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September 12, 2011
Developer Bruce Ratner’s 9/11 ad
Breaking Copy
by Daryl Lang
Bruce Ratner, patriot, is at it again, with his version of the Twin Towers.
Here’s an 9/11-themed ad that’s running in the Wall Street Journal today for the real estate developer Forest City Ratner.
Notice the skyline. The rippling, metallic building in the foreground is 8 Spruce Street, a Forest City Ratner building. It was designed by Frank Gehry and is an easily spotted new fixture in the downtown Manhattan skyline. It’s full of pricy apartments Ratner is trying to rent.
In the background, of course, is a rendering of the future 1 World Trade Center, which Ratner is not involved in. The copy above says, simply, “WE BELIEVE.”
What to make of this? On the one hand, yes, Bruce Ratner did place a vote of confidence in Lower Manhattan at a time when the neighborhood really needed investments. But come on. He’s a New York City real estate developer, not a charity. So the ad basically says: “Let’s piggyback the 9/11 anniversary to show off our shiny new building we’re trying to fill up.” Yuck.
NoLandGrab: If you don't shell out $15,000 a month for a high-floor 3BR, the terrorists will have won.
Posted by eric at September 12, 2011 11:50 AM