Today, as I was hanging around in one of my favorite watering holes here in Astoria, the topic of the World Trade Center came up. My pal remembered that the last time he'd seen it, it was in the process of being built.That was the last time I saw it, too. I was on the Staten Island Ferry, doing the cheapo/best tour of New York once again that afternoon. As I recall, I was pretty upset because the fare had either already gone up from a nickel to a quarter, or was about to go up. Actually, I think all of New York was horrified at the fare increase from the traditional nickel. Incredibly, now it's actually free. Yes, really. Staten Island Ferry
Anyway, I was on the ferry getting my adrenalin-rush late afternoon view of lower Manhattan, which is the most amazing city-scape ever. I was at the stern of the boat, looking back at the city, studying the World Trade Center, which at that point was about 75 stories high, and grimacing at the huge cranes that were on top of the structure.
I really wanted to see the building when it was completed, and go up to the top to see the spectacular views. It probably would have taken heavy sedation of one form or another to get me up there, though, as even the Empire State Building elevators gave me a serious case of the flim-flams. I just assumed those buildings would always be there, and I could get back to go to the top someday in the future. Well, we all know what happened to that idea.
Anyway, it got me to thinking about what an amazing pair of buildings the World Trade Center was, and about the construction of it. So I did a little research on the subject, and found an 18 minute documentary made in 1983. You can see it at:
Building the World Trade Center
I don't think I'll ever get over the destruction of the WTC. "Never forget" indeed.
7 comments:
I don't really mind the homeless hang'in down along the riverwalk,even sucking down a brew. My hope is that they might keep the tourists away, make those touists damn uncomfortable. Maybe also they just might muck up the view from one of those new lofty riverfront condos. I'm definately what you would call a "local". Most of us locals do not bennefit from the nuevo tourism.
Anon ... don't even get me started about the condos from hell. To think that these travesties of greed would be foisted on the (mostly) unwitting public, destroying the view for all to protect it for a privileged few ... well, it's beyond shameful.
I remember looking down into the hole when they were working on the foundation of the WTC and my father telling me that it would one day be the tallest structure in the world.
So you were a Staten Island kid, eh? Did they ever fill that land fill yet?
You felt funny in the Empire State Building? Ever go across the Veranzano Bridge?
Nah, wasn't a Staten Island kid, used to just take the ferry over & back. Just for the hell of it, just for the view. It was one of my favorite NY things to do, so I did it often.
Loved the museums, too, never could get enough of them. The one place I only saw once and would love to see again was the Cloisters. Creepy but cool.
Yup, probably been across the Veranzano bridge, but it would have been a zillion years ago. My favorite was always the George Washington, tho.
On dates, we used to go to the Palasades in the evening after dinner while in my 20s and watch traffic go over the bridge. There was a constant roaring din of noise that made it really cool. There was always enough light coming from NYC to light up the cliff and the river. My favorite bridge was the Tapanzee which looks a heck of a lot like the Astoria Bridge. Nyack being like the Washington side and Terrytown being like the Astoria side.
I remember the GW Bridge mostly because my uncle lived in Mahwah, NJ, and we had to cross it to get there. As I recall, it hummed when you drove on it.
And we'd always come back into town, and I remember how excited I'd get seeing the city. I just loved NYC.
In town, my mother had a pal who had an apartment in the east 50's we used to stay with when I was a kid. Used to love seeing the Empire State Building - at night the light on top revovled, and the beam would come right into the bedroom.
I have a cousin who is an artist and lives in the Village, too. So I always had a place to stay in town when, and I went as often as I could.
Think I'm too old to take all the hustle and bustle of NYC now, but it was amazingly stimulating when I was younger, and drew me in like like the proverbial moth to the flame.
Are you yanking my chain?
Email me, I know a lot of people in Mahwah. Especially from 20+ years ago.
bbpress at intergate.com
If you're too chicken just tell me what part of town your uncle lived in.
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