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Paterson Finds State of Ground Zero Rebuilding “Unacceptable”

July 1, 2008

Governor David Paterson, says the lack of progress at the site of the former World Trade Center Towers is “unacceptable” and that he intends to fix the problem.

In a little over two months, it will be seven years since September 11th , 2001, and no new buildings have been constructed to take the place of the World Trade Center Towers.

“The rebuilding has not gone on as it was scheduled, the promises of the past do not seem to be realistic,” said Paterson “The major reconstruction has only begun within the last 18 months.”

Paterson says he has asked for and received what he calls a “clear eyed perspective” from his head of the New York New Jersey Port Authority, Chris Ward. Paterson says each of the several projects at the site, including the proposed Freedom Tower, are “fraught with delays and construction overruns”, and have a number of unresolved issues. The governor promised that things would change, and he would give an “earnest” assessment as the project continues forward.

“The truth,” Paterson said. “No spin.”

In fact, Paterson said he was not even going to issue any timetables or construction deadlines at this time, and will need another three months until he can assemble a functional management structure and roadmap for moving the projects along.

“We’re not gong to give any phony dates or timetables at this point, and then follow it up with phony ribbon cuttings,” Paterson said. “We are instead going to change the culture of the way the management of this project is working.”

Paterson’s’ comments could be seen as a criticism of his predecessors, George Pataki, and Eliot Spitzer, but Paterson, who makes a habit of avoiding confrontational language, says he isn’t assigning blame.

While Paterson was reluctant to name names, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, did not hold back. Silver, in a statement, said he’d been warning for years that the “deadlines and estimates originally pronounced by the Pataki administration were never achievable”. Silver say the biggest obstacle has been the inability of the city and State to provide “unified and focused leadership”.

Governor Paterson says he believes that the families of the victims deserve a memorial, and that New York City deserves a reinvigorated financial district. He says he’s asked the Port Authority to report back to him in 90 days, and says if things aren’t fixed, the public can hold him accountable.

Source: Public Broadcasting

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Written by NY Politics · Filed Under Real-estate 

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