7 World Trade Center

I had a portfolio meeting yesterday at 7 World Trade Center on the 29th floor.

I didn't realize it was rebuilt after the original buliding was destroyed on 9/11.

The original 7 WTC was 47 storeys tall and collapsed after being hit by debris and furthermore by fires that burned throughout the day.

The new 7 WTC began construction in 2002 and was completed in May of 2006. It is 52 storeys tall.
It felt a bit strange to be there. While I was waiting outside before the meeting I watched the construction at Ground Zero. There is still a staircase standing from one of the original towers. I think they may use it in the design of one of the new buildings or in its memorial area.

I was a bit confused by the elevators in the new building. I got in the elevator alone, and went to press the button for the 29th floor, when I saw there were no buttons. Anywhere! Except for the door open and door close buttons. The elevator took me straight to the 30th floor, but the doors didn't open. I pressed the door open button and the 30th floor was full of planks of wood and dry wall and looked like it was still under construction for office use or something.

It turns out you have to enter the floor number from outside the elevator. This system is designed to reduce elevator waiting and travel times.

Anyway, the building is being promoted as the safest skyscraper in the U.S.

Here are some other fun facts from Wikipedia:

• According to Silverstein Properties, the owner of the building, it "will incorporate a host of life-safety enhancements that will become the prototype for new high-rise construction".


• The building has 2 ft (60 cm) thick reinforced concrete and fireproofed elevator and stairway access shafts. The original building used only drywall to line these shafts.


• The stairways are wider than in the original building to permit faster egress.
  Steel columns are encased in much thicker fire protection.


• The building is also considered New York City's first "green" office tower, using 30% recycled steel. Rainwater is even collected and used to irrigate the park across the street and to cool the building.
  

This is a very similar view to what was out the window during my meeting. I didn't take this photo, but I wanted to.

P.S. The meeting went well.