March 8th - March 12th, 2010

Worker was Injured at the WTC site

March 8 – The FDNY says a worker fell about 20^th feet from the fourth or fifth floor of the Freedom Tower and suffered head, neck and back injuries.

More Funds for the Fulton Street Transit Center

March 8 –  Congressman Jerrold Nadler announced that $156 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding will go to help build the Transit Center. The Battery Park City Broadsheet Daily says the money will be used to build the connections between stations and passageways as well as restoration of the historic Corbin building.

Thousands of Construction Workers rally at WTC Site

March 9 – Unionized workers and elected officials gathered to call on the Port Authority and Larry Silverstein to reach an agreement that will allow the construction to proceed. Workers chanted “Build it Now” and demanded worked on the towers begin immediately to give thousands of construction workers a job. The deadline for an agreement is this Friday; the arbitration panel has said it will enforce its own solution if the two sides fail to come up with an agreement.

Hotel Advertises Views of Construction at the WTC site

March 9 – The World Center Hotel is using its proximity to Ground Zero as a marketing tool, telling potential customers they will have views of the construction. Vice President Cheryl Palmer told NPR, “People chose to be here because they want to be close to it. They want to remember and we have a very accessible view of it.” It’s the first hotel to use its location as a tool to attract guests. The hotel has installed special soundproof windows to keep out much, but not all, of the construction noise.

The Mayor Supports Silverstein Attempt for Financing

March 9 – Mayor Bloomberg took aim at the PA again, saying, “We are not going to leave a hole in the ground and that’s what some people seem to want.” The Mayor made the remark after the PA said the agency would not provide ‘a complete public bailout’ of Silverstein’s towers. The Mayor warned the agency it must dig deeper into its pockets to make a deal with Silverstein

CB 1 Supports Port Authority

March 9 – The World Trade Center Redevelopment Committee passed a resolution, urging Silverstein to use the PA’s latest offer as a basis for a new agreement. The Tribeca Trib reported the Committee thinks the PA is moving in the right direction by offering guaranteed construction loans for two of the towers if the developer can raise $300 million in private funding. Silverstein would also have to pre-lease about a quarter of Tower 3’s space and rework its design to lower its cost.

Four Developers Competing for One WTC

March 9 –  Vornado Realty Trust and Brookfield Properties have been removed from the list of developers vying to market the Freedom Tower, according to a report in The New York Observer. The news means four developers remain- Mort Zuckerman, Douglas Durst, Stephen Ross and Gerald Hines. The PA wants a developer who can put $100 million into the project.

Indictments Allege Mob Involvement at the WTC site

March 9 – Eight members of the Colombo crime family were indicted for allegedly offering kickbacks to a foreman at Ground Zero, according to The New York Post. The Brooklyn District Attorney says the mobsters were trying to ensure that Testa Corporation would subcontract with All Around Trucking, a Colombo carting company.  

The City and Cleanup Workers Reach Settlement

March 10 - The settlement sets up a system to compensate thousands of firefighters, police officers, contractors and volunteers who have medical problems stemming from the cleanup, according to The Wall Street Journal. The awards would range from $3,250 to seven figures. The settlement releases the city from any future damage claims and would cover 10,000 workers.