Ground Zero

Commonly used to describe a location of an explosion or other disaster, the term "Ground Zero" is also used to describe the site where the World Trade Center was destroyed on September 11, 2001.

In May of 2009, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg called a meeting in an attempt to settle a power dispute over the World Trade Center site. Developer Larry Silverstein and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have been arguing over the site, causing delays in the construction of the area.FOX News: NYC Mayor Calls for Meeting to Resolve Power Struggle at Ground Zero

1. Deaths: 2,752CNN: New York reduces 9/11 death toll by 40 (October 29, 2003)
2. Organized by Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden
3. Entire World Trade Center destroyed
4. Four commercial airplanes hijacked
5. Twp planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers
6. One plane crashed into The Pentagon
7. Last plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania

Four commercial airplanes were hijacked on the morning of September 11, 2001, by Al Qaeda terrorists. Two of the planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in lower Manhattan, New York. Both towers were destroyed, killing over 2,500 people.

The site remained smoldering for five months following the incident, hindering efforts to clear the site. Workers proceeded to clean up the site for over eight months following the incident. The last piece of debris was removed during a ceremony on May 30, 2002.PBS NewsHour: Solemn Ground (Transcript) (May 30, 2002)

After a multi-year court battle, New York City lawyers have reached a settlement agreement with the 10,000 ground zero workers who became sick by dust from the collapsed World Trade Center buildings. Announced on [[March 11], 2010, the $657.5 million settlement will be divided among the workers. Those workers who have more serious health problems as a result of the ground zero dust will receive a higher sum of money than others.

Mayer Michael Bloomberg, commenting on the settlement, said, "The resolution of the World Trade Center litigation will allow the first responders and workers to be compensated for injuries suffered following their work at Ground Zero." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35827352/ns/us_news-life/

Plans to rebuild the towers were approved and 1 World Trade Center, to be renamed Freedom Tower, was expected to be completed in 2012. An official World Trade Center Memorial and large transit hub are also under construction and were scheduled for completion by 2011.

However, on June 30, 2008, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released a 34-page report which explained that the memorial would not be completed in time for the 10-year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks and that the project had substantially exceeded its original budget.The New York Times: Rebuilding at 9/11 Site Runs Late, Report Says (July 1, 2008)