Developer Told to Build 9/11 Site or Stand Clear

NY Times ^ | March 16, 2006 | CHARLES V. BAGLI and DAVID W. DUNLAP

[neverdem]

One day after critical talks on the rebuilding effort at ground zero collapsed, the Pataki administration said yesterday that it would not reopen negotiations with the developer Larry A. Silverstein. It challenged him to start building the $2.3 billion Freedom Tower next month or "move out of the way."

The challenge came 12 hours after the abrupt breakdown of talks that had sought to resolve issues hindering the development of ground zero, where the sputtering efforts to develop the site of the Sept. 11 attack have become a glaring embarrassment for the city and state.

Facing a self-imposed midnight deadline, advisers to Gov. George E. Pataki negotiated for nearly 16 hours Tuesday trying to reach a deal in which Mr. Silverstein, who holds the lease for the site, would surrender control of the Freedom Tower and a second building to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the site's owner. That would have paved the way for an April groundbreaking for the Freedom Tower, the largest and most symbolic of five skyscrapers planned for the site.

The failure of the talks is just the latest problem to arise over plans to rebuild the World Trade Center site, from the fight over the original design to the dispute over a planned cultural center to fund-raising problems for a memorial, as well as continuing doubts of some critics as to whether the Freedom Tower is even a good idea.

At the center of it all is Mr. Silverstein, who, despite responding yesterday that he would still begin building next month, has not convinced...

[Torie]

Stalling at the top seems odd. One would think if at the top, one would cash out.

[durasell]

He may also be looking to cash out or stalling to cut back the investment. He's a NYC developer, whatever the reason you can be sure it's profit motivated.

[right-wingin_It]

[Torie]

NYC has always been amoral when it comes to money, way back to the Dutch, and then when NYC had about 25% of its population as slaves, and allowed illegal slave importation into the early 19th century, and when Brooklyn had the highest slave population as a percentage in the colonies, circa 1750. Flatbush was 45% slave, under its Dutch masters. Brooklyn and Queens had this flat fertile farmland, perfect for a slave economy, and it had one. Isn't that interesting?

[Dallas59]

Where's the memorial to the victims of the American imperialistic, capitalistic, torture, slavery, rape, pillage, military machine?



< / sar>

[Tunehead54]

Boy! Just when you think nobody could be depressed more than yourself ...

---

As others I think the towers should be rebuilt - red, white and blue stripes in place of the dark bands would be good. What do you think? ;-)

[Tunehead54]

Where's the memorial to the victims of the American imperialistic, capitalistic, torture, slavery, rape, pillage, military machine?

---

Well, truth be told we were a little rough on the indians but since then I think we've redeemed ourselves. And the proposed "memorial" painting us as the bad guys, I believe has been assigned to the dustbin of history - of course that could change tomorrow ... ;-)

[pookie18]

[Calpernia]

Yes, just within the past few weeks.

[Calpernia]

I see your point.

:(

[Petronski]

His design is, I believe, literally "one floor higher."

He would probably come in under budget.

[concrete is my business]

hahaha, good ones!

I hear SKANA (sp? Swedish company I think) got the contract for the train station under Ground Zero.

I have heard complaints from another one of their projects that they are terrible at scheduling concrete pours.

Heads up NY!

[pookie18]

I hear SKANA (sp? Swedish company I think) got the contract for the train station under Ground Zero. I have heard complaints from another one of their projects that they are terrible at scheduling concrete pours.

Hoffa was not so lucky...

[Quix]

can only be characterized as Quixotic, is staggering. Now, be nice! Don't insult such a decent thing as Quixotic! Us true Quixotics might . . . just have to rush out and tilt at windmills in embarrassed frustration. (joke) I think its a silly, vain idea for Pataki, too.