World Trade Center Likely to Be Rebuilt within 5-7 Yrs

New towers, about half as high as the destroyed 110 story World Trade Center, are likely to be rebuilt at the World Trade Center site within 5-7 years.

Larry A. Silverstein, the president of the developing consortium who holds the lease on the World Trade Center, met with Mayor-elect Michael R. Bloomberg on 21st and said that he would go ahead with plans to build new towers at the World Trade Center site. And he added that he would develop plans for a memorial for those who died in the attack.

The consortium said that it has studied the location, arrangement and linking function of the buildings with different external shape, suggesting that new towers would be rebuilt as a multi complex buildings.

Mr. Silverman said that he would present the rebuild plans to Bloomberg Mayor-elect soon, and a group of investors have backed up this project of billions dollars.

Meanwhile, the New York city announced on 20th that the official estimate of the number of people killed or missing in the Sept. 11 terrorist assault on the World Trade Center has dropped to 3,948 after eliminating errors and duplications, which is far lower than the most conservative projections just after the disaster.

Dae-In Sun eodls@donga.com