2 YEARS OF WTC PLANS LIE IN RUINS AS PATAKI ORDERS A NEW TOWER
NY Post | May 5 | TOM TOPOUSIS
It's back to the drawing board for the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero.
Gov. Pataki yesterday ordered up a complete redesign of the planned signature skyscraper in the wake of Police Department warnings about security risks.
The move is a major reversal of Pataki's promise to move rapidly to restore lower Manhattan's skyline with an "iconic" post-9/11 tower that would be the world's tallest building and a symbol of liberty.
Officials familiar with the decision say a new design by architect David Childs is expected within several weeks and will include a building that will rise 1,776 feet, like the original proposal from April 2003, but otherwise will "look a lot different."
Pataki's announcement followed a meeting yesterday with Mayor Bloomberg, the Police Department, developer Larry Silverstein and officials from the Port Authority and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.
"What emerged from the meeting was a renewed commitment to realization of the Freedom Tower as a bold symbol of the rebuilding," read a Pataki statement.
"A consensus also emerged that a new design for the Freedom Tower is required in order to meet NYPD's security standards."
Pataki said the new design would remain consistent with architect Daniel Libeskind's master plan for the World Trade Center site.
The NYPD delivered a report to Silverstein on April 8, citing its concerns with security at the tower. Among those concerns was that it could be vulnerable to a truck bomb because of its proximity to West Street and the mostly glass construction of the lower stories.
Sources have told The Post top NYPD brass had been pressing the Port Authority for nearly a year about their concerns regarding the safety of the building, which because of its planned height and symbolic nature could be a target of terrorists.
The NYPD report, which both identified problems and solutions, was sent early last month finally forcing a second look at the Freedom Tower.
Charles Gargano, Pataki's top economic adviser and a vice chairman of the Port Authority, said: "I don't want to get into the blame thing. We have to move forward."
While the Freedom Tower will take longer to finish, Gargano stressed that other projects, including construction of the transit hub and the memorial, are all on time.
When Pataki laid the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower on July 4, he said the building would be done by 2009. Rebuilding officials now say the completion of the tower will be delayed by up to a year.
Silverstein, who has yet to line up a single tenant, called yesterday's meeting productive.
"It is crystal clear that we all share one goal: delivering a spectacular and secure Freedom Tower as quickly as possible," he said.
The Freedom Tower will remain in the same northwest corner of the World Trade Center site overlooking West Street, but it will be moved slightly away from the street to better protect it from potential car bombs.
Another expected design change involves the lower 150 to 200 feet of the tower, now largely glass, that will have to be better protected.
Libeskind yesterday seemed resigned to the changes.
"Security is clearly the paramount concern," he said. "While the shape and details of buildings may change, the intent, spirit and direction of the master plan remains intact."
Any tension between City Hall and Albany about improved security was downplayed.
At a town a town-hall meeting in Brooklyn last night, Bloomberg said, "We made some major progress today in terms of satisfying the demands of the Police Department that this building be really safe."
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, whose district includes Ground Zero, blasted both Pataki and Bloomberg.
"The lack of coordination and cooperation by the governor and the mayor has cost us months of delay and resulted in the decision by Goldman Sachs to consider other locations for their headquarters," he fumed.
Goldman Sachs had proposed a massive headquarters across West Street from the Freedom Tower site, but pulled out recently over concerns about security.
But Sen. Charles Schumer, who has been pounding his fist for faster action on lower Manhattan, yesterday lauded Pataki and Bloomberg for "moving quickly and decisively."
He said there had been "a change in attitude" among leaders about the project, which came from public pressure.
NY Post | May 5 | TOM TOPOUSIS
It's back to the drawing board for the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero.
Gov. Pataki yesterday ordered up a complete redesign of the planned signature skyscraper in the wake of Police Department warnings about security risks.
The move is a major reversal of Pataki's promise to move rapidly to restore lower Manhattan's skyline with an "iconic" post-9/11 tower that would be the world's tallest building and a symbol of liberty.
Officials familiar with the decision say a new design by architect David Childs is expected within several weeks and will include a building that will rise 1,776 feet, like the original proposal from April 2003, but otherwise will "look a lot different."
Pataki's announcement followed a meeting yesterday with Mayor Bloomberg, the Police Department, developer Larry Silverstein and officials from the Port Authority and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.
"What emerged from the meeting was a renewed commitment to realization of the Freedom Tower as a bold symbol of the rebuilding," read a Pataki statement.
"A consensus also emerged that a new design for the Freedom Tower is required in order to meet NYPD's security standards."
Pataki said the new design would remain consistent with architect Daniel Libeskind's master plan for the World Trade Center site.
The NYPD delivered a report to Silverstein on April 8, citing its concerns with security at the tower. Among those concerns was that it could be vulnerable to a truck bomb because of its proximity to West Street and the mostly glass construction of the lower stories.
Sources have told The Post top NYPD brass had been pressing the Port Authority for nearly a year about their concerns regarding the safety of the building, which because of its planned height and symbolic nature could be a target of terrorists.
The NYPD report, which both identified problems and solutions, was sent early last month finally forcing a second look at the Freedom Tower.
Charles Gargano, Pataki's top economic adviser and a vice chairman of the Port Authority, said: "I don't want to get into the blame thing. We have to move forward."
While the Freedom Tower will take longer to finish, Gargano stressed that other projects, including construction of the transit hub and the memorial, are all on time.
When Pataki laid the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower on July 4, he said the building would be done by 2009. Rebuilding officials now say the completion of the tower will be delayed by up to a year.
Silverstein, who has yet to line up a single tenant, called yesterday's meeting productive.
"It is crystal clear that we all share one goal: delivering a spectacular and secure Freedom Tower as quickly as possible," he said.
The Freedom Tower will remain in the same northwest corner of the World Trade Center site overlooking West Street, but it will be moved slightly away from the street to better protect it from potential car bombs.
Another expected design change involves the lower 150 to 200 feet of the tower, now largely glass, that will have to be better protected.
Libeskind yesterday seemed resigned to the changes.
"Security is clearly the paramount concern," he said. "While the shape and details of buildings may change, the intent, spirit and direction of the master plan remains intact."
Any tension between City Hall and Albany about improved security was downplayed.
At a town a town-hall meeting in Brooklyn last night, Bloomberg said, "We made some major progress today in terms of satisfying the demands of the Police Department that this building be really safe."
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, whose district includes Ground Zero, blasted both Pataki and Bloomberg.
"The lack of coordination and cooperation by the governor and the mayor has cost us months of delay and resulted in the decision by Goldman Sachs to consider other locations for their headquarters," he fumed.
Goldman Sachs had proposed a massive headquarters across West Street from the Freedom Tower site, but pulled out recently over concerns about security.
But Sen. Charles Schumer, who has been pounding his fist for faster action on lower Manhattan, yesterday lauded Pataki and Bloomberg for "moving quickly and decisively."
He said there had been "a change in attitude" among leaders about the project, which came from public pressure.
