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Freedom Tower's Latest Obstacle: Finding Tenants!
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 14, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 14, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Construction crews may be getting ready to blast bedrock to make way for the Freedom Tower, but yesterday yet another potential wrench was announced. The chairman of the Port Authority, Anthony Coscia, said the tower will have be to scaled back if government groups don't lease space in the 1,776 foot building. More specifically, government groups need to agree to take on 1 million of the 2.8 million square foot building by September in order for the project to be "financially viable." The Port Authority is in charge of building Freedom Tower (after getting control from leaseholder Larry Silverstein), but only agreed to if the project would be "financially feasible." Interestingly enough, it's unclear whether or not the Port Authority's headquarters, formerly at the WTC, will lease space. Still, Coscia is "optimistic" about getting tenants (Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff explained that Coscia was trying to remind the government that they need to lease). Well, this will certainly be what Governor Pataki needs to work - calling in more favors with the feds - on if he wants his Freedom Tower built
According to the NY Times, Coscia also said the Port Authority could build the WTC memorial if there is a financial plan. We think we'll be waiting a whlie for that one. And in other what-the-hell-is-going -on-at-Ground-Zero news, the Deutsche Bank demolition won't happen this month because of the lingering environmental questions (thanks, EPA, for getting in gear).
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Anthony Coscia
construction
Daniel Doctoroff
deputy mayor
Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff
deutsche bank
freedom tower
government
governor
Governor Pataki
larry silverstein
mayor
News: NYC
ny times
port authority
The Port
The Port Authority
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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