Results tagged “worldtradecenter”

     

After being greeted by a 21-gun salute, the warship built from World Trade Center steel USS New York is back home. A New Yorker who knows the harbor better than anyone else, not to mention the pain of Sept. 11, guided it into the city. Harbor pilot Neil Keating, whose firefighter brother Paul was killed on Sept. 11, pulled the warship into place this morning. He told the Post, "It's fitting that 7.5 tons of Twin Towers steel were used to make the bow, because that's where the ship takes a pounding and keeps trudging forward through roughs seas. We're like ambassadors when we go on board."

Now that the World Trade Center's wreckage warship has set sail, it looks like the next 10 days of the USS New York's maiden voyage from the Big Easy to the Big Apple are going to be busy.

One of the confessed masterminds behind the 9/11 attacks, along with four other killers, may be flown from Guantanamo Bay to face death penalty trials in the Big Apple. Yes, we're talking about ex-Al Qaeda "military commander" Khalid Shaikh Mohammed—who admitted last year to being a terrorist "to the bone", said he wished to be a martyr and even played critic to a courtroom sketch artist's drawing of him.

The building of the new Navy warship, the USS New York, has finally been completed and the ship is leaving the Louisiana shipyard for the Big Apple today. The 684 feet long and 105 feet wide ship, constructed by Northrup Grumman, was built with 7.5 tons of steel from WTC wreckage. It will be commissioned Nov. 7 in the city and then head to its homeport of Norfolk, VA.

           

On this rainy day, survivors and relatives of victims of the September 11 attacks were able to descend to the construction site where the Twin Towers once stood. In the memorial ceremony at Zuccotti Park, relatives and volunteers read names of the 2,752 victims at the memorial ceremony while politicians, such as Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Bloomberg, former Mayor Giuliani, and former Governor Pataki, spoke (videos after the jump). NBC New York reports that one father, Vladimir Boyarsky, whose son, Gennady Boyarsky, died, said, "We miss you; life will never be the same without you. This is not the rain. This is the tears."

Last night, you may have seen the Tribute in Light beams. The September 11 light installation, which involves 88 separate lights, was being tested ahead of its official annual lighting next week. We're checking to see if the location is the same as last year (West and Morris Streets), but they are visible throughout lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. On Friday, September 11, the lights will on at sunset and will "fade away" at dawn on September 12. The Tribute in Light was designed by artists Julian LaVerdiere and Paul Myoda, architects John Bennett and Gustavo Bonevardi of PROUN Space Studio, architect Richard Nash Gould, and lighting designer Paul Marantz and produced by the Municipal Art Society and Creative Time—it was first seen in March 2002 for a month and then became part of the September 11 anniversary fabric. In 2002, Bonevardi wrote about project, "We're not reconstructing the towers in their original size, but the distance between the two squares of light is the same as the distance between the actual towers. So in effect, we're not rebuilding the towers themselves, but the void between them."

           

Yesterday, the "Preview Site" for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum opened to the public. The actual memorial won't be ready until the 10th anniversary next year and the museum won't open until 2012, so the Preview Site has photographs, mementos (like an 8-foot Statue of Liberty covered in condolence cards and tributes), videos, models, and more from the day. Monica Iken, whose husband died during the 9/11 attacks, told the Daily News, "This is going to allow people to see what this memorial and museum will look like in the future. It's been difficult, but this is a wonderful day and it makes you realize it's going to happen - we are going to have this wonderful memorial."

From NotifyNYC: "Construction crews will conduct an evacuation drill tomorrow August 27, 2009 at the WTC site in Manhattan. The drill will begin at 11:30 AM. Traffic, subways, and PATH will not be disrupted. You may hear a siren during the drill."

       

The last column removed from the original World Trade Center building after the September 11, 2001 attacks returned to Ground Zero yesterday. The beam, and its graffiti messages and mementos, was raised up and put in place—it will be part of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. An ironworker told the Daily News, "For this to go up evokes emotion. It shows the rest of the world that even if you knock us down we'll get right back up."

The Port Authority says it will turn over the World Trade Center site to developer Larry Silverstein in the next few days. Which means that the Port Authority, which owns the site, is within its target handover period the agency mentioned last month—yet it's still over a year past the various deadlines set to turn the land over. These delays have resulted in tens of millions in penalties (they rack up at $300,000/day) the Port Authority must pay to Silverstein.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum isn't on track to open until 2011 (the memorial plaza, that is, if all goes well with construction; the museum won't open until a year later), but it's trying to make its presence know at Ground Zero with the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site. According to the AP, it's located in "an old camera shop northeast of the World Trade Center site," where "visitors will be able to watch live video of the construction, record their 9/11 memories and even leave with a souvenir."

Get ready to rumble: State Senator Bill Perkins (D-Harlem) says that his Senate committee, the Committee on Corporations, will hold a public meeting discuss development—or, rather, the slow pace of development—at the World Trade Center site. He told NY1, "We are literally still at ground zero when it comes to the monument and development of that site. It's a site that has local, national and international importance and it's important that we try to play a role in moving it along."

A new study released yesterday by the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene revealed that the number of people who have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of being exposed to 9/11 continues to increase as the years since the attack go on. Nineteen percent of the 50,000 people polled in the 2006-07 survey showed signs of PTSD, up from 14 percent in a survey taken in '03-'04. Co-author of the study, NYC Deputy Health Commissioner Lorna Thorpe said, "There are very few studies that have looked at one-time major disaster and looked at the course of mental health over time." She said that lingering health problems or eventual job loss due to the tragic events lead to the increase in PTSD cases and that the statistics from those around the WTC attacks are very consistent with those of combat veterans. Thorpe said, "(PTSD) is really the largest burden in terms of health conditions."

      

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.

Hey, guess what? Over a year after missing the July 1, 2008 deadline to turn over the World Trade Center site to developer Larry Silverstein, now the Port Authority says the site will be ready! The Daily News reports, "Agency brass say that within the next two months, they'll turn over 'construction-ready land' to the developer - and stop paying him $300,000-a-day in late fees they've paid for more than a year. The handover of the World Trade Center parcel will start the clock ticking on a contractual deal that requires Silverstein to construct the Church St. buildings within five years - or else."

Now that the State Senate stalemate isn't occupying his time, Governor Paterson is directing this energy towards another mess: Ground Zero! World Trade Center leaseholder Larry Silverstein and WTC owner the Port Authority have been squabbling over who will finance planned towers—Silverstein wants the PA to foot most of the bill while the PA wants Silverstein to raise the money. Paterson said yesterday that public financing was out: "I think it’s unfair to the taxpayers, because you could go to the private equity firms, and they don’t want to extend that kind of credit. So I don’t think that the taxpayers should run a greater risk than what makes good business sense for a number of private institutions." He also floated the idea of public-private partnerships. The Port Authority said, “We appreciate Governor Paterson’s leadership and agree with his principled position on protecting public resources. In the meantime, the Port Authority will continue to make daily and visible progress on the Memorial, One World Trade Center, the Transportation Hub and the other public infrastructure," while Silverstein said, "I appreciate the governor’s direct involvement. I look forward to continuing these discussions.”

In the latest round of World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein vs. World Trade Center owner Port Authority, Reuters reports that the PA has "rejected the use of more public money to guarantee financing for two private office towers" at Ground Zero. Apparently Silverstein only wants to put $75 million in equity into the two towers, which are estimated to cost $4.2 billion. The PA released the letter it sent Silverstein, which includes, "You demand that the public take on the risk that you and the private sector will not take. It is unrealistic of Silverstein Properties to demand this extraordinary level of public subsidy, and it is not going to happen." Silverstein had previously rejected the PA's demand that he raised $625 million towards the project. The slow pace of progress—not to mention rising costs—have raised suggestions that some buildings be scrapped or drastically downsized and Silverstein has threatened to take the matter into arbitration, which could delay construction even more.

Even though the Port Authority and World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein are locked into a battle over funding for future towers at Ground Zero, now there are new possibilities for the World Trade Center Performing Center. According to the Tribeca Trib, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation officials "said they were studying the feasibility of putting the center across the street from the site, at 130 Liberty Street, where the remains of the former Deutsche Bank building now stand. The move, to the LMDC-owned property known as Site 5, could mean that the performing arts center gets built years sooner." Presently, the WTC PAC is planned—with "conceptual work" by Frank Gehry—for in between the Freedom Tower and PATH transportation hub. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told the Daily News, "Clearly, it's a site that could be ready a lot sooner - and the cost would be a lot cheaper - than the current site," and even though money will be an issue, "there will be less funds to raise."

Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Paterson said that 9/11 victims' families will be able to descend to the World Trade Center and pay their respects, even though the site is under construction. It was originally thought that last year would be the final year to allow visitations. This year, the AP reports, "families will be allowed into a newly built upper level of the memorial site"; the ramp to the "pit" was removed to make way for a foundation. Rosaleen Tallon, sister of firefighter Sean Tallon who perished in the North Tower, said, "We totally understand that there would be no way to go down ourselves. But it would be nice to do something to symbolically connect us to the site." The 2,750 victims' name will be read by volunteers and victims' relatives.

Surprise, surprise: In the weeks since the various players in the World Trade Center's development met, nothing has happened! Even though politicians, including Mayor Bloomberg and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (in "a startling alliance"!), have criticized the Port Authority for slowing the progress of Ground Zero's future, since the PA refuses to pay for all the towers that developer Larry Silverstein wants, the Port Authority hasn't budged. Now Silverstein has given the Port Authority two weeks to come to an agreement, or else he'll take the whole thing to arbitration. Which could mean more delays.

The Post has an article looking at the lunchtime habits of some World Trade Center construction workers—specifically the liquid preferences the workers have: "Dozens of workers belly up to the bar at gin mills on Murray Street -- two blocks from the sacred soil of Ground Zero and America's most scrutinized construction project -- shortly before noon every day." At one bar, "three pals plus a fourth worker gulped three beers and two shots of whiskey each during the lunch hour, when the bar was packed with construction workers...openly discuss[ing] their drinking, their Ground Zero work -- and DWI arrests."

Local politicians gathered in Washington today to introduce the James Zagroda 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, legislation that would provide $12 million for the medical expenses of Ground Zero workers. Zagroda was an NYPD detective and 9/11 first responder who died of lung disease in 2006 at 34. Mayor Bloomberg joined both pairs of senators from NY and NJ and Zagroda's father Joseph in announcing the bill that will attempt to circumvent a missed a 2003 deadline missed by workers looking to receive assistance in illnesses stemming from being exposed to toxic dust and debris at the site of the 9/11 attacks.

Last week, the players with stakes in Ground Zero development—the Port Authority, developer Larry Silverstein, Mayor Bloomberg, NY Governor Paterson, NJ Governor Corzine, Assembly Speaker Silver among them—met at Gracie Mansion to discuss the stalemate (and bickering) over the World Trade Center rebuilding progress. What they agreed on was, the Post reported, "to order their aides to come up with an agreement by the next summit on June 11." Um, great. The NY Times had an editorial yesterday about the stalemate, declaring that instead of helping Silverstein build (aka fund) two towers, "The authority should instead be focusing on what it has already committed to: building the substructure for the 16-acre site, the Calatrava PATH terminal and the tallest tower. The authority’s designers have also come up with an interim proposal to build multistory bases for some of Mr. Silverstein’s towers. Those could house retail shops until the market needs more skyscrapers."

Phillippe Petit wasn't the only daredevil back in '70s that used the World Trade Center as a stage. Today marks the anniversary of George Willig's climb up 2 WTC, the south tower, in 1977. Also known as "the human fly" or "the spiderman," it took the mountain-climber and Queens resident about 3.5 hours to scale the building. Sport Illustrated wrote a story about the climb shortly after it took place, which you can still read here. In it Willig's brother notes that the Port Authority cops asked him "'Is George sane? Is he doing this for any political purposes? Is he going to wave signs or something? Is he doing it for a commercial reason?' I told them he was doing it for his own satisfaction, no other reason, and that he was as sane as I was, which I think confused them." His punishment? New York City Mayor Abraham Beame fined him $1.10, one cent for each of the skyscraper's 110 stories. Allegedly he signed his name on a piece of metal on the observation deck which was still visible until its destruction in 2001. Sadly, there doesn't appear to be much footage, aside from this 12-second clip (larger image of his climb after the jump).

With all the squabbling over World Trade Center development—not to mention delays and ballooning budgets and talk of cutting buildings—a number of players (like the Port Authority's Anthony Coscia, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, WTC developer Larry Silverstein,NY Governor David Paterson), met at Gracie Mansion today. But don't expect anything to come out of it. Mayor Bloomberg told reporters, "There will not be a grand announcement at the end of [this] afternoon that the days of wine and roses are here again.... If we can be a catalyst and provide a forum for them to get together - I would like to do that. It is in the interest of the city and this country to get development going at the World Trade Center site...There's no easy solution here. We'll try and come to an agreement."

A week and a half ago, it was revealed that the Port Authority was considering scrapping three of the planned towers at the World Trade Center site. Towers 2 and 3, designed by Sir Norman Foster and Sir Richard Rogers respectively, would instead be transformed into 4-5 story "stumps" (Tower 5 would be abandoned for now). Today, the Post shows renderings of the stumps, which are given the more marketing friendly term "retail podiums."

                     

Yesterday morning, the FDNY, NYPD, Port Authority Police, Office of Emergency Management and additional agencies converged on the World Trade Center PATH station in lower Manhattan to participate in a full-scale exercise—Operation Safe PATH 2009— to test their response to an improvised explosive device detonation. While PATH service was suspended and the immediate area were closed off to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, over 800 emergency responders, plus 150 volunteers who portrayed victims, participated in the drill, which involved two (simulated) explosions that occurred on a NJ-bound PATH train about 1000-1200 feet into the tunnel.

Yesterday, the Daily News reported that the Port Authority may consider to scrap three of the planned towers—Towers 2, 3 and 5— at the World Trade Center site, due to costs, delays and the economic downturn. Now the Post throws out the idea that the PA may actually opt for building luxury hotel and apartments at Tower 5, which seems "a stronger bet than holding out for a commercial tenant, now that JP Morgan is out of the picture." And Globe St. suggests that the PA only wants to delay Tower 2 and 3 construction until the real estate market is better (and needs millions more square feet). The PA and WTC developer Larry Silverstein have been at odds over Ground Zero plans, with the developer asking for more financial help and the PA unwilling (thus far) to pitch in any more. Silverstein Properties president of WTC properties Janno Lieber said, "The Silverstein team has not wavered on rebuilding the World Trade Center, and we never will." [Via Curbed]

Last Friday, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, "Seven years and eight months after the attacks, I am fed up with the stalling and exasperated with the current state of the World Trade Center project," outlining that two of the towers must be completed by 2014 and urging developer Larry Silverstein to take on more of the risk, with help from the Port Authority. Now, the Daily News reports that the Port Authority is proposing a drastic change to the plan that would reduce the square footage from 10 million to 5 million:

The sources say the agency's new vision for the site calls for scrapping one tower that would have been taller than the Empire State Building and nixing two others that would have dwarfed the nearby Woolworth Building.

Continue reading "Three WTC Towers May Be Scrapped From Ground Zero"

Today's lesson in what not to post on the internet is provided by our trusted friends at FEMA. For years the organization says it gave out thousands of copies of "A Scary Thing Happened" around the globe without a single complaint about the coloring book designed to help children cope with tragedy. But now FEMA has pulled it only a week after putting it up on its homepage due to complaints about color-in depictions of the 9/11 attacks. Upon seeing what the Daily News calls a "stomach-churning image," one local man told the paper, "I feel disrespected. I feel like I should punch the person who did this in the face." It turns out the person wants to deck is Marlys Jentoft, a 68-year-old grandmother of 10, who volunteers for the Red Cross, church and crime victims groups. She told The Smoking Gun, "I feel like it was happening in the world and kids saw it. It is life."