Building Code Revision
The attacks of September 11 were some of the worst ever experienced in the history of the United States. These attacks generated a widespread feeling of insecurity and uncertainty throughout America, compelling the government to revise safety measures and protocol pertaining to the wellbeing of the United States. However, some aspects of security under modification, such as building codes, are being questioned by many. The collapse of the twin towers, due to the impact from the airplanes, spurred a movement focused on strengthening the integrity of skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings throughout the United States. Though the terrorist attacks proved to be a tremendous tragedy, the application of measures this great is not seen as a proven necessity. The circumstances of the incident proved to be so extraordinary that dramatic modifications to the structure of building should not take place because of such an event. Therefore, the building codes of skyscrapers should not be changed due to the terrorist attacks of September 11.
The modifications of existing building and the construction of new ones under the most recently proposed building codes would be too costly to implement. The billions of dollars would be required into order to perform the suggested renovations. Marolyn Davenport, a vice president at the Real Estate Board of New York and a member of the task force, states that, “Burdensome restrictions would make construction too expensive.” He goes on to say, “While you want to incorporate safety features, at the same time we have to compete with surrounding areas” (Qtd. in Chan 1). Buildings that would fall subject to the new building codes would be given an unfair advantage in the competitiv...
... middle of paper ...
...state and local governments to drastically revise the skyscraper building codes in the United States. It would cost far too much money to implement all of the standards that are being requested by state legislatures. In addition, there are many methods that have proven to be more effective means of reducing the threat of terrorism surrounding this country. Though some of the suggested codes have been passed and are now currently in the code, an instant change to building regulations is unlikely. The need for many of these modifications is still under debate and their fates are yet to be determined. Good has come out of the efforts to modify high-rise construction codes, but the potentially beneficial aspects are far outweighed by the negative. Skyscrapers stand tall despite the terrible events of 9/11 and should not be unnecessarily altered because of them.
On September 11, 2001 four passenger commercial jet airliners were hijacked and as a result approximately 3,000 human lives were lost. When asked about 9/11, many can recall exactly what they were doing when they heard the news that a plane crashed into one of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings and many Americans can tell you how it all unfolded and the reason behind such a travesty. The “official story” provided by officials, and restated by Sofia Shafquat, producer of “9/11 Mysteries: Demolitions” say that “four passenger planes were hijacked and taken radically off course, within an hour, two of the planes had flown into the enormous steel towers of the World Trade Center, creating fires and eventually toppling them” (Shafquat). Soon the American public believed that the impact of the planes and that the fires had gotten so hot from burning jet fuel, that they caused the steel frames of the buildings to give way and implode, falling to the ground into dust (Shafquat). Internal fires take on the responsibility of the official story, though others believe controlled demolition is to blame. Some evidence that debates these two explanations of how the steel towers fell are: the way the buildings collapsed, the properties of steel, and the evidence of molten metal.
are afraid to build any new buildings if in a few years those too will be taken
The rezoning of 125th street has been a topic of controversy and has yet to be approved. The Department of City Planning believes rezoning of 125th street will bring positive economic changes. I personally believe that these changes would negatively affect the residents and business owners of Harlem. According to the New York City’s Planning Commission, the rezoning will bring new business and housing. Residents and business owners disagree because they believe this plays a bigger role in promoting further “gentrification.” I believe that Harlem should be able to keep its cultural heritage while still promoting and modifying economic growth.
After long and heated arguments between experts, it was decided that the Superintendent of Construction was extremely inexperienced, and that there was "recklessness in the handling of public money," on the part of the Treasury Department and the Immigration Bureau of Officials. The entire building, excluding the hospitals, had been built shoddily. After news of the problems with the building had been in the media, a lot of people involved with the construction of the building resigned their positions.
Imagine walking through a park and your eye catches something bright, and your turn to look and its steel gates wrapping through a park. If you decide to walk through Central Park you will pass under vibrant orange steel gates with matching fabrics draping in the wind.The beautiful oranges screamed out against the soft white snow creating a beautiful piece. Some people felt like this brought life back into New York since 9/11, giving the city a feeling of warmth and security, while others felt it was a nuisance and a disruption to the natural beauty of the park, even though the park is anything but natural. It is infact all man
Location, location, location -- it’s the old realtor 's mantra for what the most important feature is when looking at a potential house. If the house is in a bad neighborhood, it may not be suitable for the buyers. In searching for a house, many people will look at how safe the surrounding area is. If it’s not safe, they will tend stray away. Jane Jacobs understood the importance of this and knew how cities could maintain this safety, but warned of what would become of them if they did not diverge from the current city styles. More modern planners, such as Joel Kotkin argue that Jacobs’s lesson is no longer applicable to modern cities because they have different functions than those of the past. This argument is valid in the sense that city
For example, new buildings may be established while old ones are either rehabilitated or brought down. Additionally, public pressure may force the city authorities to make the much needed investment in the cities infrastructure. Thus, investments may go into construction and rehabilitation of parks, roads, health facilities, schools and streets. Writers with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) show that changes may also occur in terms of the codification of new standards related to historic preservation, nuisance laws, and aesthetic nature of the districts (Pbs.org).
Recently, urban development has become increasingly vulnerable to the growing impact of gentrification. Our nation’s capitol, more commonly known Washington, D.C., unfortunately has been heavily affected by gentrification. Gentrification is the process of renovating and improving a house or district, so that it conforms to a certain middle-class taste. This certain exchange of private land is a continuous competing claim between public and private owners. In addition, Kathryn Howell, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University claims, “In the most recent wave of urban redevelopment, the change has been led largely by public–private partnerships in a market-driven process. … this type of redevelopment represents a perceived ‘win-win’ for
et al., 2005). Urban reformers began to take action, thereby adopting zoning laws and building
One World Trade Center (WTC) is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere measuring up at 1776 feet tall. The built output sets new standards of design, construction, and prestige. Its beauty in New York City’s magical skyline makes it an icon. It is the most recognised and desirable office address in the world. In this essay I plan to argue that the social, political and economic status of society has affected the built output of this building considerably, for the good. Making the building one of the best skyscrapers in the world.
Proponents of this idea argue the building was designed to force a middle-class, white lifestyle on a lower class population, without regard for the fact that lower class, rural black residents were not instilled with values like taking pride in upkeep in environment and were prone to destructive behaviors. This concept is based on the idea of defensible space, that certain “populations” unavoidably bring with them the behavioral problems that have to be designed against, which Pruitt-Igoe’s design failed to do. They argue there is a direct relationship between physical environments and human behavior, and Pruitt-Igoe had too much public space relative to private spaces that the residents didn’t feel a responsibility to maintain leading to vandalism and
Phillips, Liz, and Tom Warhol. "Local Governments Should Place Strict Limits on New Building Developments." Points of View: Housing Developments & Water Shortages. 2013, P3-3. 1p. Points of View Reference Center, 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 May 2014.
"A Renewed Commitment to Buildings and Their Social Benefits." U.S. Green Building Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
Building codes are rules for the contractors, architects, and for the owner. Basically the codes are for to protect public safety, health, and welfare in construction and buildings. The building is a law that is amendments to the builders. With out the building codes we won’t be protected in buildings. Here are some of the buildings codes.
One option to help with saving historical buildings is to turn them into apartments. Doing this is something that will save the history while resolving housing issues. This is an idea that will keep the history of a city without standing in the way of the growth of a city. Research done by the Preservation Massachusetts, a nonprofit historic preservation group, estimated there are more than 25 million square feet of historic structures that are not being used(Tsipis, Y. 2004). These buildings are structurally strong and could be used to grow a city while keeping the historical value.