As 9/11 anniversary nears, a behind-the-scenes look at the future of the World Trade Center

From the rubble of ground zero arose a beacon of power, prosperity and of hope for the future.

Jordan Kissane

Sep 10, 2024, 2:36 PM

Updated 26 days ago

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It has been 23 years since the terrorist attacks on 9/11. As New Yorkers continue to heal and rebuild, News 12 New York got a behind-the-scenes look inside the future of the World Trade Center.
"Every year, we look back and we remember what happened 23 years ago on 9/11. But it's also an opportunity to look around and see how much we have accomplished since then. And what we have done here at the World Trade Center ... building a better version of New York," says Silverstein Properties chief marketing officer Dara McQuillin.
From the rubble of ground zero arose a beacon of power, prosperity and of hope for the future. Less than one year after the attacks, construction began at the World Trade Center. Today, the center is comprised of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, One World Observatory, Liberty Park, Saint Nicholas National Shrine, Perelman Performing Arts Center and seven residential and office buildings. And it is still in the making.
"Nobody ever dreamt there would be a 9/11. The assumption was maybe a fire or some other kind of damage. So, my responsibility was repair as quickly as possible," said Larry Silverstein, the developer behind the rebuild and redevelopment of the 10 million-square-foot icon.
"We ran into every obstacle in rebuilding the trade center. We ran into every conceivable obstacle. I never dreamt of how difficult it would become, but I have come to the conclusion to never bet against New York because it will always come back bigger and better than ever," he said.
Like just inside 3 World Trade Center where today, you'll find offices but also relics from ground zero, historical newspaper articles, helmets of first responders, an enormous replica of the new and improved World Trade Center, and even art installations. As we gaze out of the windows of what's become one of the nation's most important construction projects - 80 stories up - we admire the New York City skyline that inspires this message of hope.
"No matter what happens to us here in this city, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves up, and bounce back bigger and better than ever," says McQuillin.