I was also reluctant to take a room facing ground zero, so I made several inquires at the front desk. It comes down to a bit of a tradeoff: apparently the corner suites and other, larger suites all face ground zero. If you are satisfied with a regular room, then you can ask for one on the opposite side of the building. Actually, I think the corner suites are not so bad because one window (in the bedroom) faces ground zero, but you can close those curtains if you prefer and still have plenty of light and plenty of view from the other windows.

Enjoy your stay!