Executive Director Robert Harvey presents update on the agency's work

In the nearly 10 years since September 11, 2001, Lower Manhattan has undergone an unparalleled construction boom. Projects have spanned everything from transit and capital roadway reconstructions, to parks, piers and schools, to bridges, tunnels and ferry terminals. And at the center of them all is the colossal reconstruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) site -- where four giant skyscrapers, a major transportation hub, vast underground museum, memorial plaza, and vehicular security center are all being built simultaneously.

To help coordinate all that goes with such extraordinary construction levels is the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC), which since 2005 has served as the central agency for all rebuilding work below Canal Street.

LMCCC Executive Director Robert Harvey this week shared updates about the agency’s work with Community Board 1. He explained that the agency continues to track more than 22 million square feet of downtown real estate -- in addition to monitoring air quality, noise levels and traffic, coordinating utility reconstruction work, and ensuring quality of life for local residents and workers.

At this week’s CB1 WTC committee, Harvey presented the latest logistics data. He explained that in just the past 18 months alone, more than 3.5 million square feet of real estate has opened, including the new W Hotel at 123 Washington and the new residential towers at Battery Park City Sites 23 and 24. 

However, several new construction projects have started since the beginning of 2011 (or soon will); among them are 180 Broadway, 99 Washington Street, and 19 Park Place. Those new projects combined with the multiple “mega” projects -- like the Fulton Street Transit Center, Hudson Street Trunk Main replacement, and, of course, the WTC redevelopment -- mean that the peak traffic and labor demand is still ahead.

The peak is anticipated for late 2011 through early 2012, during which time the multiple WTC projects will call for record numbers of workers, concrete deliveries, and trucks to the site.

Work continues at dozens of downtown site beyond the World Trade Center

The LMCCC also is helping with the extensive utility and capital street reconstructions led by the city Department of Design and Construction. Since December 2010 alone, nearly 3,000 linear feet of roadway have been rebuilt, with many more ahead as water mains, fiber optics, electric, and other utility lines are replaced under the various projects.

In addition to logistics and planning, the LMCCC continues its role in maintaining traffic flow downtown. Its Intelligent Transportation System has real-time camera and traffic sensors posted in key locations, each tying into the city Department of Transportation network. The Construction Permit Enforcement Taskforce (CPET) also helps various city agencies streamline permitting and respond to issues that may hinder construction progress or diminish local quality of life.

As part of its communications program, the LMCCC upgraded its LowerManhattan.info interactive construction map in 2010. The map uses Google Maps technology to show active projects, and integrates the sites where traffic cameras and air-monitors are stationed, providing real-time views and current air-quality reports. The “4D” map also incorporates an innovative time-slider, which, for example, allows users to see a building go from a vacant site to a completed tower, according to developers’ schedules.

Likewise, the LMCCC also shares traffic, transit, and construction updates through the website, and in weekly email alerts. Click here to subscribe.

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