November 9th - November 13th, 2009

The Port Authority is criticized for SWOCC plans

November 9 – The Daily News claims the Port Authority still has no design, budget, schedule or permanent location for the Site Wide Operations Coordination Center, SWOCC. The article says several projects that rely on the SWOCC, such as the Freedom Tower and the Transportation Hub, could miss their schedules and budgets. The Port Authority says it will set up a temporary SWOCC at 115 Broadway early next year; it will use 24/7 monitors to coordinate construction and security at the WTC site. The SWOCC is designed to overcome communication breakdowns between FDNY, NYPD and PAPD which occurred on 9-11.

WTC Preview Center Attracts Crowds

November 9 – The Center opened about two months ago and according to The New York Post, it has had more than 215,000 visitors, approximately 3,000 a day. Located at 20 Vesey Street, the Center is designed to give visitors a preview of what the memorial will look like.

Port Authority releases its third quarter WTC Report

November 10 – The report says the PA has met 21 of its 24 milestones including the installation of all of the jumbo columns for One World Trade Center. One of the milestones the PA missed is the demolition of 130 Liberty Street, which is the responsibility of the LMDC. The PA has been issuing quarterly reports so the public can track the rebuilding progress.

Scotiabank may be leaving Lower Manhattan

November 10 – According to a report in The Commercial Observer, Scotiabank has hired CB Richard Ellis to find 120,000 square feet of new office space. The company declined to comment. The bank has been located at One Liberty Plaza for decades. After 9-11, the bank received $3 million in federal monies to stay in Lower Manhattan for at least seven years.

130 Liberty Demolition Delayed a Week

November 13 - Demolition work, scheduled to begin this week, won’t start until next week, according to the LMDC. The Downtown Express reports mobilization of equipment took longer than expected and the work should begin this week. There was another accident at the building this week. A wrench fell from the 26^th floor, hit a loading dock and hit a worker on the knee. Violations were issued by DOB, but work on the project was not halted.

Tour Buses May End up in New Jersey

November 13 – The Port Authority is considering routing tour buses to New Jersey and then putting people on the PATH to take them to the WTC site, once it reopens. The Downtown Express says Joseph Daniels, President of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum told Community Board 1, he supports the idea to avoid Lower Manhattan being turned into a ‘big parking lot.” The plan is primarily for the interim period after the Memorial opens but before the VSC is finished.