World Trade Center Attack "The Second Day of Infamy"

• Consists of two 110-story buildings, known as the "twin towers" and five smaller buildings • Tower One is 1,368 feet (414 meters) tall • Tower Two is 1,362 feet (412 meters) tall • About 50,000 people work in the complex, which housed the offices of more than 430 businesses from 26 countries • 70,000 visitors each day • Completed in 1970

HISTORY

The World Trade Center was built from 1969 to 1973 at a cost of $750 million. The two 110-story towers briefly were the world’s tallest buildings until the Sears Tower in Chicago surpassed them in 1974 at 1,450 feet.

BUILDING FACTS

The World Trade Center was the world's largest commercial complex, once occupied by many businesses, government agencies and international trade organizations. It was built primarily of stainless steel and glass. 1 World Trade Center tower was 1,368 feet tall and 2 World Trade Center was 1,362 feet tall. The towers had 43,600 windows. There were 93 elevators in the two buildings. The building is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

1993 BOMBING

In 1993, a terrorist car-bomb explosion damaged portions of the World Trade Center, killing six people and causing more than $300 million in damages. In 1995, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and nine others (Sudanese, Egyptian, American, and Jordanian citizens) were convicted of conspiracy and other charges related to the bombing. In 1998, Ramzi Yousef was convicted in the bombing and sentenced to life plus 240 years in prison.
In 1999, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani opened a $13 million emergency crisis center on the 23rd floor of 7 World Trade center—a building near the twin towers. Giuliani intended the center to serve as a command center during city emergencies, including blackouts, storms and terrorist attacks.

FACILITIES

The World Trade Center had 435 tenants from 26 countries that employed 40,000 office workers. An underground shopping center occupied the space below the complex, as well as the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority’s N, R, A, C, E, 1 and 9 subway trains and New Jersey PATH commuter trains, which served 150,000 daily commuters. The World Trade Center held 70 stores and restaurants, including the restaurant and nightclub, Windows on the World, at the top of 1 World Trade Center.

BUSINESSES

Government agencies in the World Trade Center include the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Animal Plant Health Inspection, Federal Maritime Commission, U.S. Customs Service, Internal Revene Service, Customs Service, Treasury Department, Secret Service, and Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
Financial exchanges include the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange, and New York Cotton Exchange.
Businesses include Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter (who lease 50 floors), Hyundai Securities, Tokyo Securities, Charles Schwab, Yamaichi International America, Smith Barney Inc., Keefe Bruyette & Woods Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald Inc., and Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.

email the WebMaster