I am a native New Yorker who has a healthy obsession with cycling, art, writing, photography & laughter. I am often found drinking lots of high-quality coffee.

Oct 11, 2016

World Trade Center

Having worked in the downtown area for 3 years, I’ve seen the development of the rebirth of the World Trade Center. The place that was once a burning furnace of steel and flesh, is now a wonder to behold. Though we cannot replace the lives that we lost due to the tragic events of 9/11, we have decided to rebuild to remember, reflect and show the world that we can rise again.

I saw One World Trade be completed and attended the first visitor session of their majestic observatory. It’s almost as if you can see the world as you stand 100 stories above the greatest city in the world. Simply breathtaking.

I have also visited the 9/11 museum and it was captivating, and tragic. A few stories moved me to tears and opened up a wound that was closed before. I don’t mind it, as I think it’s important that we never forget what happened on that awful day.

And now that the “Oculus” is open, I get to experience the breathtaking (and expensive) artistic approach of the transportation hub. The place is simply amazing. There is a lot of white space (must be a nightmare for maintenance and cleaning) built with high-quality materials and the marble flooring and lighting is just right. Feels like stepping into a mansion and you almost get the feeling like you don’t belong.

There are many stores that have opened up, so it has many options for shopping and visiting. Restaurants and coffee shops are also coming soon and you can imagine that the traffic that the NJ Path train brings is certainly a good reason to offer these services. There is also a two story Apple store that offers a unique look and elegance that makes it fit right in with the look and feel of the Oculus.

There is still a lot of construction going on around the area, but I can’t imagine that this will continue for more than a year and we will have a complete look at the new World Trade Center. Of course, there will still be construction as they finish the remaining towers, but when they complete the “plaza” and they remove the fences from the transportation hub and One World Trade, this will be one of the most beautiful places to visit in this City.

I Love New York!