Twin Towers Alliance
| Abbreviation | TTA |
|---|---|
| Motto | It’s Not Too late To Do The Right Thing |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Founder | Margaret Donovan |
| Type | non-profit |
| Purpose | To Rebuild the Twin Towers |
| Headquarters | New York City, United States |
| Website |
www |
Formerly called | Rebuild the Towers |
The Twin Towers Alliance Foundation (formally named Rebuild the Towers) is a U.S. non-profit organization advocating rebuilding the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, which were destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks in Manhattan.[1]
The organization was founded in 2005 by Margaret Donovan as "Rebuild the Towers" but then they formed a new group in 2006 changed the name to Twin Towers Alliance. The group has been a big influence with the idea of rebuilding the former Twin Towers. Twin Towers Alliance published a collection of literature and critical and comparative commentary on both the idea of new Twin Towers and the ongoing redevelopment process and has advocated the Twin Towers case to elected representatives and agencies, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Alliance partnered with Kenneth Gardner, the architect of the new "Twin Towers II" proposal as part of their mission and 'Restoration Alternative' campaign.
History
2001-2002
Following the World Trade Center attacks, internet-based groups began to form leading to organizations such as Team Twin Towers and the World Trade Center Restoration Movement. The organizations became bases for supporters to donate to advocacy causes, meet and share their support in rebuilding. Team Twin Towers and the World Trade Center Restoration Movement are still active as of 2011 although in contrast to Twin Tower Alliance's endorsement of Twin Towers II maintain a broader level of advocacy.
2003-2005
In 2002, Daniel Libeskind won the design competition as master planner for the World Trade Center which featured his Freedom Tower design and "Hero Park". David Childs joined in the project in 2003. Their design was presented in December 2003. Donald Trump, real estate owner strong support of Twin Towers II, criticized the design, saying "It's a terrible design, it was designed by an egg-headed architect" and "It's a disgusting design, that we are going to have to live with, the buildings are at all different angles and it looks like a junkyard". In 2005 ‘Rebuild The Towers’ was established which eventually become the Twin Towers Alliance. The site put forth a more refined theme than past webpages, engaging a discussion and presentation reasons to rebuild the Twin Towers. In development for some time by original World Trade Center Emery Roth and Sons architect late Herbert Belton and engineer Kenneth Gardner was what is now known as the Twin Towers II plan. Using the original WTC blueprints as a starting point, "the plan's creators re-engineered the Twin Towers to recapture what was grand about the originals, while diligently addressing their flaws” according to the Twin Towers II website. In 2005, developer Donald Trump publicly endorsed the plan, showing it at Trump Tower and showcasing it at the 2005 season finale of his television show The Apprentice.[2] In 2007, The Twin Towers Alliance (known as Rebuild the Towers, at the time) sponsored and supported Ken Gardner, and eventually joined Kenneth Gardner.
2006-2007
On April 26, 2006, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved a conceptual framework that allowed the Freedom Tower foundation construction to begin. Efforts to rebuild the Twin Towers were still going on in and was advertised in the media. After the foundation and base work was complete, Garnder's plan slowly died down, as the site was being built with a different design plan.
2011
In 2011, The Twin Towers Alliance made a promo video saying that the Twin Towers could still be built, even though the Memorial Plaza was complete and One World Trade Center was to the half way point. The organizations video did not get any media coverage though.
2014
In April 2014, Margaret Donovan, who runs Twin Towers Alliance, beleaguered the PANYNJ with a lawsuit because the agency has refused to hand over financial information about the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. Donovan said she’s focused on “investigating the documents that were underlying the program at Ground Zero” in the civil suit against The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ "Twin Towers Alliance official website".
- ↑ Ozler, Levent (May 10, 2005). "Donald Trump Unveils Own Designs for World Trade Center". Dexingner.
- ↑ Julia, Marsh (April 9, 2014). "Twin Tower Alliance founder sues Port Authority over 7.7 million rebuilding of the World Trade Center".