New Freedom Tower Design Under Wraps Until Late June 5/12/2005
Lower Manhattan rebuilding officials will make public a new design for the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site by the end of June, said Gov. George E. Pataki (R). The governor's commitment comes in the wake of criticism of the building's previous design by the New York City Police Dept. because of its vulnerability to attack.
In the new scheme, as with the earlier design, the building will occupy the northwest corner of the WTC site, be 1,776 ft tall and remain consistent with Daniel Libeskind's master plan, according to the governor. The police department has already reviewed a preliminary redesign by the tower's architect, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP, and has "determined that the building can be constructed in a manner that will provide the appropriate level of security," said Pataki.