The First World Trade Center Project: A Historical Tribute to a Great Mega Project

Donald Olson,Vered Holzmann,Aaron Shenhar,Randall Vendetti

doi:10.5130/pmrp.v5i0.5648

Donald Olson, Vered Holzmann + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5130/pmrp.v5i0.5648

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Abstract

The tragic collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 could not erase the memory of one of the most successful projects in history. The project set standards of excellence in project management for years to come. Using a retrospective look at the construction management of the WTC during the 1960s and 1970s, we show how the vision of great leadership and a determined organization transformed the economy of one of the most important cities in the world.

Highlights

This paper examines the project management and leadership during the conceptualization, design and construction phases of the World Trade Center during the 1960s and early 1970s
This paper takes a retrospective look at the project management of the World Trade Center in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA) was the only organization that had both the political autonomy and financial resources to undertake such a massive project. This project demonstrated the importance of a great vision combined with strong leadership provided by Port Authority Executive Director Austin Tobin and World Trade Department Director Guy Tozzoli

Summary

Introduction

This paper examines the project management and leadership during the conceptualization, design and construction phases of the World Trade Center during the 1960s and early 1970s. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA) was the only organization that had both the political autonomy and financial resources to undertake such a massive project This project demonstrated the importance of a great vision combined with strong leadership provided by Port Authority Executive Director Austin Tobin and World Trade Department Director Guy Tozzoli. They believed in the Towers’ mission and shared this conviction throughout the project team and all those associated with the building of the Trade Center. Guy Tozzoli was a young Navy veteran who specialized in radar engineering He had previous experience in smaller port projects in New Jersey and New York. In spite of the Yamasaki’s resistance, Tozzoli ordered the architect to redesign the top two floors and make the windows fifty percent wider than planned

A Modern Approach to Project Analysis

Findings

A Retrospective Evaluation of the WTC Project