The word "freedom" had a good run with the fries and all that, but the Port Authority's gradual phasing out of the name "Freedom Tower" (they started referring to it as 1 World Trade Center in 2007) is now complete. After the first Free?er, 1 WTC lease was signed yesterday, the PA said in a statement: "As we market the building, we will insure that it is presented in the best possible way - and 1 World Trade Center is the address that we're using." It was Governor Pataki who first decided to use the Freedom Tower name back in 2003, when plans for the 1,776-foot skyscraper were first revealed. The Observer reports that Pataki is not pleased about the switch:
"The Freedom Tower is not simply another piece of real estate and not just a name for marketing purposes," he said in the statement. "In design and name it is symbolic of our commitment to rise above the attacks of September 11th. Where One and Two World Trade Center once stood there will be a memorial with two voids to honor the heroes we lost, in my view those addresses should never be used again."Plus, "1 WTC is just another word for nothin' left to lose" makes for a much less poetic song lyric. The Post tries to drum up some outrage on the topic, but again, it has officially been called 1 WTC since 2007.
· 'Freedom' out at WTC [NYDN]
· So Much for the 'Freedom Tower' [NYO]
· This is not the Freedom Tower [NYPost]
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