February 1st - February 5th, 2010

Search for Remains Resumes

February 1 – Beginning in April and continuing for the next three months, material gathered from excavations near the WTC site will be sifted. The Daily News reports forensic experts will hand sift 844 cubic yards of soil and other material which has been gathered since December 2007 when the City conducted another search for remains on rooftops, streets, a construction ramp and previously inaccessible areas. A prior sifting operation identified 27 additional victims.  

Construction Material Falls in Battery Park City

February 1 –  No one was injured when a piece of wood about a foot long and three inches wide, fell around 4:15 pm last Thursday. It came from the Liberty Greene and Liberty Luxe condominium towers and landed on the ice. The rink was closed for the night, according to The Battery Park City Broadsheet Daily. Officials blamed the high winds for the accident. A violation was issued to Plaza Construction and a full stop work order was imposed. The rink reopened on Friday.

Trial Location Undetermined

February 2– The Justice Department says a 9-11 trial in Lower Manhattan is still a possibility and that a final decision has not been made. The Daily News reports Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler said the feds are consulting with state and local authorities in New York to evaluate issues of cost and security. Grindler also told the paper no decision is imminent.

Prominent Firm Relocates to 2 World Financial Center

February 3 – D’Amato, according to The Commercial Observer, has signed a lease for 52,000 square feet at 2 WFC, covering all of the 30^th floor and part of the 29th. The law firm began looting for a new location last year when AIG sold 70 Pine Street where they occupied nine floors, about the same amount of square footage D’Amato and Lynch will be getting in the new lease.

Deloitte Considers Alternative Properties

February 3 – The New York Post reports Brookfield is busy negotiating with Deloitte in hopes of convincing them to stay at 2 WFC and expand into the space vacated by Merrill Lynch. Sources however told the paper Deloitte is seriously looking at a number of locations in the city.

1 WTC Reaches 20th Floor

February 4 – The Port Authority announced the milestone, calling it a tangible sign of progress at Ground Zero. 1 World Trade Center is now 200 feet above street level; it’ll rise to 1,776 feet with a scheduled completion in 2013.

Memorial Names Contract Approved

February 4 – The names will be etched into two inch thick sheets of bronze and placed around the footprints of the Twin Towers, according to The New York Post.  Artisans will etch the 2,982 names so they can be back-lit at night. The Port Authority approved an $11 million contract for the project.

MWBE Firms Make Gains on Goldman Sachs Construction

February 4 –  The Battery Park City Authority announced $302 million in contracts was awarded to MWBE firms in the construction of the new Goldman headquarters. In a report in Real Estate Weekly, Governor Paterson said the amount is the largest ever for a single project for the state’s MWBE program.

Settlement in Works for 9-11 Workers

February 4 – The New York Times and The Star Ledger reported an announcement is likely soon about the lawsuits filed by 9,000 plantiffs against 90 government agencies and private companies stemming from the cleanup at the WTC site. One report said the settlement plan is about 70 pages long and involves rescue and cleanup workers who sued over illnesses and injuries. Lawsuits from the first 12 cases are scheduled to go to trial May 16^th in Manhattan.