Why did the builders of One World Trade Center in New York settle on fourth place?
The decision to not compete: Why did the builders of One World Trade Center in New York settle on fourth place?
The article includes some nice history about the race in New York in the first half of the 20th century to build the tallest skyscraper.
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The decision to not compete: Why did the builders of One World Trade Center in New York settle on fourth place?
The article includes some nice history about the race in New York in the first half of the 20th century to build the tallest skyscraper.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
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Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
The bigger problem is taking 12 years to get the new tower built at all. Boldness of action in projects like these was already a distant memory.
They would have to add a thousand feet to the building in order to make it to number one. And even then it would not last long as they would just add a few feet to the second place building and reclaim first.
That and the costs would be stupidly high.
I would rather go for a stylish building with real architectural beauty.
Not to nitpick (which I guess I AM ! !), but the article neglects to mention that Sears Tower (now named Willis Tower) in Chicago was taller than the World Trade Center & was the tallest in the world for 25 years. From Wiki:
Willis Tower (formerly named and still commonly referred to as Sears Tower) is a 108-story, 1,451-foot (442 m) skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.[2] At the time of its completion in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York, and it held this rank for nearly 25 years.
Having said that, I agree – I was excited to hear the rebuilt Trade Center would be the tallest & a bit disappointed when it was scaled back. Of course, that Burj Dubai is so dang tall it’s gonna take a lot to top that & probably someone else will come along & go taller anyway, so maybe it’s a losing game. The article’s description of the construction of the Chrysler Bldg’s “unannounced” spire to foil its rivals was quite amusing – never knew that ! !