As the skyline in Lower Manhattan changed during the reconstruction following the 9/11 terror attacks, the neighborhood around it transformed.
Once known as the center of world finance, it’s changed into more of a residential community and tech hub.
Carl Weisbrod, a city planner, had this vision years before the attack.
“It was obvious that the loss of human life, the fact that no one could be safe anywhere was just heart wrenching and on a very personal level, for me, to see the progress we had made before 9/11 apparently disintegrated in a heartbeat, was very, very painful,” he told NY1.
At the time, he led the business improvement district, the Alliance for Downtown. Downtown then was an area known as the home of Wall Street, major corporations and going dark after 5 p.m.
“Neighborhoods require diversity and uses, dynamism activity and not just a nine to five community but a 24/7 community. So we had already embarked on that approach,” he said.
For instance, converting old office buildings into new apartments.
“That was always part of the game plan after 9/11. In fact, it was redoubled after that,” Weisbrod said.
The redevelopment, reconstruction and government aid paid off, as the business district transformed into a neighborhood home to thousands of families and young professionals.
Over the years, its population more than tripled to 70,000.
There are 351 buildings, which is nearly double the number from 25 years ago. The number of shopping and retail spots topped 1,100, from fewer than 1,000 before 9/11.
“The changes have been so dramatic in terms of number of housing units, the diversification of the economy of downtown Manhattan and it reflects the energy and resilience of the people in the community but also huge investments,” State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli told “Mornings on 1.”
The businesses there, too, have diversified.
“We used to be about two-thirds finance. Now we’re about one-third finance,” Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance, said. “But you’ve seen StubHub Uber, Spotify, companies like that choosing to locate in the neighborhood.”
And the progress keeps going, with American Express this year breaking ground on its future headquarters at the final commercial tower to be built on the World Trade Center site.