New York

WHEN the people of this city set out to rebuild the World Trade Center after Sept 11, they planned to erect a lasting memorial, remake the skyline and restore Lower Manhattan as a financial centre.

But when the 104-storey One World Trade Center officially opens for business on Monday - the tallest and most expensive building in the Western Hemisphere - it will have ushered in a rebirth of Lower Manhattan as a vibrant, urban neighbourhood where people live, shop and eat, rather than just hustle home from white-collar jobs.