Bloomberg touts downtown Manhattan's growth 12 years after 9/11

Mayor Michael Bloom-berg says the city's recovery from 9/11 has ushered in a new era for the Big Apple, and the best is yet to come.

Speaking at a Downtown Alliance breakfast at 7 World Trade Center Thursday, the mayor reflected on how pundits feared downtown Manhattan would be crippled for a long time following the attacks.

But through hard work and a large effort by the community, the neighborhood has become an example of the best the city has to offer, the mayor said.

"The time has come to recognize that our city has emerged from the shadow of 9/11 stronger than ever, and that we have entered a new era," he said.

The mayor cited a drop in crime, better education and the massive development in the Financial District as the keys to the rebound. He noted that 7 World Trade Center is fully occupied and that the remaining buildings are close to completion.

Bloomberg also said more people are calling downtown their home. There are more than 60,000 residents living in downtown Manhattan, nearly triple the number that resided there on Sept. 10, 2001, according to the mayor. He credited a rise in tech and finance jobs in the area.

"We've created the kind of community where the young people who dominate the tech industry want to come and work," he said.