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Conde Nast Employees At 1 World Trade Center Mostly Okay With Being There
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 4, 2014
Modified Nov 4, 2014
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 4, 2014
Modified Nov 4, 2014
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Yesterday, 1 World Trade Center opened its doors to the first wave of Conde Nast employees who will be occupying floors 20 through 44. Here's a sampling of how they feel:
- "I’m extremely nervous." (NY Post)
- "I told [my mother], 'This is probably the safest building in New York.'" (NY Times)
- "I think it's spectacular. And I think it's a great tribute to America to see this. I'm proud to be able to work here." (Daily News)
- "It’s sad, but it was a long time ago. We’re moving on... Twenty-one of my neighbors in Garden City died. I went to about five or six funerals. … As long as the memorial does justice to the people, then we have to move on." (NY Post)
- "I can understand the fear behind it... [But] If you live in fear. you can’t get anything done in your life." (NY Times)
- "You know, a lot of sad things happened here and this is a good start to get things going in the right direction. It will turn out fine. Condé Nast has a great security team." (Daily News)
Conde Nast CEO Chuck Townsend was permitted to have his Mercedes Benz limousine pull up in the front of the building. From Capital New York:
A man in a dark suit, blue shirt and no tie stepped out and walked to a stand that held microphones from the likes of Times Warner Cable and “Inside Edition.”
“This is a terrific day for Lower Manhattan, a wonderful day for New York City and an absolutely great day for Condé Nast,” the man said.
“Who are you?” a reporter shouted out. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Chuck Townsend,” he said, leaving out his title, chief executive of Condé Nast.
“And what are you trying to show us by rolling up here in a Mercedes Benz, Chuck?” the same reporter asked. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m trying to say that that is my driver, and he drives me every day. Thank you very much,” Townsend said, turning around and walking into the building.
Townsend later told the Post that he did see Chris Rock's Saturday Night Live monologue, where the comedian emphatically said, "They should change the name from the Freedom Tower to the 'Never Going in There Tower,' 'cause I'm never going in there... Does this building duck? Who's the corporate sponsor, Target? ... They put another skyscraper in the same spot? What kind arrogant Floyd Mayweather crap is this?"
Townsend said, "I saw it Saturday night, and I was thinking about it over the weekend, and you know, I don’t feel that way. I don’t mean that in a cavalier way at all. Of course, you always think about security."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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