WTC Site May Need to be Redesigned

There's more discussion about whether or not the current plans for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site meet security concerns, especially Freedom Tower. A lengthy NY Times article notes that the NYPD's recently publicized concerns are "disturbing." More interesting: Police Commissioner Kelly says that the NYPD has been working with developers for the past 16 months about security issues, which would make one think the developers would have had some idea of what was going on. Anyway, there is talk that the entire site may need to be redesigned to address these issues, which would be embarrassing for Governor Pataki who had promised that construction would begin this February (it didn't happen). Gothaimst wonders how politically embarrassing this would be for Governor Pataki, if he can help steer this project, and his greater political ambitions. The Post says Mayor Bloomberg didn't answer questions yesterday about the fate of Ground Zero, making today's NY Times editorial comparing him to Ahab, "pursuing his great white elephant of a stadium as the former World Trade Center site sinks into trouble," seem more apropos. The Mayor needs to roll up his sleeves and yank this project from Governor Pataki's clutches. First, this might actually help get things down. Second, it could help neutralize the negative perceptions earned from his West Side Stadium hyping.

The NY Times' architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff says that he wouldn't be upset if the WTC site had to be redesigned since it's a mess stemming from a "debased process." See the current plan at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Also, here's the LMDC's interactive timeline of rebuilding.