Building Congress Event
Special Construction Industry Luncheon Forum
Christopher O. Ward Details the "New World Trade Center"
On August 30, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Executive Director Christopher O. Ward offered a preview of the "New World Trade Center" during a special New York Building Congress Luncheon Forum at the Ritz Carlton in Battery Park.
I believe the opening of the Memorial Plaza represents the end of the World Trade Center site's past and the beginning of its future.
For the first time, the public will be able to walk among the trees and fountains and in so doing, begin the important process of weaving this Memorial at the heart of the site into the fabric of New York City.
Mr. Ward told the more than 300 people assembled, "On the 10th anniversary, the public will get its first real look at the New Downtown. They will see the Memorial Plaza, a place of profound tranquility for those who lost a loved one and wish to honor their memory. But the Memorial Plaza, with 8 acres of unique green space, four times the size of Bryant Park, will also be the heart of a New Downtown."
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He noted that the Port Authority's investments will yield a magnificent Transit Hub, which will redefine the commuter experience. The site also will include half a million square feet of world-class retail and restaurants "With more retail space than the Time Warner Center, this - together with a collection of new public parks - will make Downtown the 24/7 community that Mayor Bloomberg, Shelly Silver and the community have long envisioned."
"And finally, with One World Trade Center, New York will have a new exclamation point in the sky," Mr. Ward added. "One World Trade Center will be Downtown's counterpoint to the Empire State Building in Midtown, restoring that balance to the skyline. New Yorkers take pride in their skyscrapers, and as the building reaches its towering apex, it will become a vital part of daily life in this City."
The luncheon also included the announcement and distribution of the New York Building Foundation report Public Infrastructure Dividends: The Benefits of Capital Investments in New York City. The report was introduced by Foundation Chairman Dominick M. Servedio, Executive Chairman of STV, Inc., who noted that the Foundation's Board of Governors hopes the publication would broaden understanding and recognition of the multiple economic and social benefits of infrastructure investments, even in times of fiscal restraint.
The Willis Foundation, a nonprofit corporation affiliated with Willis Group Holdings, the global insurance broker with operations in New York, also presented a $3,000 grant for the New York Building Foundation. The grant will be used to develop a book to inform young kids about the construction industry. The book, which is titled, 'Those Amazing Builders,' will portray various career opportunities in the building field, and will be disseminated to high schools nationwide.
For more information about the New York Building Foundation or to view Public Infrastructure Dividends: The Benefits of Capital Investments in New York City visit www.nybuildingfoundation.org
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