A drawing of the future 7 World Trade tower

A new 52-story steel-and-glass skyscraper will be built just north of where the twin towers once stood, according to plans unveiled yesterday by Larry Silverstein, the developer who holds the World Trade Center lease.   The building will replace 7 World Trade Center, which burned to the ground in the hours after the collapse of Towers One and Two. 

Silverstein shared the plans and renderings for the building at a ceremony Wednesday morning, flanked by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki.  The announcement, representing the first major rebuilding project at the World Trade Center, is a Lower Manhattan milestone. "The new 7 World Trade Center will rise as a symbol of New York City's determination and resilience in the wake of the terrorist attacks," said Pataki.

The building, already under construction, is scheduled to be completed in late 2005.  Constructed of steel with a glass façade, it will be sleeker and five stories taller than its predecessor.  The tower will also, according to Mr. Silverstein, "introduce a host of life-safety and environmental features never before incorporated into a commercial skyscraper."  Some of these enhancements will include reinforced concrete walls protecting the building's core, fireproofing material twice as durable as currently required, and wider stairs for quicker evacuation.

Mayor Bloomberg praised Silverstein's decision to rebuild, and to rebuild so quickly.  "By creating 1.7 million square feet of new office space, the new 7 World Trade Center points the way for the course the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan will follow," he said.  "It is a project that embodies the spirit of a great city in a free society."