Survivors' Staircase
| Company type | Memorial artifact |
|---|---|
| Industry | Memorial and museum exhibit |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Staircase structure, museum exhibit |
The Survivors' Staircase is a granite and concrete flight of stairs that represented the last remaining original above-ground element at the World Trade Center site. It originally provided a connection from Vesey Street to the World Trade Center's Austin J. Tobin Plaza through an outdoor stairway accompanied by two escalators. During the events of the September 11 attacks, this staircase functioned as an evacuation path for hundreds fleeing 5 World Trade Center, a nine-story building adjacent to the Twin Towers. In 2008, the staircase was relocated and subsequently incorporated into the National September 11 Memorial & Museum by 2010.
Staircase
Composed of granite and concrete, the staircase consists of thirty-seven steps that descend from Austin J. Tobin Plaza outside the Twin Towers down to Vesey Street.[1] Prior to the attacks, it weighed approximately 175 tons and stood at a height of ; by 2008, its mass had been reduced to 65 tons.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Following the collapse of the towers, surviving elements included segments of the Vesey Street stair structure, terrazzo flooring from Tobin Plaza, space designated for escalators, and an entrance to the Cortlandt Street stop on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line. Steps sixteen and seventeen sustained significant damage from debris, along with their chrome handrails.[2][1]
Preservation efforts
After May 11, 2006, when the staircase was named one of America's Most Endangered Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, efforts to preserve it became a subject of dispute.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The stairs occupied land required for a new office tower project that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was contractually obligated to clear before transferring it to developer Larry Silverstein of Silverstein Properties, who is responsible for constructing the 200 Greenwich Street office building ("Tower 2" in the master plan).
The World Trade Center Survivors' Network called for preservation commitments from all involved parties; however, no official public resolution was reached. Meanwhile, ongoing construction vibrations from projects such as the permanent PATH station, World Trade Center Memorial, and 1 World Trade Center contributed to further deterioration of the already compromised staircase.
In January 2007, structural engineer Robert Silman proposed relocating the entire staircase intact, with estimated costs between $500,000 and $700,000. This plan was rejected by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC), while critics argued that dismantling expenses would surpass $2 million.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Installation in museum
In August 2007, Avi Schick, Governor Eliot Spitzer's redevelopment director, revealed intentions to remove the staircase from its concrete base for incorporation into the World Trade Center Memorial museum. The plan included embedding all 38 steps along a stairway linking the visitor center to the underground museum. On October 31, 2007, LMDC confirmed that preservation and restoration efforts would place the stairs inside the museum accompanied by interpretive displays.
On March 9, 2008, a crane relocated the staircase approximately along Vesey Street. By 2010, amid intensive construction activity at the World Trade Center site, this staircase—together with two "trident" columns from the Twin Towers’ facade and other large artifacts—was installed beneath Memorial Plaza and its entrance pavilion within the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. It now stands as a key exhibit within the museum.
Symbolism
The staircase has been likened to prominent U.S. national landmarks such as the USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor National Memorial, representing endurance and strength. It holds significant meaning tied to the experiences of survivors and the evacuation efforts during the attacks, given its widespread use by those fleeing the site.[2]