windows on the world
Memorial park · Financial District
285 Fulton St, New York, NY 10007
"Perched on the 107th floor of the North Tower and opened in 1976, this lofty restaurant offered breathtaking, sixty-mile vistas — Manhattan, bridges, the Statue of Liberty, and even distant Highlands and ocean — and an almost otherworldly atmosphere of high-contrast light, muted sound, and wind howls that made the city below look like a toy. Conceived by restaurateur Joe Baum as a glamorous, international dining destination and an antidote to a rougher city street life, it grew into the highest-grossing restaurant in the country over its 25-year run and became a symbol of New York’s grandeur. Its creation was a monumental logistical and design effort: Baum assembled a small, driven team to imagine multiple eateries and bars on the floor, oversaw dozens of contractors for interiors, and fought a crucial battle to widen narrow architecturally prescribed windows so diners could truly take in the views. The operation also depended on an extensive, below-ground kitchen system to feed building tenants and guests daily. The restaurant’s success and cultural stature were forever marked by tragedy when 73 employees were lost on September 11, 2001, an event that casts a long shadow over its legacy." - Tom Roston
