Grand plans for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center included a who's who of the architectural world: Daniel Libeskind on the site plan, Santiago Calatrava on the the transit hub, Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki on towers three and four, Michael Arad and Peter Walker for the memorial. America's most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was selected to design the new $700 million performing arts center, to house the Joyce Theater and the Signature Theater Company.
The Signature, which revolutionized the New York theater scene by dedicating entire seasons to the works of one playwright at a time and has since its creation in 1991 picked up a Pulitzer, fifteen Obies and five Drama Desk awards for the work of its resident artists and its productions, was to get a spectacular new home: three theaters, including one with 500 seats, as well as two rehearsal studios and a book shop.