January 2010

February 2010

MTA Goes Full Speed Ahead on Fulton Transit Center
The beginning of heavy demolition inside the Broadway-Nassau-Fulton subway station says it all: The Fulton Street Transit Center is rolling ahead. The $1.4 billion complex is fully funded, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is ahead of schedule issuing the last two contracts that will see the project complete by June 2014.
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March 2010

LMCCC Launches Google-Based Projects Map
Tracking construction projects in Lower Manhattan just became easier with the relaunch of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center’s new “Downtown Projects and Streetworks Map.” The map still displays the very latest construction details based on schedules and data provided by project sponsors -- but now incorporates new technology for faster interface and navigation. And while previous versions of the LowerManhattan.info streetwork maps were displayed via two different maps, the new version integrates the various information streams into one sourced, viewed through Google Maps. Read more »

LMCCC Expands Traffic Management Plan
Under its Traffic Management Plan, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) has now outfitted the most high-traffic areas south of Canal Street with 27 traffic monitoring cameras, eight solar-powered Variable Message Signs (VMS), two Highway Advisory broadcast radio stations, and 13 transponder readers. In addition, 152 new traffic sensors are now in the process of being installed throughout downtown. Read more »

May 2010

Downtown Parks Are Springing Up
Over the past several years, the city Parks and Recreation Department has been hard at work bringing more green spaces, innovative playgrounds, and serene shady plazas to Lower Manhattan. The transformation of paved lots and underused park areas has been a gradual process, with Parks designers and contractors at work in neighborhoods from the Battery to Tribeca to the Lower East Side. Funded by more than $82 million from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, here’s a rundown of the latest downtown parks either recently opened beginning construction, or soon to open. Read more »

1 WTC Cocoon System Now in Place
The Port Authority is now erecting 1 World Trade Center (WTC) with added safety. The new blue “cocoon,” an innovative perimeter protection system, is now in place at the top of the tower and will continue to rise with the building. The cocoon wraps all four sides of the tower’s top floors, which is now above 275 feet from street level, in a scaffold covered in layers of protective netting. The system protects both workers inside the building, as well as people outside by containing construction materials inside the structure. Because the system is modular, it will be raised as more floors are added and the cranes are jumped to higher elevations. Read more »

The New and Improved Fulton Street Corridor
The major undertaking to replace and repair Fulton Street and its infrastructure began in July 2007. Now, three years later, most of the 150-year-old water main has been replaced, along with many other vital utilities that will ensure constant service for downtown businesses and residents. In addition, pedestrians are enjoying the sidewalks new ramps, curbs, and smooth pavement. Read more »

June 2010

New Hotel Opens at 130 Cedar Street
Seven years since developer Masterworks took ownership, the building at 130 Cedar Street officially opened on June 9th as the new World Center Hotel. The former 12-story commercial/industrial tower was converted to a hotel following an extensive abatement process and the addition of eight more stories. Located at the corner of Washington and Albany Streets, it is now home to the public World Center Hotel, with a block of floors operating as the members-focused Club Quarters chain. Read more »

WTC South Bathtub Excavation on Track
Since the reconfiguration of the Liberty Street pedestrian bridge in April, the Port Authority has made significant progress in the World Trade Center south bathtub/Vehicular Security Center. Crews have excavated 32,000 tons of soil -- more than half of the total to be removed before work can begin on the bedrock.
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LMCCC Logistics Bring Balance to Rebuilding
There is more than 55 million square feet of real estate being built, rehabilitated, or converted in Lower Manhattan -- and one agency in the middle of it all. The Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) has for five years helped maintain quality of life downtown even while facilitating billions of dollars’ worth of major rebuilding projects.

July 2010

WTC West Side Rebuilding Remains Steady
The latest rebuilding news from the World Trade Center (WTC) was presented to Community Board 1 this week. The Port Authority, addressing the WTC committee, reported that visible progress on each of its projects continues, and assured the board that each one is fully funded on schedule according to the “Road Map” that was issued in October 2008. Read more »

New Burling Slip Playground Draws Playful Crowd
On a bright New York summer day, the city officially opened a one-of-a-kind playground in the heart of the Seaport district. The Imagination Playground at Burling Slip, at the corner of South and John Streets, drew a crowd of VIPs and, perhaps more importantly, dozens of children who quickly dove into piles of interactive play equipment and water features. Read more »

Beekman Tower Construction Enters Final Year
Since it reached its peak in November 2009, the 76-story skyscraper at 8 Spruce Street -- better known as Beekman Tower -- has been a busy work zone. And now developer Forest City Ratner is on the final floors of its iconic façade installation, a process that will continue for about another three months. Another visible sign of progress is the removal of the north hoist, which is now at floor 28, but will be fully removed by mid-August. The west hoist’s removal is slated for approximately spring 2011. The tower, designed by architect Frank Gehry, stands out on the downtown skyline both for being the tallest south of the Empire State Building, and for its rippling silver façade. Read more »

August 2010

City Brings New Plazas to Downtown
Taking inspiration from the sidewalk cafés and public plazas of Europe and California, the city Department of Transportation is planning to open three new pedestrian-only spaces in Lower Manhattan. The first is a temporary plaza at the intersection of Water and Whitehall Streets. Read more »

18th-Century Ship Opens Window into Old NYC
The remnants of the historic ship uncovered at the World Trade Center site has been removed piece by piece, but archaeologists are just starting to put the clues together. Believed to be a common schooner or dual-masted brigantine from the late 18th century, the ship was uncovered during Port Authority excavation in the south bathtub July 13th. The excavation process has been well documented, with a special revolving panoramic glimpse recorded and posted online here. Read more »

Hudson Street Water Main Project Begins
The City of New York is working to update its water-supply system, including rebuilding and replacing miles of water mains in Manhattan that tie into the third water tunnel. The project is extending to Lower Manhattan, where work will take place in north Tribeca around the Holland Tunnel rotunda, on Hudson and adjacent streets, through winter 2015. Read more »

Liberty St. Closure for Sculpture Reinstallation
The four large bronze sculptures by Louise Nevelson were returned to the public plaza named for her. The reinstallation of the four works by crane required the full closure of Liberty Street between William and Gold Streets. The rebuilt Nevelson plaza, part of the city's Liberty Street Reconstruction project. Read more »

WTC East-Side Development Plan Made Official
The World Trade Center (WTC) rebuilding officials authorized the development plan that will build the east side of the site up to at least street level. The series of agreements that form the development plan follow the framework outlined on March 25, 2010, by the Port Authority and Silverstein Properties.

Under the plan, Tower 4 -- now up to the 7th floor, at the southeastern corner of the site -- will be built in full by 2013. The Port will provide credit support for the $1.81 billion tower and its lower-level retail, including approximately $1.36 billion of Liberty Bonds and $450 million of insurance proceeds. Read more »

September 2010

First Trees Take Root on 9/11 Memorial Plaza
The first dozen of nearly 400 Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) trees were planted on the plaza of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on August 28th. The trees marked a major milestone on the road to opening the Memorial plaza to the public next year, on the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Memorial. Read more »

South Ferry Plaza Opening with New Bikeway
The new South Ferry subway terminal opened to the public in March 2009, and now the new pedestrian plaza above it is open to the public. Known as Peter Minuit Plaza, a namesake for the Dutchman who first colonized Nieuw Amsterdam, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) rebuilt the plaza as a welcoming open space outside the subway station and Whitehall Ferry Terminal. The landscaped plaza completes a key link between the Hudson and East River bikeways, which ties into the bikeway through Battery Park. Read more »

Small Firm Assistance Program Expanded
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) announced the expansion of the Small Firm Assistance Program. The program provides relief to small retail businesses that have suffered business disruptions affected by publicly-funded construction projects in Lower Manhattan. The initiative was originally due to expire this year will be extended by five years through December 31, 2015. Read more »

October 2010

City to Rebuild East Chinatown Pedestrian Malls
The city Department of Parks and Recreation has launched the reconstruction of several downtown public spaces. The most substantial will replace the cracked pavement of the Pike and Allen Street Malls with new recycled-glass pavers, and expand the malls' footprint to include the bike lanes on either side of the pedestrian areas. Read more »

DeLury Square Park Opens
Downtown's newest shady respite is now open to the public at Fulton and Gold Streets. DeLury Square Park opened October 14th. Under construction since early 2009, the $2.6 million park was created in conjunction with the city's overall Fulton Street Corridor plan, with funding from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Read more »

November 2010

Rebuilt Pier 25 Community Space Now Open
A new playground, skate park, turf field, and esplanade are the newest additions to Hudson River Park. Pier 25, located at N. Moore Street west of Tribeca, opened November 4th, welcoming visitors to the largest open space built in Manhattan since Central Park. Read more »

Chilling at the World Trade Center
Cooling millions of square feet of retail, transit, and museum space requires an enormous engineering feat. At the World Trade Center (WTC), it means building a central chiller plant that spans two stories, totaling about 80,000 square feet - much larger than a football field.

The WTC chiller plant's scope comes with many impressive figures. For instance, a total of 13,500 tons of cooling capacity will provide air conditioning for well over two million square feet, including the WTC Transportation Hub, National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Vehicular Security Center, Performing Arts Center, and new retail areas that alone will occupy a half-million square feet and seven stories. Read more »

Titanic Park Now Open
In a little under a year, the city Parks and Recreation Department has rebuilt Titanic Park - adding another welcoming green space to the upper Financial District. The park, located on the east side of Pearl Street at Fulton. In addition to some infrastructure modifications, crews focused on beautifying the modest park, which has commemorated the lives of Titanic passengers since 1976. The park stands out for it iconic lighthouse at its southern tip, which also marks the west entrance to the South Street Seaport historic district. Read more »

December 2010

First Water Flows at WTC Memorial Waterfalls
The largest man-made waterfalls in North America are nearing completion, and the first cascades successfully flowed in the north pool in last month. The waterfall testing let engineers assess for the first time the actual flow and circulation of the water. For several hours, water flowed through eight pumps, circulating about 52,000 gallons of water per minute. The 176-foot-perimeter pools mark the footprints of the World Trade Center's original twin towers. Entitled "Reflecting Absence," they were designed by architect Michael Arad as the centerpieces of the National 9/11 Memorial plaza. Read more »

LMCCC Continues Its Rebuilding Role
Now tracking more than 22 million square feet of downtown real estate, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) continues to serve as the central agency for all rebuilding work below Canal Street. With peak construction traffic expected in 2012, the agency is keeping tabs on everything from planning and permitting, to logistics tracking, to mapping and community outreach. Read more »