<P> In compensation for Radio Row business owners' displacement, the PANYNJ gave each business $3,000 each, without regard to how long the business had been there or how prosperous the business was . After the area had been purchased for the World Trade Center in March 1964, Radio Row was demolished starting in March 1965 . It was completely demolished by 1966 . </P> <P> Approval was also needed from New York City Mayor John Lindsay and the New York City Council . Disagreements with the city centered on tax issues . On August 3, 1966, an agreement was reached that the Port Authority would make annual payments to the City in lieu of taxes for the portion of the World Trade Center leased to private tenants . In subsequent years, the payments would rise as the real estate tax rate increased . </P> <P> On September 20, 1962, the Port Authority announced the selection of Minoru Yamasaki as lead architect and Emery Roth & Sons as associate architects . Yamasaki devised the plan to incorporate twin towers; Yamasaki's original plan called for the towers to be 80 stories tall, but to meet the Port Authority's requirement for 10,000,000 square feet (930,000 m) of office space, the buildings would each have to be 110 stories tall . </P> <P> Yamasaki's design for the World Trade Center, unveiled to the public on January 18, 1964, called for a square plan approximately 208 feet (63 m) in dimension on each side . The buildings were designed with narrow office windows 18 inches (46 cm) wide, which reflected Yamasaki's fear of heights as well as his desire to make building occupants feel secure . Yamasaki's design included building facades sheathed in aluminum - alloy . The World Trade Center was one of the most - striking American implementations of the architectural ethic of Le Corbusier, and it was the seminal expression of Yamasaki's gothic modernist tendencies . </P>

How long did it take the twin towers to be built