girls, Ollabelle, Pharaoh's Daughter, Ronan Tynan (of the Irish Tenors), and special guest Lou Rees.[25] Prior to opening, in March 2006, the new 7 World Trade Center frontage and lobby were used in scenes for the movie Perfect Stranger with Halle Berry and Bruce Willis.[26]

Since the building opened, several unleased upper floors have been used for events such as charity lunches, fashion shows, and black-tie galas. Silverstein Properties initially allowed space in the new building to be used for such events as a means to draw people to see the building.[27] From September 8 to October 7, 2006, the work of photographer Jonathan Hyman was displayed in "An American Landscape," a free exhibit, hosted by the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, at 7 World Trade Center. The photographs captured the response of people in New York City and across the United States after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The exhibit took place on the 45th floor, while the space remained available for lease.[28]

As of March 2007, 60 percent of the building had been leased.[29] In September 2006, Moody's signed a 20-year lease to rent 15 floors of 7 World Trade Center.[30][31] Other tenants that had signed leases in 7 World Trade Center, as of May 2007, include ABN Amro,[32] Ameriprise Financial Inc.,[33] Darby & Darby P.C.,[34] Mansueto Ventures LLC, business publisher of Fast Company and Inc.,[35] and the New York Academy of Sciences.[36] The space occupied by Mansueto Ventures has been designed to use the maximum amount of natural light, and retains an open floor plan.[37] Silverstein Properties also has offices in 7 World Trade Center, along with office space used by the architectural and engineering firms working on the Freedom Tower, 150 Greenwich Street, 175 Greenwich Street, and 200 Greenwich Street.[38][39] As of July 2007, space remains available on the ten uppermost floors of 7 World Trade Center, as well as the 35–37th floors.[40]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Seven World Trade Center (post-9/11). Emporis.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-07.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dunlap, David W.. "21st-Century Plans, but Along 18th-Century Paths", The New York Times, April 11, 2002.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "7 World Trade Center completed, first major development at Ground Zero", Architectural Record, June 1, 2006.
  4. ↑ Houska, Catherine (Jan. 2004). "New 7 World Trade Center Uses Type 316 Stainless Steel". International Molybdenum Association News Letter: pp. 4–6. 
  5. ↑ Blum, Andrew. "A World of Light and Glass", BusinessWeek, March 28, 2006.
  6. ↑ Marpillero, Sandro, Kenneth Frampton, Jorg Schlaich (2006). James Carpenter: Environmental Refractions. Princeton Architectural Press, pp. 55–70. ISBN 1568986084. 
  7. ↑ Garmhausen, Steve. "Curtain (Wall) Time", Slatin Report, November 16, 2004.
  8. ↑ Collins, Glenn. "At Ground Zero, Art Pact Results In Wall of Words", The New York Times, March 6, 2006.
  9. ↑ Downtown Construction and Building Information. Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center. Retrieved on 2006-05-22.
  10. ↑ Silverstein Properties (September 28, 2004). Silverstein Properties Names CB Richard Ellis to Serve as Exclusive Leasing Agent for 7 World Trade Center. Press release.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Reiss, Matthew. "Shortcuts to Safety", Metropolis Magazine / Skyscraper Safety Campaign, March 2003.
  12. ↑ Zanghi, Philip A. (September/October 2005). "Post Impact: The Focus on Durability of Fire-Resistive Materials in Structures" (pdf). National Fire Protection Association Journal. 
  13. ↑ Angwin, Julia. "No-button elevators take orders in lobby", Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), November 19, 2006.
  14. ↑ Kretkowski, Paul. "First Up", ARCHI-TECH, March 2007.
  15. ↑ Silverstein Properties. 7 World Trade Center Officially Certified as New York City's First ‘Green’ Office Tower (pdf). Press release. Retrieved on 2006-05-26.
  16. ↑ Pogrebin, Robin. "How Green Is My Tower?", The New York Times, April 16, 2006.
  17. ↑ DePalma, Anthony. "At Ground Zero, Rebuilding With Nature in Mind", The New York Times, January 20, 2004.
  18. ↑ The Academy's New 'Green' Home. New York Academy of Science. Retrieved on 2007-07-01.
  19. ↑ Bagli, Charles V.. "Developer's Pace at 7 World Trade Center Upsets Some", The New York Times, January 31, 2002.
  20. ↑ Post, Nadine M.. "Strategy for Seven World Trade Center Exceeds Expectations; Success of steel ahead of concrete prompts same sequence for planned 1,776 ft (540 m) Freedom Tower", Engineering News Record, September 12, 2005.
  21. ↑ Herman, Eric. "No Tenants for New 7 WTC, Construction to Begin with Financing in Doubt", Daily News (New York), May 31, 2002.
  22. ↑ Pristin, Terry. "A Pot of Tax-Free Bonds for Post-9/11 Projects Is Empty", The New York Times, July 12, 2006.
  23. ↑ Collins, Glenn. "A Prism with Prose - Seven World Trade Center", Update Unbound, New York Academy of Science, July/August 2006.
  24. ↑ Dunlap, David W.. "Luster of 7 World Trade Center Has Tattered Reminder of 9/11", The New York Times, May 24, 2006.
  25. ↑ 7 World Trade Center Opens with Musical Fanfare. Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) (May 22, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  26. ↑ "Under Cover, Tower 7 is no ‘Stranger’ to fame", Downtown Express, 2006, March 17–23.
  27. ↑ Birkner, Gabrielle. "The City's Hottest Event Space? Try 7 World Trade Center", New York Sun, May 14, 2007.
  28. ↑ World Trade Center Memorial Foundation (August 7, 2006). WTC Memorial Foundation Announces Photography Exhibitions to Mark 5th Anniversary of 9/11 (pdf). Press release.
  29. ↑ Spitz, Rebecca. "9/11: Five Years Later: 7 World Trade Open For Business, Lacking Tenants", NY1 News, 2006, August 31.
  30. ↑ "Moody's Signs Lease at 7 WTC", Associated Press/MSN Money, 2006-09-18.
  31. ↑ "Pricey Midtown Rents Mean Big Tenant for 7 WTC", Gothamist, June 20, 2006.
  32. ↑ Pristin, Terry. "Lower Manhattan: A Relative Bargain but Filling Up Fast", The New York Times, February 28, 2007.
  33. ↑ Silverstein Properties (January 4, 2006). Ameriprise Financial to lease 20,000 SF at 7 WTC. Press release.
  34. ↑ Darby & Darby (August 24, 2006). Darby & Darby P.C. to move headquarters to 7 WTC. Press release.
  35. ↑ Silverstein Properties (July 26, 2006). Mansueto Ventures signs lease at 7 World Trade Center to become the first corporate tenant to locate its national headquarters in the building. Press release.
  36. ↑ "New York Academy of Sciences Signs Lease at 7 WTC", New York Academy of Sciences, December 16, 2005.
  37. ↑ Wilson, Claire. "An Open, Sunlit Space At 7 World Trade Center", The New York Times, May 13, 2007.
  38. ↑ Dunlap, David W.. "What a View to Behold, And It's Really Something", The New York Times, January 25, 2007.
  39. ↑ Dunlap, David W.. "Behind the Scenes, Three Towers Take Shape", The New York Times, January 18, 2007.
  40. ↑ 7 World Trade Center - Current Space Availabilities. Silverstein Properties. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.

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