| Prior to September 11, 2001, the 16-acre World | | | | with oak trees, each void will feature rings of |
| Trade Center site was one of New York City's | | | | cascading water falling into illuminated reflecting |
| most familiar landmarks. Following the tragedy, | | | | pools. The names of the victims in New York |
| workers spent months clearing the debris and | | | | City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, as well |
| remains of those who died in the attacks. On May | | | | as the February 1993 WTC bombing, will be |
| 30, 2002, the last remaining piece of structural | | | | inscribed around the memorial waterfalls. |
| steel, which had come from the South Tower, | | | | A state-of-the-art museum will offer student |
| was ceremoniously draped with the U.S. flag and | | | | group travelers the opportunity to enhance their |
| carried out. This piece of steel has been recycled | | | | experience. Visits will begin at an entry pavilion, as |
| as the bow of the new assault ship, USS New | | | | students encounter both the enormity of the loss |
| York. In addition, Honeybee Robotics incorporated | | | | and the triumph of the human spirit that are at |
| steel debris from the site into cable shields built | | | | the heart of 9/11. Students will also be able to |
| for the Mars Exploration Rover mission. | | | | view a section of the massive slurry wall that held |
| The main developer of the new World Trade | | | | back the Hudson River during the attacks. |
| Center site, Larry Silverstein, heads the group of | | | | Construction on the memorial and museum began |
| visionary leaders committed to the | | | | in March 2006. The memorial is scheduled to open |
| redevelopment of the World Trade Center site. | | | | Sept. 11, 2009, with the museum opening to |
| Plans include six acres of space, five new | | | | follow in 2010. To date, the September 11 |
| skyscrapers, the National September 11 Memorial | | | | Memorial and Museum has raised more than $300 |
| and Museum, a retail complex, and a performing | | | | million of its $350 million goal. |
| arts center. When completed they believe it will | | | | In addition to the Memorial Museum, the cultural |
| create a more vibrant future for downtown New | | | | component of the new World Trade Center will |
| York with superior commercialized space, a more | | | | include a 1,000-seat performing arts center at the |
| convenient transportation system, and a highly | | | | northwest corner of Fulton and Greenwich |
| commemorative destination for people who live, | | | | Streets. The modern-dance focused Joyce |
| work, and visit the area. | | | | Theater will be the sole occupant of the center. |
| By 2012, completion of the five World Trade | | | | Although the theater will have the performing arts |
| Center office towers will mark a major milestone | | | | focus, the building may occasionally used for |
| in the project. Together, with the recently opened | | | | non-dance events, such as the Tribeca Film |
| 7 World Trade Center to the north of the site | | | | Festival, which takes place each spring. |
| and the rising Goldman Sachs global headquarters | | | | Construction for the project will not begin until |
| to the west in Battery City Park, the downtown | | | | 2010 or 2011. |
| skyline will feature no fewer than seven new | | | | The retail area, occupying 500,000 square feet, |
| corporate towers comprising 14 million square | | | | will be interspersed throughout the site, stretching |
| feet of office space. An architectural landmark for | | | | from as far as the new Fulton Street Transit |
| New York City, 1 World Trade Center, the | | | | Center to the World Financial Center. Developed |
| Freedom Tower, will soar 1,776 feet, symbolic of | | | | by the Port Authority of New York and New |
| the year 1776, when the Declaration of | | | | Jersey, with support from Silverstein Properties, |
| Independence was signed. The Freedom Tower | | | | the retail space is expected to be completed by |
| will become the tallest building in the United States | | | | 2012. When completed, the site will be one of the |
| and include office space, an observation deck, | | | | largest business districts in the United States. |
| world-class restaurants, and more. The tower is | | | | More than 5.6 million visitors traveled to Lower |
| scheduled to open in 2011. | | | | Manhattan in 2006. They came to visit the World |
| The National September 11 Memorial and Museum | | | | Trade Center site and to reflect on the tragic |
| will serve as a moving and important memorial to | | | | events of September 11, 2001. According to the |
| the 2,979 people who perished in the 9/11 | | | | Downtown Alliance, the downtown business |
| attacks. It will also serve as a poignant learning | | | | improvement district, that's only half of those |
| experience for student group travelers. The | | | | expected to head downtown once the National |
| memorial's design, Reflecting Absence, will consist | | | | September 11 Memorial and Museum opens in |
| of two voids on the footprints of the original Twin | | | | 2010. |
| Towers. Surrounded by a landscaped plaza filled | | | | |