Existing comment:
The sign says:
The Austin J Tobin Plaza
The World Trade Center's Austin J Tobin Plaza
The World Trade Center complex consisted of seven office buildings constructed around the landscaped, five-acre Austin J Tobin Plaza. In June on 1999, The Port Authority of NY & NJ completed a $20 million renovation that successfully revitalized the Plaza.
Originally designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the World Trade Center's architect, as a "comtemplative" space, the Austin J Tobin Plaza became an active space renowned for its dining and for free lunchtime and evening entertainment that appealed to World Trade Center workers, Lower Manhattan residents and international visitors.
The Plaza provided space for a multitude of community activities and cultural events, thus becoming an integral part of the Lower Manhattan neighborhood. During almost any season, workers, residents, and visitors could walk through the Plaza and enjoy a variety of events ranging from an international festival to outdoor performances and art exhibits.
Up until the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the Plaza was home to works by internationally renowned artists including Alexander Calder, James Rosati, and Marsayuki Nagare. In 1995, a memorial fountain, designed by Elynn Zimmerman, for those who perished in the February 26, 1993 bombing, was installed. The central feature of the Plaza was The Sphere, crafted by artist Fritz Koenig as a monument to world peace through trade. A fragment of The Sphere survived the attacks and is on view in Battery Park City. |