December 29th - January 4th, 2007

Remains Discovery Prompts Service Road Excavation

Wednesday, January 3^rd: In the ongoing search for human remains along the service road at the World Trade Center site, nine more human bones were discovered, the Associated Press reported. The bones range in length from one to more than four inches and add to the more than 225 body parts discovered since October 2006, the AP continued. Last week, the city decided that at least three-quarters of the service road will be searched for remains and parts of the remaining quarter will be searched as well, the AP added.

Governor Spitzer Promises Ground Zero Progress

Wednesday, January 3^rd: In his State of the State address, Governor Eliot Spitzer said that he plans to expedite building at the World Trade Center site, the Associated Press reported. The governor added that he hopes to address government gridlock going forward and intends to take a hard look at the financial numbers regarding the Freedom Tower, the AP continued.

"We must show the resilience of our spirit by completing the rebuilding of Ground Zero," Spitzer said. "I will immediately begin working with Speaker Silver -- who has long been a strong voice for Lower Manhattan redevelopment -- along with Mayor Bloomberg and the other stakeholders involved, to revitalize Ground Zero."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was looking forward to working with Spitzer, stating, "I've always thought change was good," according to the AP. "When you have time to rethink everything and create new initiatives, everybody's juices get flowing and I think you can get a lot of things the governor laid out done," Bloomberg continued.

130 Liberty Street Deconstruction to Be Complete by Year End

Thursday, January 4^th: Deconstruction of 130 Liberty Street, the former Deutsche Bank building, has resumed, and Stephen Sigmund, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, made assurances that the building would be down by the end of the year, the New York Times reported. "Any delay imperils the overall time schedule that we've established," Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff added. The Times noted that the timetable is a tight one with intersecting parts from all parties involved.

Before the Freedom Tower and Towers Two, Three, and Four can be constructed, the Vehicular Security Center needs to be built, and before that can happen, a reverse bathtub contained by slurry walls must be constructed, the Times reported. Additionally, before the slurry wall can be completed, the Port Authority must move a large sewer line that is currently located beneath 130 Liberty, the paper continued. In order to make as much progress as possible, the Port Authority will begin work on the sewer line and slurry wall while 130 Liberty is being razed and will complete the work once the tower is removed, the Times added. 

"A floor a week is achievable," Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center Executive Director Charles Maikish told the Times regarding the building's deconstruction. "The planning, the engineering, the sequencing, the deconstruction method, the environmental controls have all been approved by the regulators and the work is going forward," Maikish continued.