Paterson Won't Get His WTC Rebuilding Timeline

Photograph of the World Trade Center site, taken by Joe Woolhead, courtesy of Silverstein Properties

Frustrated with the lack of progress at Ground Zero, Governor David Paterson asked the Port Authority to provide a timeline of work, noting, "Any new schedule must reflect an aggressive but realistic approach to completing these vitally important projects." Now, a few weeks later, the Port Authority is ready to present a report on Ground Zero activity, but the Sun reports that it will not include a timeline.

A source explained, "The problem isn't the time, the problem is that the various stakeholders have created this incredible jigsaw puzzle. The problem is that people have been delivering dates on their own agenda and not on what needs to get done." Oh, tell us something we didn't know--that the project has been mired in bureaucracy since September 12! Community Board 1 president Julie Menin says, "Unrealistic deadlines were set forth years ago. There was press conference after press conference about how Lower Manhattan would be built stronger than ever. And people just didn't question all of those deadlines."

One of those unrealistic deadlines: Back in 2003, then Governor Pataki said Freedom Tower would be completed by 2008. Nowadays, occupancy is expected to be around 2011.