# The "hole" at ground zero.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 10, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173 "2006-09-10T16:23:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/1 "2006-09-10T16:23:40Z")
The hole is what’s left of the below grade structure that once stood at ground zero, not a bomb crater. It was created when demolition crews came and removed rubble from the destruction of the building and the remainder of the building itself.
Doesn’t everyone know that? Does it make any difference? A woman at work said, in conversation, that the terrorists “blew a hole in the ground, and they’ll do it again”. I mentioned that that wasn’t exactly true, and she insisted that the planes exploded and made craters where towers once stood. I shut up.
I guess some myths are more important than the truth to those who hold them.
My younger (adult) daughter thought it was a crater too, till I told her different. After a second’s thought, she agreed.
I dunno. I just have this feeling that a lot of people have this image in their minds of a gigantic explosion blowing a huge crater at ground zero. Calling it “ground zero” kinda reinforces that image.
The best way to remember the victims of the attack, both primary and secondary, is to incorporate lessons learned from the destruction into future building construction.
mangeorge
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### Author:  [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/2 "2006-09-10T17:20:58Z")
I don’t see what’s so wrong with saying it that way. Due to the terrorist attacks in question, there is a large hole in the ground where there used to be a couple of tall towers. Yes, there was a lot that happened in between the moment of the attacks beginning, and the holes that are there now. But in a kind of long-term view, I can see how they’re sort of right. I don’t know if I’m making sense.
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/3 "2006-09-10T17:24:48Z")
> [@TJdude825](#):
>
> Due to the terrorist attacks in question, there is a large hole in the ground where there used to be a couple of tall towers.
If she’d said something to the effect that they “_left_ a big hole in the ground,” I’d be right there with you. But “_blew_ a hole in the ground” is an entirely different image.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/4 "2006-09-10T19:50:00Z")
Here’s the best, and most recent, [picture](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5298028.stm) of the hole I could find. It’s courtesy of the BBC.
I wish they could have made another nice park out of it. That’s how I would’ve thumbed my nose at those responsible.
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/5 "2006-09-10T19:56:10Z")
Naturally, [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52325) has something to say on the matter.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/6 "2006-09-11T01:18:12Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#):
>
> Naturally, [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52325) has something to say on the matter.
I love The Onion. 😛
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/7 "2006-09-11T02:32:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I mentioned that that wasn’t exactly true, and she insisted that the planes exploded and made craters where towers once stood. I shut up.
That does sort of make it sound like the towers blew up on impact, which is just a tiny bit removed from the reality.
> [@ArchiveGuy](#):
>
> Naturally, [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52325) has something to say on the matter.
That’s really on the ball, given the way the construction process has gone.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/8 "2006-09-11T23:35:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> That does sort of make it sound like the towers blew up on impact, which is just a tiny bit removed from the reality.
>
> That’s really on the ball, given the way the construction process has gone.
Do you live in NYC, Marley? If so, will you and your cronies swim in the Eternal Puddle? It wouldn’t surprise me much. I’d do it, as long as I didn’t hafta go inna deep part. 😉
Anyway, what are the general feelings among your people about what they’re doing at the site? Positive, I hope.
I love Manhattan. Really! 🙂
I spent several months at the Navy Shipyard in '64. I had a ball. I miss it. Especially the people.
Peace,
mangeorge
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/9 "2006-09-12T03:40:11Z")
> [@mangeorge](#):
>
> Do you live in NYC, Marley? If so, will you and your cronies swim in the Eternal Puddle? It wouldn’t surprise me much. I’d do it, as long as I didn’t hafta go inna deep part. 😉
I don’t live in the city, although I hope to in the near future. If they made a giant reflecting/swimming pool, I might go for that.
> [@](#):
>
> Anyway, what are the general feelings among your people about what they’re doing at the site? Positive, I hope.
I wouldn’t say they’re positive, no. I think at this point, people feel that the whole process is dragging out forever and that it’s a mess. That’s what I was trying to say with the second part of my post. To me, it’s the ultimate “too many cooks spoil the broth” situation over there. I know that personally, I can resign myself to the fact that they’ll put up more buildings there, but every step they’ve taken has made it a less effective memorial.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/10 "2006-09-12T23:56:20Z")
I feel that what they need to do now that the plans are in is _hurry up_ and get the thing done. Do the entire complex all at once. I’d like to come see it before I die, or at least before I’m too old to walk around.
The towers don’t look that bad, considering what could have been. There’s more non-leasable space than I’d have expected. We can thank New Yorkers for that.
I’d like to see Central Park again too. What a joy that park is, right there in the middle of everything. New Yorkers have managed to keep it too, in spite of the obvious real estate value. I’m impressed. The people of Manhattan grew on me very quickly when I was there.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2006, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hole-at-ground-zero/372173/11 "2006-09-13T05:35:44Z")
Well, for a long time, it was refered to as ‘the bath tub’. That was the nickname for that part of the site when it was built.
There have been several ‘big building’ projects brought down in NYC lately. The process for getting things done is all (which forum is this? oh) mucked up.