September 22nd - September 26th, 2008

Building May be Delayed

September 22 – Several published reports are speculating whether all of the towers planned for the WTC site will be built. Crain’s is reporting that the Port Authority will announce next week that one of the towers will be delayed because of the sharp downturn in the financial markets. Brokers think more time may be needed to absorb the millions of square feet of office space as investment firms cut back. Developer Larry Silverstein is under a deadline The Daily News reports some elected officials fear the towers could become ‘hollow high risers’ with no private sector tenants. The story also points out the towers were designed with massive, column-free trading spaces to accommodate the needs of Wall Street’s financial firms, many of whom are now on the ropes.

Governor Paterson Discusses Ground Zero

September 23 – Governor Paterson met with The New York Times Editorial Board Monday and he called the rebuilding of Ground Zero “a mess.” Paterson said the pace of rebuilding was ‘more of a mess than you know.” The Governor also expressed frustration with the fact that the 9/11 memorial may not be open for the 10^th anniversary; that the PATH station and transit hub are behind schedule and over budget and that the demolition of the Deutsche Bank won’t be completed until sometime next year, putting it 14 months behind schedule.

September 11 Memorial to be Completed by 2011

September 26 – The Port Authority will complete the September 11 Memorial in time for the 10^th anniversary according to The New York Times and The New York Post. The reports say the PA will have in place the landscaped plaza, waterfalls that flow into two underground chambers where the twin towers stood and the parapet walls lined with the names of those killed in the attacks. The Museum would not be completed until a year later. The news is the result of a modification in the design for the transit hub which now includes using four to 6 columns to hold up a platform upon which the memorial plaza will be built; the original plan called for a column free space.

Port Authority to Miss Deadline

September 26 – The New York Sun is reporting that the Port Authority is expected to miss the September deadline for turning over land for Tower 2. Sources told the paper the PA won’t meet its own deadline of September 30, but a PA spokesman said the agency still plans to turn over the land by the end of the month. Since 30, the PA has been paying penalties of $300,000 a day to developer Larry Silverstein.

130 Liberty Site Safety Measures Added

September 26 – The LMDC has stepped up safety measure at the former Deutsche Bank building in an effort to prevent smoking and drinking. The Downtown Express says LMDC added guards to several floors and it also has people patrolling floors and doing inspections. The agency is also installing security cameras.