Battle for Ground Zero: Inside the Political Struggle to Rebuild the World Trade Center

by Elizabeth Greenspan

In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans came together in a way not seen for a generation, pledging unity to rebuild after the horrific loss of the Twin Towers. People were signing up to go to war; rescue workers were laboring to clear rubble. But instead of becoming a rallying symbol in the fight against terrorism, Ground Zero has been plagued by intense conflict and controversy from the very start. Battle for Ground Zero goes behind the scenes of this fight to rebuild, revealing how grieving families, commercial interests, and politicking bureaucrats clashed at every step of the way, confounding progress and infuriating the public. Since the fall of 2001, author Elizabeth Greenspan has been documenting the drama—conducting interviews with neighborhood residents, architects, officials, rescue workers, and victims’ relatives, as well as key New York players like uber-developer Larry Silverstein, and Governor Pataki. Here she provides a warts-and-all look at this pivotal decade—from the bitter feuding between city officials and victims’ families, to the endless controversy over the memorial design, to the fraught tenth anniversary, against a still-unfinished building. Publishing just as the memorial is finally completed, Battle for Ground Zero is an exhaustively researched reminder of how long it took to put a brave face on the horror of 9/11.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2013

Reviews

[Harry Brake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming from the 911 Memorial yesterday, with this text on my to read list for ages, I wanted to revisit aspects of Ground Zero amid countless interactions with this site over the past 15 years. Having the reveal of the behind the scenes conflicts of planning, renovations, design, and more did in fact add to the information I had been lucky enough to obtain already. Nothing, nothing beats the day spent here I realized after visiting the Memorial and Museum, but this look into what many did not realize was occurring is eye opening to the whole planning and implementation process for sure. I also definitely agreed with the summation of the process involving democracy - while not a perfect process, the best process despite the snags that often occur. Overall, a very informative and seemingly unbias approach to the process behind the scenes of the Ground Zero site.

[Cameron Rass]

This one of those books that can tear you apart. The viewpoints of the family’s that have victims in the terrorist attack, want what any person would like peace and grieving. When I was reading this I thought of books I read about the Titanic. How when technology was able to go to the deepest parts of the sea to explore the ship. Many people believe that this was the final resting place of all the people lost that night. I can also see the other part of the story where we can't forget the past. No matter what happens in history we can’t rewrite it, we must learn from what has happen to us. When something this devastating happens to, not only our country but the world, we have to ban together. I understand that the reasons for the crashing between everyone, but what is it we want in the end? We all want closer and to remember that you can never forget what has happened to not only us, but the world. I think this would be a great book for anyone interested in the attacks on 9/11, or anyone who enjoys history.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The battle over what would be built at Ground Zero had many constituencies, from some of the families of victims who wanted nothing but a memorial to some interests who would put the past behind us and carry on with business as usual.

I don't live in NYC and hadn't followed the controversy closely, but I had wondered just why it was taking so long to get something built. This book presented the 10 years between 9/11/01 and the opening of the memorial with remarkable clarity and brevity. The relevant players, their positions and the battles that ensued were covered with just enough detail. I felt that the author had definitely done her research. While I wouldn't say this was a fascinating read, it was a competent exposition and it succeeded in making a complex situation more understandable.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Firstreads drawing.

It's a rather strange book. Not really a history book, nor really a political science book. While there's a lot scholarly work involved, it often seems like it was more about Greenspan's notions than what actually happened. Her biases are evident throughout the book. Also, there is nothing about tower 7, which I found a bit odd, as she included the thought of conspiracy theorists, and that tower is at the center of most of them.

Some parts were most informative, but others were unfortunately shallow. I'm not sure what lessons can be drawn here, but it did hold my interest throughout.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a free book from the Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Overall, the author does a good job taking all the differing positions on the development of the post-9/11 World Trade Center site and melding them into one complex (and political) story, with all the bumps, delays, and detours along the way. Well written and fairly thorough. Though I have never been to NYC, much less to the WTC site, I, like many others, remember where I was and what I was doing when the planes hit and the buildings fell.

[Joyce Yanney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors research of how Americans came together to rebuild the twin towers. Elizabeth Greenspan since 2001 has been interviewing people. Feuding going on between officials and victims of families. Feuding over the design of the memorial. 10th anniversary finds it unfinished, publishing as memorial is completed. A reminder of the time it took to put a face on horror of 9/11. A good read. Recommend this book.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many of the NPR talk shows talked about this book, I felt that i had to read it, especially as my new commute to NYC takes me right by the WTC site as well as because AIChE's new landlord is Silverstein. I enjoyed this book tremendously as it was well researched and well written. The story of the original site I knew, as I watched the WTC being build as I grew up. But the fight for grand zero was not a story I knew, and it was fascinating

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is explicitly not about the attacks of 9/11, but about the built (and social) environment that emerged afterwards. It could be hard to be engaged by a saga of planning and construction, but it was engaging. There are many many lessons to be learned from 9/11, but Greenspan focuses on the ones about the physical environment. How do you rebuild? Who decides? Can it be a democratic process? What is the significance of space?

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read, for the many of us who just loosely followed along the controversies and stops and starts of the ground zero redevelopment. The balance between memorial and redevelopment at times was far from reconciled. This documents all sides of a story at the heart of America.