In spring 2002, the development corporation began preparing six possible site plans, two of which showed new construction on the tower footprints.
Even the notion of hallowing the twin tower footprints is up for discussion.
Two plans, both involving some construction on the tower footprints, show buildings of 32 to 72 stories in a U shape.
(Design of the museum space within the south tower footprint is not as advanced.)
At the end of this level, probably by escalator, visitors will travel down the final 22 feet, almost to bedrock, between the tower footprints.
After the attack, once the tower footprints were ruled out as a development site, there was no chance of recreating the west end.
Jurors read that victims' family groups were advocating the preservation of the original tower footprints and artifacts.
Thousands of people are expected to gather every day within the tower footprints.
In the south tower footprint, a shallow pool of water would be lined with large portrait images of all the victims.
Mr. Libeskind had proposed a cultural building, for example, which he suggested might cantilever over one of the tower footprints.