One W.T.C. gaff could hike construction costs
A design gaff in One World Trade Center could hike the price of the overall cost to build the tower by millions, according to a Jan. 31 Associated Press report.
Construction of the temporary PATH Station is impeding the necessary access of trucks to the building’s underground loading site, causing the agency to build five temporary above-ground loading bays, according to Steve Coleman, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“Several years ago, there was a design miss,” Patrick Foye told the A.P. and other reporters following a speech at the Association for a Better New York the day the A.P. story came out. “Should it have been caught? The answer is, probably.”
Access to the below-ground loading docks will be reopened once the W.T.C. Transportation Hub is completed and access to the temporary PATH Station on Vesey street is no longer needed, Coleman said.
Construction of the transit hub, however, won’t be finished until early 2015, after One W.T.C. is fully built out. Coleman nevertheless assured that the glitch would not directly impact the building’s leasing prospects or tenant fit-out.
Squadron commemorates Danny Chen on Senate Floor
State Senator Daniel Squadron voiced his support of a NY Senate resolution honoring the late U.S. Army Private Danny Chen. The resolution coincides with a resolution City Council approved last week demanding reforms to the Army’s cultural diversity training of its soldiers.
“The tragedy that befell him, the experience that he had serving our country, is one that no person in this country should ever have, period,” said Squadron. “We need to have zero tolerance, because of the experience that Danny had and the way that he suffered, the way that he was hazed, the way that his background made his time serving our country harder.”
Squadron continued, “But we also need to have zero tolerance because, if even one member of the armed forces is treating someone else in this way… it sullies the entire armed forces, and we need to fight back against it.”
E.D.C. presents new Downtown lighting initiative
The city Economic Development Corporation introduced a new lighting project to members of Community Board 1 at a joint meeting of the Financial District, Tribeca and Seaport-Civic Center committees last Wednesday, Feb. 1.
The light shows, which will illuminate select Downtown buildings with multi-color patterns on a weekly or monthly basis, will not carry advertisements, according to E.D.C. Project Manager Julie Simon. “The goal is not to have a corporate billboard – it’s really to have an engaging art project Downtown,” she said. “We think it’s an exciting project, and we want to build community support for it.”
Still, Downtown residents that attended the meeting were anxious about the disruptions the initiative could bring.
“When you say you’re going to reach out to building owners, will you reach out to the building across the street for permission, as it will likely disturb the 120 people that live there?” asked Linda Gerstman, who lives at 15 Broad Street.
The E.D.C.’s Assistant Vice President, Ali Davis, answered saying the city would indeed be soliciting approval from affected building owners.
The project, she conceded, will be challenging. “We know we have a lot of work to do to make it work,” said Davis.
Proposals for specific light displays are due by March 13. If all goes as planned, the displays will begin before the year’s end.
Church St. School’s new arts program
Church Street School for Music and Art has announced a new teen arts program called ’72.’ Teens in ‘72’ will get to choose from two out of six workshops offered, including “Fibers,” an exploration of sculpture through filament; “Music Through Technology,” a class centered on beat-building; “GIF-Making,” a multi-disciplined approach to story-telling through imagery; “Music Video Production,” a workshop purportedly ideal for bands and their friends; and “Salon 72: Street Art,” dedicated to the production of legal, semi-permanent and two-dimensional outdoor art.
“We are excited to offer a non-traditional, collaborative arts program for teens programmed specifically for contemporary art interests, from music and filmmaking to visual and digital art,” according to a description of the program provided by the school.
All workshops run for four consecutive weeks with the first starting on Tuesday, March 6. Those attending the classes will have access to the school’s monthly concerts, film screenings, and rehearsal space.
Membership is $400 per semester. Registration for ‘72’ is open through March 31. For more information, visit www.7eventytwo.org or call 212-571-7290. Church Street School for Music and Art is located at 74 Warren Street, New York, NY.
