The September 11th tragedy has touched all of us in many ways. The deaths of nearly 3,000 people in and around the World Trade Center, along with hundreds of others killed at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, have left many families devastated, and have had a profound impact on all New Yorkers, all Americans, and much of the world. The attack has also had an enormous impact on New York's economy and on the conditions under which we must live and work.

Economy and Business

The economic impacts are staggering. The New York City Partnership and the Fiscal Policy Institute have completed economic analyses of the attack. They estimate that 100,000 jobs were lost in Lower Manhattan; over one quarter of total employment for the district. Most of those who lost their jobs earned less than $25,000 per year. The finance, retail, and hospitality sectors were hit especially hard. Fourteen million square feet of commercial office space were destroyed and nearly 16 million square feet were damaged - over one quarter of all commercial office space in Lower Manhattan. The district also lost over 500,000 square feet of retail space just within the World Trade Center shopping mall, the third busiest in the country. Over 700 small businesses were destroyed when the towers came down on September 11th. Many other merchants and small businesses in the Financial District, Tribeca, Battery Park City, Chinatown and the Lower East Side have seen sales volumes drop by up to 80 percent. Lost government revenues and increased operating costs have opened up multi-billion dollar deficits in the New York City budget and the New York and New Jersey state budgets.

Transportation

More than 500,000 people who travel through Lower Manhattan feel the impact in longer and more crowded .commutes. The N, R, 1 and 9 subway lines and the Downtown PATH were disabled. While the subways have been partially restored, five stations, serving 128,000 commuters, will remain out of service for up to two more years. Private ferry services have more than doubled their ridership to over 60,000 daily riders, the Uptown PATH has added 50,000 riders and NJ TRANSIT's Penn Station trains cram in more than 30,000 extra riders every day.

Security

Security is now a paramount concern. Concrete barriers have been installed on streets and sidewalks, which make movement much harder for pedestrians and vehicle traffic. In the long run, these difficulties may be relieved as security measures are integrated into the design of buildings and public facilities. These new measures will add still more costs to construction in New York City, already the most expensive construction market in the country. Security concerns have absorbed public resources that could be used productively elsewhere.

Infrastructure

Local utilities were also hit hard. Con Edison lost two electrical substations at Seven World Trade Center and Verizon lost a switching station and other equipment. Both utilities, as well as the Department of Environmental Protection, will need to replace their networks beneath most downtown streets, which will cost nearly $400 million and disrupt access for businesses and residents for some time.

Quality of Life

Lower Manhattan is home to more than 50,000 people. These people, along with the rest of the metropolitan region who work, shop and visit there, have experienced countless other impacts to their daily lives, which cannot be measured statistically. Parents were forced to explain harsh realities of our world to young children. Others had to leave their homes amid falling debris, only to return to a massive cleanup effort and a chilling view of the area where the twin towers once stood. Their lives are a constant reminder of the events of the 11th. Some are not interested in returning. School children were displaced, and embraced in their new environments. Questions about health and environmental quality abound. Concern for personal safety has become a far greater part of every day life. The attacks of September 11th have impacted how we view ourselves, how we relate to one another and how New York City is viewed by the world.