The World Trade Center

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The World Trade Center

When the design for the World Trade Center was first envisioned, the magnificence of its structure was expected to surpass the greatest feats of Civil engineering in the world. When the Center was completed in 1973 it gained the distinction of being the world’s tallest tower. It gained the type of attention that was given to the Eiffel tower and the Empire State Building as it was too going to break records and inspire greatness by its simple but massive stature. It was to also have social, ideological, political, and economic impact on the US and the world as well as that of its engineering aspects. To America it would represent proudly the might of its capitalist society. It would also be a home of thousands of political and financial employees of the US as well as the nations that participate in trade with the US. The NY and NJ port authorities began contemplating building a World Trade Center in 1961; the same year JFK announced his intent to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Such lofty ideas challenged the present technological boundaries and were successful in stretching those walls ever further.

The idea was the brainchild of none other than David Rockefeller, grandchild of John D. Rockefeller, who originated Standard Oil and became the first billionaire in America. David Rockefeller’s inspiration was to rejuvenate the face of Manhattan. The Lower part of the island was the oldest area in town and had not seen any of the growth that hit the midtown and uptown areas. Prior to his work on the World Trade Center, David had done this by creating the Chase Manhattan Bank Tower. Its 60 stories were completed in 1961 in the financial district and gave a new face to the skyline over lower Manhattan.

David had begun planning and pushing for the creation of the World Trade Center near the end of the 1950’s. His brother, Nelson Rockefeller, the current governor of NY, got the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York to look into the plans for the project. They had also already begun planning for a trade facility.

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