Editing World Trade Center site (section)

==Original buildings==
{{Main|World Trade Center (1973–2001)}}
[[File:World Trade Center, New York City - aerial view (March 2001).jpg|thumb|right|200px|The original World Trade Center complex]]
At the time of their completion the "Twin Towers"—the original [[1 World Trade Center (1971–2001)|1 World Trade Center]] (the North Tower), at {{cvt|1368|ft|m}}, and [[2 World Trade Center (1971–2001)|2 World Trade Center]] (the South Tower)—were the [[History of the tallest buildings in the world#Tallest buildings (from 1901)|tallest buildings]] in the world. The other buildings in the complex included the [[Marriott World Trade Center]] (3 WTC), [[4 World Trade Center (1975–2001)|4 WTC]], [[5 World Trade Center (1970–2001)|5 WTC]], [[6 World Trade Center|6 WTC]], and [[7 World Trade Center (1987–2001)|7 WTC]]. All of these buildings were built between 1972 and 1987, with a construction cost of $400 million (equivalent to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|400000000|1971|{{Inflation-year|US}}|r=-8}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}} The complex was located in New York City's [[Financial District, Manhattan|Financial District]] and contained {{convert|13400000|sqft|m2}} of office space.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E4D81030F935A35752C0A9649C8B63 |title=Commercial Property; In Office Market, a Time of Uncertainty |work=The New York Times |author=Holusha, John |date=January 6, 2002 |access-date=November 21, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3601/is_30_48/ai_83762552 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526191512/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3601/is_30_48/ai_83762552 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |title=Ford recounts details of Sept. 11 |work=Real Estate Weekly |date=February 27, 2002 |publisher=BNET |access-date=January 3, 2009}}</ref>

The World Trade Center experienced a [[1975 World Trade Center fire|fire]] on {{Nowrap|February 13}}, 1975, a [[1993 World Trade Center bombing|bombing]] on {{Nowrap|February 26}}, 1993 and [[1998 Bank of America robbery|a robbery]] on {{Nowrap|January 14}}, 1998. In 1998, the Port Authority decided to privatize the World Trade Center, leasing the buildings to a private company to manage, and awarded the lease to [[Silverstein Properties]] on {{Nowrap|July 24, 2001}}.

===September 11 attacks===
{{Main|September 11 attacks}}
[[File:WTC smoking on 9-11.jpeg|thumb|left|World Trade Center towers following [[American Airlines Flight 11]] and [[United Airlines Flight 175]] both crashing into North and South Towers respectively]]
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Islamist terrorists affiliated with [[Al-Qaeda]] [[aircraft hijacking|hijacked]] [[American Airlines Flight 11]] and [[United Airlines Flight 175]], both of which were en route from [[Boston]] to [[Los Angeles]], and intentionally crashed them into the two main towers of the World Trade Center. The towers collapsed less than two hours later.<ref>{{Cite news |title=US Shocked by Terror Attacks |newspaper=[[BBC News]] |date=September 11, 2001 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1538929.stm#map | access-date=December 31, 2009}}</ref> 2,606 people, including 2,192 civilians, 343 firefighters, and 71 law enforcement officers who were in the towers and in the surrounding area died in the attacks, as well as 147 civilians and the 10 hijackers aboard the two airliners. After the collapse of the World Trade Center, hospital workers and law enforcement officers began referring to the World Trade Center site as "[[Ground Zero#World Trade Center|Ground Zero]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |title=A Day of Terror: Hospitals; Pictures of Medical Readiness, Waiting and Hoping for Survivors to Fill Their Wards |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 12, 2001 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE1D91238F931A2575AC0A9679C8B63  | access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>

===Debris and clean-up===
{{See also|Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center|Health effects arising from the September 11 attacks}}

The [[Collapse of the World Trade Center|collapse of the towers]] spread dust across New York City and left hundreds of thousands of tons of debris at the site.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |title=After the Attacks: The Tally; With No Miracle in the Rubble, Hope Grimly Shifts to Acceptance |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 17, 2001 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E1D8173BF934A2575AC0A9679C8B63 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> To organize the cleanup and search for survivors and for human remains, the [[New York City Fire Department]] divided the disaster site into four sectors, each headed by its own chief.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |title=A Nation Challenged: The Site; At the Scene of Random Devastation, a Most Orderly Mission |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 24, 2001 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DEFDD143AF937A1575AC0A9679C8B63 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> Cleanup workers trucked most of the building materials and debris from Ground Zero to [[Fresh Kills Landfill]] in [[Staten Island]]. Some people, such as those affiliated with World Trade Center Families for Proper Burial, were worried that human remains might also have been inadvertently transported to the landfill.<ref name="cnn.com"/>

According to NIST, when WTC 1 (the North Tower) collapsed, falling debris struck 7 World Trade Center and ignited fires on multiple floors. The uncontrolled fires ultimately led to the progressive collapse of the structure.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/wtc082108.html |title=NIST News Release: NIST WTC 7 Investigation Finds Building Fires Caused Collapse |date=August 21, 2008 |publisher=NIST |access-date=September 11, 2008 |archive-date=September 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910232957/http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/wtc082108.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = horizontal
| image1            = World Trade Center Site After 9-11 Attacks With Original Building Locations.jpg
| width1            = 230
| caption1          = Aerial image of the World Trade center site after the attacks with the location of the Twin Towers and other buildings in the complex superimposed over the debris field
| image2            = FEMA - 4235 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 09-28-2001 in New York.jpg
| width2            = 258
| caption2          = The World Trade Center site 17 days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Buildings surrounding the site of the collapsed towers are fitted with mesh to prevent further damage and large construction vehicles are being used to clear debris.
}}

Shortly after the attacks, the surrounding buildings were fitted with red mesh to prevent further damage. In November 2001, the remaining portions of [[4 World Trade Center#Original building (1975–2001)|Building 4]] were leveled.

In December 2001, a temporary viewing platform at Fulton Street, between Church Street and Broadway, was opened to the public.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hirschkorn |first=Phil |title=A Nation Challenged: Ground Zero; First Viewing Platform Opens to the Public |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 30, 2001 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0CE0D71630F933A05751C1A9679C8B63 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> That month, the last standing perimeter columns from the North Tower and the last remaining portions of [[Six World Trade Center|Building 6]] were removed.  Early estimates suggested that debris removal would take a year, but cleanup ended in May 2002, under budget and without a single serious injury.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Iovine |first=Julie V. |title=Designers Look Beyond Debris |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 27, 2001 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E7DB103AF934A1575AC0A9679C8B63 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130082159/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E7DB103AF934A1575AC0A9679C8B63 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 30, 2013 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Last Steel Column |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E4D71E3BF933A05756C0A9649C8B63 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130073734/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E4D71E3BF933A05756C0A9649C8B63 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 30, 2013 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 30, 2002 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> The [[Winter Garden Atrium]] was reopened to the public on September 17, 2002, the first major structure to be completely restored following the attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newyork.construction.com/projects/02_TopForty/02_TopProjects35_WinterGardenRestoration.asp |title=Winter Garden Restoration |publisher=New York Construction |date=February 8, 2017}}</ref>

Starting March 11, 2002, eighty-eight searchlights were installed and arranged to form two beams of light shooting straight up into the sky. This was called the ''[[Tribute in Light]]'', and was originally lit every day at dusk until April 14, 2002. After that, the lights were lit on the second anniversary of the attack and have been lit on each subsequent September 11 since then.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dunlap |first=David W. |title=Twin Beams to Light Sky Again. But After 2008? |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 9, 2006 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/09/nyregion/09light.html |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> In February 2005, the New York City Medical Examiner's office ended its process of identifying human remains at the site.<ref name="cnn.com">{{Cite news |last=Hirschkorn |first=Phil |title=Identification of 9/11 remains comes to end |newspaper=[[CNN]] |date=February 23, 2005 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/22/wtc.identifications/index.html}}</ref>

In August 2008, New York City firefighters donated a cross made of steel from the World Trade Center to the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Company.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2008/08/22/news/news/news808.txt |title=NY firefighter donating steel to Shanksville |last=Ganassi |first=Michelle |date=August 25, 2008 |work=Daily American cv |access-date=August 22, 2008}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The beam, mounted atop a platform shaped like the Pentagon, was erected outside the [[Shanksville, Pennsylvania|Shanksville]] firehouse near the crash site of [[United Airlines Flight 93]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/08/24/2008-08-24_pa_site_of_911_crash_gets_wtc_beam.html |title=Pa. site of 9/11 crash gets WTC beam |last=Gaskell |first=Stephanie |date=August 25, 2008 |work=New York Daily news |access-date=August 26, 2008 |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827214223/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/08/24/2008-08-24_pa_site_of_911_crash_gets_wtc_beam.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Portions of the South Tower had also damaged the nearby [[Deutsche Bank Building]], which soon became filled with toxic dust. By 2002, [[Deutsche Bank]] determined that its building was unsalvageable and it was scheduled for demolition.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/03/19/news/companies/ground_zero.fortune/index.htm |title=The tombstone at Ground Zero |last=Varchaver |first=Nicholas |date=March 20, 2008 |newspaper=[[CNN]]}}</ref> In January 2011, the demolition of the Deutsche Bank Building was completed.<ref>{{cite news |title=10 Years After 9/11, Deutsche Bank Tower Vanishes |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/ten-years-after-911-the-wounded-deutsche-bank-tower-vanishes/| access-date=September 11, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 12, 2011}}</ref>

===Archaeology===
In July 2010, a team of [[archaeologist]]s at the site discovered the remains of a {{convert|32|ft|m|adj=on}}-long boat over 200 years old; it was probably made in the 18th century and dumped there along with wooden beams and trash in about 1810 to make up the land.<ref>{{cite web |last=Associated Press |title=Ground Zero diggers uncover hull of 18th century ship |website=the Guardian |date=July 15, 2010 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jul/15/world-trade-centre-hull-ship | access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref> The boat had been weighted to make it sink as part of foundations for a new [[pier]]. Samples of its wood have been taken for [[dendrochronology]].

===Ownership status===
While the PANYNJ is often identified as the owner of the WTC site, the ownership situation was complicated after the September 11 attacks. The Port Authority did own a "significant" internal portion of the site of {{convert|16|acre|ha}} but has acknowledged "ambiguities over ownership of miscellaneous strips of property at the World Trade Center site" going back to the 1960s. It was unclear who owned {{convert|2.5|acre|ha}} of the site which is land where streets had been before the World Trade Center was built.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dunlap |first=David W. |title=Who Owns Ground Zero? Don't Expect a Simple Answer |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=April 22, 2004 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/22/nyregion/22blocks.html  | access-date=July 16, 2010}}</ref> In subsequent deals, the Port Authority gave some land to Larry Silverstein, including the land under 2 and 3 WTC in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=WTC Owner Turns Over Land for 2 Towers – World Trade Center |website=Home &#124;&#124; World Trade Center |url=https://www.wtc.com/media/news/wtc-owner-turns-over-land-for-2-towers | access-date=December 3, 2018}}</ref>