Not architecturally innovative, for sure. I also thought of Dean's point -- another is that the height itself, the angle at which most people will see it, are rather more dramatic than the rendering conveys.
The tower will reflect the light and sky in some interesting ways, which those familiar with New York light can understand.
My main concern is the "bombproof" base -- will be pretty foreboding from the street, absent some innovative colors or decoration.
The top thing looks like a toothpick through a lump of pizza dough, or a cartoon saber -- it is ridiculous in the rendering.
BOB
PS- a few years ago, I drew up a design for the Memorial Competition for an Architect friend. It would be great to see the city and the hole in it healed.