The current word from the higher-ups at the Port Authority is that 3 WTC may or may not happen, but 2 WTC will not happen "in this building cycle". That means 10 more years, or almost 20 from the proposal. And, at least 2 WTC, as a commercial building, has a funding source. It's unclear whether the Gehry Performing Arts Center will ever be built, given the donor fatigue associated with raising $500 M for the WTC Memorial.
Greenwich Boy on vacation?
Today ...
I really hope that construction does not stop on this magnificent tower.
I just want to make sure I have all this right, since I see steel going up in these pics...
2 WTC is still to be built as planned by Foster... BUT, until question marks of tenants are addressed, it's only going to be built ground level, with a few floors of shopping until the market picks back up. After that, Foster's tower will be built.
That the lot?
Last edited by USSManhattan; May 27th, 2011 at 01:44 PM.
It's my understanding that they both have to be built to at least street level.
They'll get built to street level because the PA is paying for everything up to grade level, mostly so they don't have missing sitewide infrastructure or huge missing chunks from its retail concourse. They really want to get the PATH hall and associated retail corridors done so they can get back to funding transit projects all around their jurisdiction.
Silverstein Properties is only responsible for funding whatever is above sidewalk level. He may or may not build retail stumps/transit entrances.
I believe the funding is in place to build 2 and 3 up to ~5 stories to house retail, not just to street level.
Yes I agree. It would be idiotic not to build at least the first floor, for retail.
Last agreement I heard was T3 will go ~5 stories but T2 just 1 floor above street level. If that changed I am not aware.
I know there may be some other agreement in place, but I have a really hard time imagining the bases not being completed on both of these. It's the only good way to do it so when the market is finally ready for the rest of the tower, the functioning part doesn't need to be shutdown for construction.
Question about the retail in the base
So if the bases of 2 and 3 are built and housing a retailers, what happens in several years when they decide to restart building? Do the retailers have to vacate while that process resumes? Even if not, does the prospect of operating out of an active construction site for several years discourage them from going in there in the first place? How fixed are the tower designs? Since the bases are built for what is currently on the drawing board, how likely is it to change them? I can see using the current designs in, say, 2015, but what about 2020? How appealing will a 12 year old blueprint be in that year when needs, styles, etc have changed?
They would be stuck with the steel placement and elevator core areas. And yes, I imagine all retail would be cleared out.
I don't know why, but I really have a hunch that #2 will be built sooner, rather than later, especially if #3 gets UBS and a bit more.
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