Mayor Bloomberg, WTC developer Larry Silverstein and Conde Nast owner S.I. Newhouse (NYC Mayor's Office)

The Port Authority and New York City are very excited that magazine publisher Condé Nast is moving to 1 World Trade Center in a 25-year lease worth $1.9 billion. But it turns out that the road to the deal was paved with obstacles...like a $1 million ventilation shaft. The Post reports, "It was said to be the source of contentious negotiations between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the publishing empire headed by the billionaire Chairman S.I. Newhouse, Jr. At one point, Newhouse and Chief Operating Officer John Bellando, who was handling the negotiations, threatened to walk away from the project."

Why did Condé Nast want this pricey vent for its cafeteria (as well as possible test kitchens)? Because of building codes—the Post explains that if Condé Nast had its ventilation system run into the building's ventilation, there would be "far more inspections and cleaning of the venting system to prevent a fire hazard. A vent running straight to the outside would not have the same costly requirements."

The vent will be "huge" and "visible" (supposedly up to 25 feet wide!) as it points to Manhattan.