World Trade Center’s Rebuilders Find Opportunity In the Face of Tragedy
Larry Silverstein owes his life to his fair complexion, his wife of 48 years and two simple words that saved his skin. To resolve an argument three years ago, the 73-year-old developer uttered, "Yes, dear," to his wife Klara. "Those are two words that go a long way," says Silverstein.
In the six weeks since he had signed a 99-year commercial lease on the 12-million-sq-ft World Trade Center, Silverstein had been busy meeting with his new tenants. So on Sept. 11, 2001, he told Klara he wanted to break a dermatologists appointment she had made for him, for it interfered with his daily 8:30 a.m. breakfast at Windows on the World, atop the WTCs north tower. She insisted that he go to the doctor. As a consequence, Silverstein dodged the terrorists "bullet" that pierced the north tower and the heart of America.