Pataki Tries to Clean Up WTC Mess

Governor George Pataki, realizing even in the waning months as a potential lame duck governor that he needs to take action with the rebuilding of the World Trade Center, has installed one of his aides to lead the effort. Other aides say that yesterday's announcement that John P. Cahill would be moving from Albany to help jumpstart the rebuilding, which has taken its fair share of knocks in the past year, from Goldman Sachs deciding not to move to the site and the NYPD's criticism of Freedom Tower's safety, was meant to restore confidence. Cahill will also be drumming up more fundraising efforts to attract money to the project. Gothamist would like Cahill to know that we wish him luck - you better get everything straightened out before Pataki's term is over.

Other WTC news: David Childs will be redesigning the Freedom Tower all by his lonesome, according to the Observer, and Stefan Pryor, the vice-president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, was named to replace outgoing president Kevin Rampe. The EPA will FINALLY test the air in areas outside of Ground Zero - hey, EPA, nice work, you're just three-plus years late to see if other New Yorkers have been affected - and the NY Times has a feature about the Toronto backyard where the WTC Memorial mock-up is being tested. And can you believe that almost a year after the cornerstone was laid down, there's all this mishegas?