WTC Update> POPS on the Periphery

  • Tom Stoelker
    • The flag from One World Trade as reflected in Snohetta's Memorila Museum Pavilion. (AN/Stoelker)
    The mirror facade of Snoehetta's Memorial Museum Pavilion reflects the flag hanging on One World Trade. (AN/Stoelker)

    It’s been a while since we did the once around the super block that is the World Trade Center site. We held off on WTC Updates until the Tenth Anniversary news fest subsided. Now that all eyes are on the Zuccotti Park and Occupy Wall Street, we figured it’d be a good time to take another walkabout. From an urban planning standpoint, the Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) status of Zuccotti Park has stirred up quite a bit of interest.

    As the 9/11 Memorial opened only last month—and remains a highly controlled space—the only way to navigate around the site is to walk through a series of interior and exterior POPS. Right now Occupy Wall Street’s takeover of the Brookfield-owned park is getting the lion’s share of attention, but elsewhere there are little known gatherings in other POPS around Lower Manhattan that happen every day.

    Columbus Day rallying continues at Zuccotti Park, a POPS owned by Brookfield.
    Today, like almost every day, a group gathered inside Brookfield's World Financial Center (WFC). In a quiet spot overlooking the site a tour guide recollects the events of 9/11 for tourists.
    Hudson River Park Mamas, a group for moms and expecting moms, gather inside the WFC. (photo 7/13/11)
    Meanwhile, the triangular park across from Seven World Trade remained very quiet...
    ... and makeshift signs at Seven World Trade's park seemed to imply "Don't even think about it."
    Once the site of contentious demonstrations, Park 51 seemed largely forgotten today.
    Aloof and above it all, One World Trade reflects the morning sun.
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