It has been 15 years since the tragedy of 9/11 and what was once the scene of massive destruction is now a rejuvenated, hopeful, and vibrant area. Yesterday saw a welcome return shopping at the site with the official opening ceremony of the WTC mall, there was even a special performance by artist, John Legend.
So much has changed since the attacks, the area is now full of life, with three times the number of residents as before 9/11, and millions of tourists visiting annually.
Here is the lowdown of the new mall:
- Spanning the base of three office towers, The Westfield WTC Mall covers a four-block underground network.
- More than 100 stores will eventually take up residence of the 365,000-square-foot center.
- 60 stores opened on Tuesday and the rest will open by the winter holiday season.
- Some of the shops/eateries coming to the mall include: Apple, Forever 21, H&M, John Varvatos, Eataly, Under Armour, to Kate Spade, 1010 WINS’
- Real estate experts say people have been eager for new stores and restaurants in the area and believe the mall and will complement the nearby Brookfield Place, which opened in 2015.
- There’s a 280-foot-long Digital billboard.
- Westfield manages the retail properties, while the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owns the real estate. Westfield states that 15m tourists from the US and abroad are expected to visit the area next year to see the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and other nearby places of interest.
- More than 60,000 residents live within blocks of the World Trade Center area, about three times the number from right before 9/11.
- There is no signage on the side of the mall that faces the 9/11 memorial.
Featured image source: [bigstory/AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]