Two World Trade Center (South Tower)

Two World Trade Center (South Tower)
Name	Two World Trade Center (South Tower)
Former names	2 World Trade Center
Status	Destroyed
Location	Manhattan, New York City, United States
Start date	1968
Completion date	1973
Opened date	1973
Destroyed	September 11, 2001
Demolition date	2001
Architect	Minoru Yamasaki
Architectural style	Modern architecture
Height	1,362 ft (roof)
Floors	110
Developer	Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Two World Trade Center (South Tower) Two World Trade Center (South Tower) was a 110‑story skyscraper in Lower Manhattan designed by Minoru Yamasaki and developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as part of the original World Trade Center complex. Completed in 1973, it stood adjacent to One World Trade Center and shared a plaza with 7 World Trade Center and the Marriott World Trade Center. The building was destroyed in the September 11 attacks when American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were hijacked in a series of coordinated attacks by Al-Qaeda.

History

The South Tower's planning began amid post‑war redevelopment debates involving the New York State, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and municipal actors like the Office of the Mayor of New York City. The World Trade Center project drew scrutiny from critics such as Jane Jacobs and supporters including David Rockefeller and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Construction milestones paralleled major events: foundation work coincided with the era of the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the Vietnam War protests, while completion occurred during the presidency of Richard Nixon and the administration of Nelson A. Rockefeller in New York State politics. Ownership, insurance disputes, and tenant negotiations later involved entities such as Silverstein Properties and litigation with insurers including Marsh & McLennan Companies.

Design and Construction

Yamasaki's design for the South Tower followed a structural expressionism approach developed with engineering firm Ralph Thomas Walker-contemporary engineers and the consulting firm Emery Roth & Sons. Core concepts were influenced by precedents like Seagram Building and innovations from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill practices. The towers used a framed tube structural system pioneered in part by Fazlur Rahman Khan's work at Sears Tower (now Willis Tower), incorporating an exterior load‑bearing wall and a central reinforced concrete core to resist lateral loads from wind patterns studied with input from Columbia University wind researchers. Construction employed contractors linked to projects such as Penn Station redevelopment and relied on unions affiliated with AFL–CIO trades. The project faced legal challenges in the New York Court of Appeals over land acquisition and air rights issues mediated under Zoning Resolution of 1961 provisions.

Architecture and Features

The South Tower rose to 1,362 feet with 110 floors and featured a lobby art program coordinated with cultural institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and public artworks echoing installations in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Floor plates served corporate tenants and included high‑speed elevators developed by Otis Elevator Company, fireproofing materials from manufacturers such as USG Corporation, and mechanical systems modeled on installations at Chrysler Building and Empire State Building. Public access included the Windows on the World observation and dining complex nearby in the North Tower, transit connections to PATH and New York City Subway lines, and integration with the World Financial Center pedestrian network. Security design and building codes referenced standards from the National Fire Protection Association and building guidance influenced by New York City Department of Buildings regulations.

Tenants and Usage

The South Tower hosted a mix of financial and professional services firms, including brokerage and trading operations similar to those in the New York Stock Exchange vicinity, as well as offices for agencies like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey itself and global corporations analogous to Marsh & McLennan Companies, Morgan Stanley, and Bear Stearns. Media and publishing tenants had proximities to institutions like the New York Times Company and Associated Press bureaus. The tenancy profile reflected the broader concentration of finance in Lower Manhattan connected to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York district, and included law firms and technology vendors that interfaced with academic centers such as New York University and Columbia University through recruiting and partnerships.

September 11, 2001 Attack

On September 11, 2001, members of Al-Qaeda hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 and crashed it into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., striking between floors and causing catastrophic structural damage, large fires, and progressive collapse. The response involved first responders from the New York City Fire Department, New York City Police Department, and federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Incident command referenced protocols developed after events like the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and the aftermath prompted investigations by bodies such as the 9/11 Commission and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The collapse led to extensive human casualties, mass recovery operations coordinated with organizations like the American Red Cross and international assistance from governments including United Kingdom, Canada, and Israel.

Legacy and Commemoration

The destruction of the South Tower reshaped urban planning, memorial design, and counterterrorism policy, influencing initiatives by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, memorial concepts by designers like Michael Arad and Peter Walker, and the creation of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Its site became part of the new World Trade Center master plan featuring towers such as One World Trade Center, public memorials, and redesigned transit hubs by firms including Santiago Calatrava. Commemoration ceremonies involve municipal leaders such as the Mayor of New York City, survivors’ families, and international dignitaries from entities like the United Nations. The event's legacy continues in policy debates involving the Department of Homeland Security, intelligence reforms in the Central Intelligence Agency, and scholarly work across institutions such as Columbia University and Princeton University.

Category:Skyscrapers in Manhattan Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2001