Almost two years to the day after its offices in 2 World Trade Center were destroyed by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, law firm Thacher Proffitt & Wood is returning to lower Manhattan. The firm last year signed a 15-year, 137,000 sq. ft. lease at 2 World Financial Center, which is located directly across the street from Ground Zero and is now moving into its new digs. The move brings 300 employees back to downtown Manhattan

Thacher was one of the largest law firms in 2 World Trade Center, with more than 130,000 sq. ft. of office space. The firm also has leased offices in lower Manhattan for more than 150 years.

When Thacher signed its lease at the World Financial center last year, it was the first major World Trade Center tenant to do so in the lower Manhattan area. As New York Governor George Pataki said "the return of Thacher is yet another indication that the revitalization of Lower Manhattan is well underway."