Windows on the World

. [ [http://www.thewinenews.com/octnov01/comment.html The Wine News Magazine] ]

Developed by Joe Baum and designed initially by Warren Platner, it occupied 50,000 square feet (4,600 m²) and was located on the north side, allowing guests to look out onto the skyline of Manhattan. The restaurant was not only one of the most respected in New York, but due to the premium location also had high prices. The dress code required jackets for men and was strictly enforced - a man who arrived with a reservation but without a jacket was seated at the bar. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=5GjOFp9aE2gC&pg=RA3-PA143&lpg=RA3-PA143&dq=%22windows+on+the+world%22+dress+code&source=web&ots=jtGJ4fg7eF&sig=xsqoyUvD0J30VpFtv_doNokQeNo The East/West Quartet] ]

The bar extended along the south side of World Trade Center 1 as well as the corner over part of the east side. The bar's dress code was more relaxed and it had average prices. The most popular time there was Happy Hour Wednesdays, when there was no cover charge. Facts|date=February 2007

Looking out from the bar through the full length windows, one could enjoy breath-taking views of the southern tip of Manhattan, where the Hudson and East Rivers meet. In addition, one could see the Liberty State Park with Ellis Island and Staten Island with the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Windows on the World was destroyed during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. At the time of the attack on the World Trade Center, the restaurant was hosting regular breakfast patrons and the Waters Financial Technology Congress. Almost everyone present in the restaurant when American Airlines Flight 11 penetrated the North Tower perished as a result of the plane's impact and the conflagration that ensued, only a small few lived though the attack until the collapse of the tower. At the time of the attacks, present in the restaraunt were 73 restaurant staff members, 16 Risk Waters employees, and 76 other guests [cite web|title=Risk Waters Group archived home page|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20020802152503/www.riskwaters.com/] . The last people to leave the restaurant on September 11, 2001 before Flight 11 collided with the North Tower at 8:46 AM were Michael Nestor, Liz Thompson, and Geoffrey Wharton, who departed at 8:44 AM.Cite web|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/waronterrorism/story/0,,776360,00.html|title=9/11: Distant voices, still lives (part one)|accessdate = 2006-11-16|publisher=The Observer|year=2002]

Probably the youngest person to die in the World Trade Center collapse was Anna Lavéaux of France, who was found being held in the arms of a man who was later identified as her father. Anna was only 7 months old.

It is believed that "The Falling Man" was an employee at Windows on the World but it is impossible to conclusively establish his identity. [cite video
people = Henry Singer (director)
year = 2006
title = [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810746/ 9/11: The Falling Man]
medium = Documentary
location =
publisher = Channel 4]

On January 4, 2006, a number of former Windows on the World staff opened "Colors," a co-operative restaurant in Manhattan that serves as a tribute to their fallen colleagues and whose menu reflects the diversity of the former Windows' staff.

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20020802142450/http://www.windowsontheworld.com/ Archived snapshot of the former WotW website, August 2, 2002]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20010201152200/http://windowsontheworld.com/ Last pre-9/11 archived snapshot of the former WotW website, February 1, 2001]
* [http://www.colors-nyc.com/ COLORS Restaurant]
* [http://www.unpublishedarticles.com/stories/windowsontheworld.html WOTW Slim Chance Between Life and Death]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/savenyc Rebuild the Twin Towers Petition