Posted on 05/09/2011 7:48:15 PM PDT by Kaslin
Malaise: Reports from New York City say that union work rules pertaining the rebuilding of Ground Zero are going to cost taxpayers an extra $96 million. But that's only a small part of the sordid story.
The New York Daily News reported Sunday that, according to the Real Estate Board of New York, "In the next three years the no-work jobs, controlled by Locals 14 and 15 of the Operating Engineers, could add $96.2 million to the cost of World Trade Center projects."
The projects that would be affected "include the Freedom Tower, the transit hub, the 9/11 Memorial and surrounding street work." The union, which the Daily News calls "mob-linked," is protecting no-work jobs for crane master mechanics that contractors must hire "whenever five pieces of heavy equipment or three tower cranes are in use."
These jobs are obsolete, though, because repairs are always done by the crane owner or manufacturer.
Maintenance engineers, crane oilers and stationary equipment operators are also required on big jobs, such as the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. None, however, appear to be needed to complete the project.
While this is a discouraging, though not surprising, development, the biggest sore is the hole in the ground that's been there since Sept. 11, 2001, now nearly a decade ago. In the years since the terrorists took down the towers of the World Trade Center, Ground Zero is still a zero. The Twin Towers' footprints are clear, but there are no towers reaching skyward.
Yes, Ground Zero has been cleaned up since the attacks. It's no longer a terrifying pile of twisted steel, broken concrete and dust.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Groundbreaking for the original World Trade Center took place on August 5, 1966. The North Tower (1) was completed in December 1972 and the South Tower (2) was finished in July 1973. 200+ stories (and a “little” outrigger of a mere 70 stories at WTC 7) in under 8 years.
And it has been 10 years since the attacks and we have all but diddly squat to show.
They beat us. Not from without but from within. Between squabbling and NY’s 1-step-away-from-communist labor mob, we will be lucky if our grandkids gets to see the replacement.
Let’s face it — the days of great accomplishments and “can do” have been trampled under the feet of the “can’t do” liberals. Space program, fighter jets, even supposed “private” construction — all the great dreamers and doers have been forced out of our culture.
I suggest the folks in charge of this project make a reasonable offer to the required workers. If the workers reject the offer then I suggest the folks in charge go VERY public with their offer and the fact it was turned down. And then do... nothing.
If other states are paying for New York corruption (construction "engineers" and workers paid for doing nothing?) yes we might have a few choice words.
Ahhhhh, just tell everyone it’s going to be a mosque and watch how fast it flys up!
What have they been doing? Where’s the money been spent? People are going to retire on this project. Kinda like the ‘Big Dig’.
Actually, 7 World Trade Center was completed some time ago, and the other large buildings on the site are well underway.
I think NYC is a terrible place to do business, and this article points to some of the big reasons for that, but there are a number of reasons why the project has been so slow to come along -- including the fact that there simply isn't enough demand for office space down at that site to support the construction of massive new buildings. I understand it's mostly government agencies and foreign trade organizations that will occupy the buildings -- paying exorbitant lease rates in the process.
The other challenge there is that Ground Zero sits on top of a major transit station, which has had to be kept fully functional while all this work is going on. And the transit access has to be built into the new site as well -- including a major improvement to allow pedestrian access between this site and the area's subway lines to the east. This last item was left out of the original World Trade Center site because of the enormous cost.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.