Results tagged “freedomtower”

If anything ever turns out getting built at the World Trade Center site, please let it be this. Next month, workers are planning to construct a Subway sandwich shop atop a crane at Ground Zero — newly dubbed Ground Hero by the Post — so that hardhats can enjoy their $5-footlongs without having to descend from the Freedom Tower.

      

Another week, another World Trade Center dispute! Since the Port Authority—which controls the land at Ground Zero—and WTC leaseholder Larry Silverstein have been at odds over the funding of the massive redevelopment project, Governor Paterson decided to personally negotiate with Silverstein a few weeks ago. Paterson had given Silverstein an ultimatum to work with the PA or get out. But Silverstein has rejected Paterson's development proposals—the NY Times reports that in Silverstein's eyes, those plans "were unlikely to lead to building two of three skyscrapers planned for the World Trade Center site," which is what Mayor Bloomberg and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver want, too.

If you want to sigh just a little more about the development of the World Trade Center site, here you go: The Daily News reports, "The Port Authority is paying Larry Silverstein $21.5 million to develop the Freedom Tower - even though he has absolutely no role in building the 1,776-foot icon." Even though Silverstein handed over control of the building site to the Port Authority, the agency has been paying him $500,000/month in "development fees" and will keep receiving them until the middle of next year, which the News helpfully points out is the equivalent of "2.7 million George Washington Bridge tolls or 12.3 million PATH fares." The fees were written into the 2006 agreement, which also says the Port Authority can request Silverstein's company's help, but the News says the agency has never done so. The Port Authority says it's siply abiding by the contract, while Silverstein's spokesman told the paper, "We believe our expertise in office tower construction would be of tremendous value in getting the 1 World Trade Center project back on schedule, and our team remains at the Port's disposal."

Freedom Tower, the building known as One World Trade Center, was planned with a patriotic height 1,776-foot height, with the help of a spire with a broadcast antenna inside. But now the Observer reports on "signal trouble": "According to multiple people familiar with discussions, the Metropolitan Television Alliance, a consortium of local television stations, last month informed the Port Authority that it would not be proceeding with a deal for its members to broadcast from an antenna atop the 102-story tower at the World Trade Center site." The MTVA were asked, back in 2003, to pay $20 million to build the antenna and pay $10 million/year rent, but given the economy—and the facts that their signals are fine now and that there are other available, already-built antennas around town—MTVA has been rethinking things. The Port Authority, though, tells the Observer that the spire to hit 1,776-feet "continues to be part of the design."

After the Port Authority announced it would refer to the signature building at the World Trade Center site as 1 World Trade Center, not Freedom Tower, implying it would be easier to market the building by its legal address, there was quite a reaction.

After years of talk, Bloomberg News reports that Beijing-based firm Vantone has agreed to lease with the Port Authority for at least four floors at Freedom Tower. Vantone, which described its plans for the space as a "combination chamber of commerce and cultural center" last year, will occupy 190,000 square feet of space at about $80 per square foot "on a 23-year lease that provides for rent increases every five years," a source told Bloomberg News. The Observer points out, earlier this year, the Port Authority "transferred rent incentives once intended for a JPMorgan Chase tower downtown to the Freedom Tower, perhaps a sign that Vantone will benefit from the subsidies, valued at $5 a square foot." The deal is expected to be announced tomorrow; Freedom Tower is expected to be completed in 2013. Developer Larry Silverstein is reportedly looking for some more help to finish the other towers at the site.

The Port Authority released its letter and report to Governor David Paterson about progress at the World Trade Center site. The NY-NJ agency was given control of the site two years ago, but building at the site has been stymied by delays given the complexity and cost of the project.

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 company whose entire business is centered on verifying the safety and quality of building materials is being investigated for falsifying or faking test results with materials being used in the some of New York City's most high-profile construction sites, such as the new Yankee Stadium and the Freedom Tower.

The Port Authority says that a Beijing-based real estate developer will lease around 200,000 square feet at Freedom Tower (building on the far left). The news is notable because the only two other tenants are government agencies - the U.S. General Services Administration and the state office of General Services.

Internal investigators at the Port Authority are faulting the overwhelming bureaucracy surrounding the construction of the Freedom Tower for the loss of confidential blueprints that could have left the new building vulnerable to those determined to strike the WTC again. Per the New York Post, "Experts say there was enough detail in the blueprints to lead to a devastating terrorist attack."

Proving that there's a market for oversize shredders, a homeless man discovered two copies of blueprints for Freedom Tower, aka World Trade Center Tower One, in the trash at Sullivan and Houston Streets. The Post puts Mike Fleming (a "homeless, recovering drug addict") on the cover and questions the security lapse, pointing out, "It's a good thing Osama wasn't walking through SoHo yesterday morning."

Parties involved with the design and construction of Freedom Tower were happy with tests in the New Mexico desert where a model of the structure was detonated. A partner at architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Carl Galioto, told the Observer, "The specimen performed beautifully, far exceeding our expectations."

Thank you, NY Times, for updating us on the activities of George Elmer Pataki. Although Pataki has been out of politics, he still spent $1.4 million from his political action committee on "Broadway theater tickets, gatherings at the Yale Club and payments to political loyalists and advisers."

You may recall that the original Freedom Tower design had to be scrapped (because the NYPD thought it was too susceptible to attack) and redesigned with a concrete base. Now the Daily News' I-Team takes up concerns law enforcement officials have with "security weaknesses" in the new towers at World Trade Center.

Developer Larry Silverstein announced yesterday that he will build an 80-story building at 99 Church Street, in place of the former Moody's headquarters, just a block away from the World Trade Center site. Twenty-two floors will be for a Four Seasons hotel; the other floors will include 143 condominiums, making it the "tallest residential structure" in the city.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is in charge of construction on the new 1 World Trade Center – AKA the Freedom Tower – is now seeking developers to design, build and operate a 34,000-square-foot restaurant on the 100th and 101st floors; whoever wins the bid may also win rights to operate the observation deck planned for the 102nd floor. The Authority is gazing into its crystal construction ball and seeing a Grand Opening in 2013.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on 7th Ave. in Manhattan, a bank robbery on 3rd Ave. in Manhattan, and another bank robbery on 3rd Ave. in Manhattan. Save us Johnny Utah!
• Stuff embedded in asphalt; it's cooler than it initially sounds.
• Recreate the ambiance of Rob-from-Cloverfield's going-away party before things get crazy by downloading the jam's soundtrack.

A construction crane crushed construction trailers and trapped a worker this morning. According to 1010WINS, the FDNY says "the crane dropped a load of steel it was carrying and crushed the trailers. At least one person was rescued; his condition was not immediately available."

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a woman fell from a building at 35th St. and 5th Ave. in Manhattan, a body part was found on 20th Rd. and 18th St. in Queens, and a pedestrian was fatally struck at 50th St. and 6th Ave. in Brooklyn.
• Architects may lose the 408 foot spire that tops off the Freedom Tower because giant antennas may be technologically obsolete. An alliance of broadcasters are considering moving to a different technology and therefore not pay rent to a downtown mega-building.
• The FBI warned Al Sharpton that an inmate at an upstate prison may attempt to harm him via the mail. The inmate has sent several letters already containing a harmless powder, but the Feds want people at his office to err on the side of caution when handling packages and letters.
• The Landmarks Preservation Commission determined that the renovated Guggenheim Museum would remain grey, rather than reverting to the original color of the building selected by Frank Lloyd Wright.
• When striking writers from The Late Show with David Letterman aren't picketing they keep busy blogging.
• The painting that was rescued from the trash by a vigilant dumpster diver with an eye for art was sold at auction for more than $1 million.
• The new biodegradable to-go boxes used by NYU's dining services break down when exposed to heat and moisture. Unfortunately, that means food served hot and moist causes the boxes to leak almost immediately.
• Queens civic leaders want to preserve the Sunnyside Arch. The city's Municipal Arts Commission says that the arch should be redesigned and made more kitschy.

The Post created this handy graphic explaining the progress of buildings at the World Trade Center site. Describing construction as "booming," the Post suggests the "least heralded project" is the "massive, 80-foot-deep...bathtub" for three Church Street office towers and their foundations. Any takers on whether these projects get finished in time? We will bet that Freedom Tower opens in 2011, even if it's not completely finished, for a 10-years-after-September 11 ceremony.

It's the future, now! The Daily Intelligencer posted this Skidmore, Owings & Merrill/SWIM rendering of Freedom Tower's lobby, and finds out from SOM's TJ Gottesdiener that the lobby will shed "light into the memorial pool." Notice how the way light falls in Freedom Tower's lobby mimics how light would fall in the World Trade Center's lobby. It's wild to think there's a lobby rendering - remember when Freedom Tower was just redesign upon redesign?

Developer Larry Silverstein is probably sleeping better: Yesterday, seven insurance companies agreed to pay $2 billion in payments, which brings the total insurance payout to $4.55 billion and allows all the constructions projects to move forward with what Governor Eliot Spitzer called "certainty." He also said, "It permits access to the capital markets, it resolves and eliminates one of the outstanding hurdles that had remained and it brings to closure years of litigation."

The planned makeover of Washington Square Park inched closer to reality yesterday following a decision by the state appeals court. The new ruling lifts an injunction imposed last summer in response to allegations that the Parks Department had not sufficiently disclosed its renovation plans to Community Board 2, The Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the Art Commission.

In yesterday’s NY Times, Nicolai Ouroussoff notes the onset of 21st-century medievalism, the siege-like architectural style that has surfaced since 9/11.

We image Mayor Bloomberg had some talking-to with the new governor! A few days ago, Governor Eliot Spitzer dipped his toe into the dispute about how victims' names would be arrange at the World Trade Center Memorial.

• The Port Authority has officially agreed to fund $1 billion of the Freedom Tower's construction
• Dr. Denton Sayer Cox, whose patients have included Andy Warhol and John Steinbeck, told police he was beaten and burned with a chemical at York and East 73rd Street but police believe he was the "victim of a gay pickup gone wrong" in his Upper East Side apartment. Either way, he's fighting for his life.
• A corrections officer gets a $1 million settlement because his female boss said things like "You better come and get some of this. My stuff is not going to wait for you forever." and "Why don't you let me make a man out of you?"
• Admissions for NYC public schools are "much more difficult" than college according to parents
• Bickfords, Corvingtons, and bishop crooks: Forgotten NY looks at old-fashioned street lamp design
• A 12-year-old boy died yesterday morning, after falling out the window of his 5th floor apartment in Harlem. His father believes his son pushed the air conditioner and may have tried to retrieve it, but the police are investigating.
• New anti-outdoor advertising poster boy: Restaurateur Keith McNally who picketed the Hotel Gansevoort today
• And in days old news, the Law & Order episode based on the Adrienne Shelly murder was came in second last Friday night, beaten by an episode of Numb3rs.
Continue reading "Extra, Extra"

Governor Spitzer is totally diving into the World Trade Center redevelopment. One moment he's proclaiming support for Freedom Tower (after pre-gubernatorial earlier grousing that it was a "white elephant"), the next he's discussing the naming scheme for the WTC memorial.

Governor Spitzer who once called the Freedom Tower a “white elephant” and questioned its economic viability announced his support of the project today in lower Manhattan alongside the Mayor and NJ Governor John Corzine. Spitzer said that after looking into alternatives, he decided that it was best to proceed as planned, citing the strong real estate market. Plus, it's a good photo op.

We were happy to read in the NY Post that the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation turned down a $30,000 donation from National Collector's Mint. The WTC Memorial Foundation said, "We weren't comfortable [with the donations] because of the history," proving that even though the foundation needs donors, no one wants money from horrible companies trying to profit from the tragedy.