MuddHouse Media launches "Top of the World" podcast highlighting the people and stories behind the historic rebuilding of the World Trade Center

NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MuddHouse Media announced today the official launch of Top of the World: Lessons from Rebuilding the World Trade Center, an 11-part podcast series featuring the people at the heart of the historic rebuilding of the new World Trade Center. The special programming premiered exclusively this summer on SiriusXM, and is now available on all major podcast streaming platforms.

Each episode of Top of the World explores the rebuilding through the eyes of those at the center of the action. These individuals share lessons learned from the recovery after 9/11, the challenges Downtown Manhattan has faced throughout the last two decades, and the insights they've gathered about how the city and the country can better recover and rebuild after the pandemic.

Among the major figures featured throughout the series are World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; WTC Master Planner Daniel Libeskind; National 9/11 Memorial architect Michael Arad; the architects and engineers behind the new World Trade Center office towers; Downtown Manhattan business and community leaders; the artists, filmmakers and photographers who have captured and documented the historic rebuilding effort; and many more.

"Rebuilding the World Trade Center has been – and continues to be – the passion of my life," said Larry A. Silverstein, Chairman, Silverstein Properties. "As we approached the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, it was important to reflect on our collective mission to restore, revitalize, and re-invent Downtown Manhattan, and examine how the lessons we learned can inform our response to the devastation wrought by the tragedy of the pandemic."

The Top of the World podcast is hosted by Silverstein's head of marketing Dara McQuillan, and is available on all major podcast streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, Radio.com, and more. The special series was created in collaboration with Silverstein Properties and MuddHouse Media. Click here to watch a trailer, see photos, and find out more details about the new special.

For additional information regarding The Top of the World, please visit: muddhousemedia.com/top-of-the-world

Dara McQuillan (Chief Marketing Officer, Silverstein Properties) is available for interviews upon request.

The Top of the World - Episode Descriptions: 

Episode 1
Larry Silverstein, World Trade Center developer
Larry Silverstein purchased the Twin Towers at the age of 70 on July 24, 2001, only to see the complex destroyed in the 9/11 terror attacks. He has devoted the rest of his life to rebuilding the Trade Center. Despite many major obstacles over the past two decades, he has convinced some of the world's leading companies to move into his new office buildings, and helped transform Lower Manhattan into a vibrant live-work neighborhood. A year into the pandemic that has temporarily brought the neighborhood, the city and the country to a halt, Silverstein reflects on his experience, and the road to recovery for New York and the nation.

Episode 2
Daniel Libeskind, WTC Master Plan architect
How do you rebuild a city within a city after the devastation of the worst terror attacks on American soil? Architect Daniel Libeskind won a star-studded international competition to lead the design process for the world's most emotionally charged site. He talks about what inspired him as a young immigrant to the United States, the enormous challenges he faced, the magnificent place he created, and how it can help shape the future of cities in a post-pandemic world.

Episode 3
Mary Ann Tighe, CEO of CBRE's New York Tri-State Region
Over 15 million square feet of New York's newest office space were destroyed on 9/11, forcing a mass exodus of office tenants from Downtown to other parts of the city. Mary Ann Tighe talks about what it took to convince companies to return to the new World Trade Center, and how the area became the media, communications and technology capital of New York, home to Condé Nast, Spotify and Uber, as well as luxury brands including Moet Hennessy and Diageo. She discusses the future of office space after more than a year of working remotely, and what the recovery from the pandemic means for the World Trade Center, Downtown Manhattan and cities across America.

Episode 4
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton
Michael Bloomberg was sworn in as Mayor of New York City just four months after 9/11, and for the next 12 years, he oversaw much of the area's and the city's remarkable recovery. He was one of the earliest proponents of Downtown's transformation from a 9-5 business center into a vibrant mixed-use 24/7 neighborhood. Mayor Bloomberg shares his thoughts on how the city can recover from the pandemic, and the lessons we can draw from the World Trade Center rebuilding. Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton talks about transforming the new World Trade Center into a vibrant campus, with food, drinks, music and art.

Episode 5
Jessica Lappin and Catherine McVay Hughes
Jessica Lappin, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York, and Catherine McVay Hughes, a 33-year resident of Lower Manhattan and former chair of Manhattan Community Board One discuss their experience living and working in Lower Manhattan as their community recovered from the 9/11 attacks. They talk about the challenges of attracting new companies, businesses, residents and visitors back to the area, and offer insight on how Downtown can recover from the pandemic, and once again become one of the most popular, successful 24/7, mixed-use neighborhoods in the country.

Episode 6
Sean Johnson, Carlos Valverde, and Duan He, 3 WTC project executives; Michiko Ashida, 4 WTC design director
The people who built the new office towers for Larry Silverstein offer a behind-the-scenes look at the design, engineering and construction challenges of overseeing 3,000 daily construction workers build a $20 billion project in the heart of America's oldest and most iconic business district. They discuss the sustainable design and security features in the new buildings, and how their work inspired high-rise design and construction all over the world.

Episode 7
Joe Woolhead, WTC photographer, "Once More to the Sky," Judith Dupré, author, "One World Trade Center," Mike Marcucci, producer, "16 Acres," Grace Capobianco, publisher, "Downtown" magazine
As the unofficial chroniclers of the World Trade Center rebuilding, Joe Woolhead, Judith Dupré and Mike Marcucci talk about the obstacles and highlights of documenting - through film, photography and books - the 16-acre site on a daily basis over the past 20 years, and what is next for New York City. They are joined by Grace Capobianco who has been reporting on the rebirth of Lower Manhattan for 20 years.

Episode 8
Leslie Koch, President, Perelman Center for the Performing Arts
Leslie Koch offers a guided tour of the under-construction performing arts center, which will be the next building to open at the WTC site. She discusses the importance of arts and culture to Lower Manhattan and to a city that is just now beginning to recover from the pandemic. We witness a special musical performance in the new building with violinist Gregory Harrington and cellist Eleanor Norton, who also talk about music during the pandemic.

Episode 9
Marcus Robinson, Kerry Irvine, Lady Aiko, Cristina Martinez, BoogieRez, Joohee Park, Komikka Patton
Before any companies moved into the new World Trade Center towers, a small group of artists set up makeshift studios in raw space overlooking the site. From this rare perch, they began to capture and document the massive construction project below. These artists tell their personal stories of passion, hope, renewal and perseverance from their studios in the sky, and the important role that art and creativity continues to play in Lower Manhattan.

Episode 10
Robert Whitlock, KPF; Maria Masi, Brookfield Properties; Marty Burger, Silverstein Properties; Dawanna Williams, Dabar Development Partners
Architect Robert Whitlock, and developers Maria Masi, Marty Burger and Dawanna Williams talk about 5 WTC, the only residential tower proposed for the WTC site. Featuring 1,325 apartments, including 330 that will be permanently affordable, this will be the country's most significant and anticipated energy efficient and sustainable apartment building when it opens in 2026. 

Episode 11
Michael Arad, 9/11 Memorial architect; Bill Dacunto, Silverstein Properties
How do you create a place of remembrance in the heart of a bustling city? Michael Arad was a young, unknown architect when he beat out 5,200 others to win a competition to design the National 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center. He talks about what inspired him, changes he was forced to make to his design, the opening of the Memorial on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and his thoughts on a national memorial to the victims of Covid-19. Silverstein Properties long-time head of operations Bill Dacunto talks about surviving the 9/11 attacks.

Video and audio trailers, and photos can be found here:

About MuddHouse Media
MuddHouse Media is a company composed of diversified knowledge and skill sets, specializing in the most niche and mainstream facets of science, sports, comedy, lifestyles and culture, music and art, business, entrepreneurship and much more. MuddHouse Media combines niche expertise to create compelling, engaging and appealing storytelling. It presents the most passionate individuals discussing the subjects they live for, with people who either share their zest or can offer a novel or unique take or opinion on the subject. Its offering includes full-service production of original podcasts, corporate podcasts, and media and scripted podcast series.

MuddHouse Media original series include "Top of the World: Lessons from Rebuilding the World Trade Center," an original podcast series in partnership with Silverstein Properties that documents the rebuilding of the World Trade Center following its destruction in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; "Being American," with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; "Tanya's Table," with chef Tanya Holland; "Holding Court," with tennis analyst and former professional player Patrick McEnroe; and "Saints, Sinners and Serial Killers," hosted by New York Times best-selling authors Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. MuddHouse Media has created podcasts for leaders in their fields including "The Sound Experience" with Panasonic Automotive, "Bring Out the Talent" with The Training Associates, and Bruker Industries. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, like us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn. For more information, visit us at www.muddhousemedia.com.

About Silverstein Properties
Silverstein Properties is a privately held, full-service real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York. Founded in 1957 by Chairman Larry Silverstein, the company has developed, owned and managed more than 40 million square feet of commercial, residential, retail and hotel space. Recent projects include 7 World Trade Center, the first LEED-certified office tower in New York City (2006), 4 World Trade Center (2013), Four Seasons Walt Disney Resort (2014), the Four Seasons Downtown and 30 Park Place (2016), One West End (2017), and 3 World Trade Center (2018). For further information on Silverstein Properties, please visit www.silversteinproperties.com or www.wtc.com.

Media Contacts:
Jesse P. Cutler, JP Cutler Media
[email protected], 925.253.3163

Sarah Epelman, Silverstein Properties
[email protected], 347.668.4586

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SOURCE Silverstein Properties; MuddHouse Media