16 Acres

The Rebuilding of Ground Zero

The rebuilding of Ground Zero is the most architecturally, politically, and emotionally complex construction project in recent American history. The struggle to develop these 16 acres of 'sacred' land has encompassed 12 years, 19 government agencies, and over $20 billion. Aside from the engineering challenges, various constituencies - politicians, developers, architects, insurers, local residents, and relatives of 9/11 victims - profess conflicting claims to the site.

16 Acres is the inside story of how and why this historic project got built. At the heart of the story is the dramatic tension between noblest intentions, the desire of everyone involved to "get it right," and the politics, hubris, ego and ideology that is the bedrock of New York City.