The National Trust for Historical Preservation released its annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Places, and one of them is the World Trade Center's Vesey Street Staircase.
Before the September 11 attacks, the Vesey Street Staircase was seen and used by the public on a daily basis. Located near the intersection of Vesey and Church streets, it consisted of two granite-clad outdoor flights of stairs and an escalator that led from the World Trade Center plaza to Vesey Street. When terrorists crashed two planes into the Twin Towers, the staircase provided a path of escape for hundreds of individuals. The staircase now leads nowhere and consists only of concrete slabs and blocks, a few remaining pieces of stone cladding, and steel supports – but it is nonetheless an authentic and invaluable reminder of the World Trade Center that once stood here.
The NTHP suggests that people write letters to Larry Silverstein, architect Norman Foster (who is designing Tower 2) and other officials to have them incorporate the stairs into the design. The NY Times notes that Foster has said "[the staircase poses a design challenge] that has to be addressed."
The National Historic Trust called 2 Columbus Circle an endangered building two years ago but that didn't stop developers. And other things on the list this year: The Smithsonian, Doo Wop Motels in Wildwood, NJ, and areas affected by Hurricane Katrina - the historic areas of the Mississippi Coast and New Orleans.
