September 19th - September 23rd, 2011

PA to Raise Money Through Bonds

September 19 -- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to sell $1 billion in 40-year debt to help finance construction at the World Trade Center site. The bonds will be managed by Citigroup Inc. and will help pay for the agency’s work in Lower Manhattan. The bonds were rated Aa2 by Moody’s Investors Service, its third-highest ranking, and AA- by Standard & Poor’s, fourth highest, according to Bloomberg data.

Last wrongful death lawsuit from 9/11 settled

September 19 – The Associated Press reported the remaining wrongful death lawsuit from the 9/11 attacks were settled Monday. The family of Mark Bavis felt they had done all they could to bring awareness to what they considered a weakness in the nation’s air safety system. Prior to settling, lawyers for the Bavis family blamed United and security firm, Huntleigh for failures that they said enabled the terrorists to hijack the plane. Mr. Bavis was on United Airlines Flight 175 out of Boston. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Woman Circles Manhattan on Water Skis

September 19 – Lower Manhattan resident Mary Kocy, 55, completed a 30 mile loop around Manhattan on Sunday, according to the Daily News. Ms. Kocy learned to water ski only last summer, but quickly developed the plan to circle the island to raise money for the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU. The hour and forty-minute trip raised $20,000 to go towards helping veterans returning from war with brain injuries. Kocy, who runs a home renovation company, hopes to eventually raise $120,000 for the group.

Pearson Lured to Lower Manhattan

September 19 -- Pearson Plc, intends to add 600 media and technology jobs in offices near its current operations in Lower Manhattan’s Hudson Square, reported Bloomberg News.  The company received incentives, including $4.5 million “Business Incentive Rate” energy savings from the city’s Economic Development Corporation and $9 million in tax credits from the state’s Empire State Development Corporation over 10 years. The company, whose U.S. businesses also include publisher Penguin Group US, will relocate employees from Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, and White Plains, New York.

7 WTC Reaches Capacity

September 19 – Financial firm MSCI, has leased 125,000 square feet at 7 WTC. According to the NY Post, this would mean most of the available 1.7 million square feet of the 52-story tower has been leased.

Court Overturns Earlier ’93 Bombing Ruling

September 22 – New York’s top court has found that the World Trade Center managers are immune from claims of negligence for failing to deter the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The Court of Appeals was divided 4-3 in reversing the lower courts. The court concluded the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is entitled to government immunity for its security measures at the WTC site.

Islamic Cultural Center Opens Peacefully

September 22 – An Islamic cultural center near the site of the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center held its first exhibit Wednesday evening, the enthusiasm at the opening belying its troubled beginnings, according to Fox News. Sharif El-Gamal, the center's developer, said the biggest error on the project was not involving the families of 9/11 victims from the start. "We made incredible mistakes," El-Gamal told The Associated Press. The building at 51 Park Place, two blocks from the World Trade Center site, includes a Muslim prayer space that has been open for two years. El-Gamal said the overall center is modeled after the Jewish Community Center on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Israeli Prime Minister Visit WTC Memorial

September 23 --  Mayor Michael Bloomberg has visited the 9/11 memorial with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported the Wall Street Journal. Bloomberg said Friday on his weekly WOR Radio show that the two visited the World Trade Center site on Thursday night. He said Netanyahu touched the names of the Israeli citizens killed in the attacks