January 20, 2002

On January 29, 2002, the Ritz Carlton became the first new building to open in Lower Manhattan.

February 7, 2002
More than 600 citizens, civic leaders and public officials from the metropolitan region came together for the first "Listening to the City" forum. This modern town hall meeting brought together downtown residents and workers, families of victims and survivors, emergency and rescue workers, business and property owners, interested citizens, and community leaders -- all committed to charting a vision for the future of Lower Manhattan while honoring those who lost their lives on September 11.

March 11, 2002
Six months after the World Trade Center attacks, New York City turned on the "Tribute in Light," a memorial designed to pay respect to those who lost their lives on September 11. The memorial consisted of two banks of forty-four spotlights each and projected twin beams about a mile into the night sky. The lights were illuminated each night for thirty-two days from dusk to 11:00 p.m.

March 11, 2002
"The Sphere," a 15-foot steel and bronze sculpture that once stood in the fountain of the World Trade Center plaza, served as the centerpiece of a temporary memorial in Battery Park, dedicated to those who died on September 11. One of the two public artworks recovered from the site, “The Sphere” was created by sculptor Fritz Koeing in 1971 as a monument to world peace.

April 9, 2002
The LMDC approved a preliminary blueprint for rebuilding Lower Manhattan. It included proposals for a memorial museum near the World Trade Center site and a redesign of the downtown street grid to improve pedestrian access. On April 24, the LMDC, along with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced a request for proposals for the design of the site.

May 2002
Workers began putting up structural steel supports for the tunnel that would cover the rebuilt 1 and 9 subway tracks, which had been destroyed in the World Trade Center attacks.

May 28, 2002
The last girder from the World Trade Center was removed at a somber ceremony, the first of three major tributes marking the end of recovery efforts. The second tribute occurred on the morning of May 30, with the "last load" ceremony commemorating the completion of the recovery at Ground Zero. Less than a month later, on July 15, the third and final tribute was held at Staten Island's Fresh Kills Landfill to mark the end of the search for remains and personal items from the World Trade Center rubble. The recovery and clean-up efforts involved the removal of 1.8 million tons of debris (more than 100,000 truck loads). During the 3.1 million person-hours of labor that were required to excavate the site, there were no deaths or life-threatening accidents reported.

July 16, 2002
The LMDC and the Port Authority unveiled six proposals for the layout of the World Trade Center site. All of the proposed options contained common elements, including a permanent memorial; public open space; 11 million square feet of commercial office space; a 600,000 square-foot hotel and 600,000 square feet of retail space; a transportation hub serving New York and New Jersey; cultural and civic institutions; a rebuilt St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, and residential facilities off-site.

July 20, 2002
The LMDC and Civic Alliance held the second “Listening to the City” event. More than 5,000 people attended the meeting, which was held at the Jacob Javits Center. Participants had an opportunity to view and comment on the six proposals for the site, adjacent areas and related transportation.

August 14, 2002
The LMDC launched a new global design study to aid in planning the future of the World Trade Center site and its surrounding areas by introducing a variety of bold new options into the planning process.

September 16, 2002
Subway lines, including the 1 and 9 train at South Ferry and the N and R train at Cortland Street, were restored. The project was completed six months ahead of schedule and approximately $150 million under budget.

September 26, 2002
The LMDC selected six architectural teams – from more than 400 applicants – to take part in a design study conceiving of the future plans for the World Trade Center site. The teams then prepared up to three variations on the site's land plan.

November 20, 2002
The first major rebuilding project at the World Trade Center site was announced: Developer and World Trade Center site lessee Larry Silverstein unveiled new plans for 7 World Trade Center, a 52-story steel-and-glass skyscraper. The new building will be five stories taller than its predecessor and is scheduled for completion in late 2005.

December 12, 2002
Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented the City’s vision for Lower Manhattan. The City's Vision, which included proposals for opening the waterfront, building affordable housing, and ensuring downtown's future as a leader in the global economy, called for using public resources in bold, strategic ways to trigger private investment and public/private initiatives that will make Lower Manhattan a "downtown for the 21st century."

December 18, 2002
The LMDC unveiled nine new plans for the World Trade Center site, created by seven design teams from around the world. A press conference at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden, where internationally renowned architects presented their creations, initiated a six-week public comment process in which visitors were invited to view the models and submit written and electronic comments. The LMDC also held two public meetings to solicit feedback.