NEW YORK | One World Trade Center | 1,776' Pinnacle / 1,373' Roof | 108 FLOORS

[Ghost]

Temporary...

[PhxSprawler]

NYGuy and eMKay,

THANK YOU for posting the pics! It is very exciting to see some real updates on this building. One would think the world would be following the progress more closely, or at least posters on SSP would be posting more pics.

[Puzzlecraft]

ZZ - could be that the other core is being held up by a need to maintain space for major equipment to get at the wall along that side. There has been a lot of ongoing work on the other wall, so maybe this wall is still being worked on too - haven't seen any good shots of what is going on there on that wall. I don't see any steel rising on that side either.

[NYC4Life]

Despite the progress being made at the core, the tower itself, like the rest of the WTC center site, is behind schedule. The Freedom Tower may not even be ready for another 5 or so years. The report on the timetable from the Port Authority is due out tomorrow, or so they say

[Lt. Washburn]

Yes, thanks for those who are providing pictures, but in all of New York is there not anyone that can take pictures more regularly? Just no one that visits this forum, eh?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by PhxSprawler

NYGuy and eMKay,

THANK YOU for posting the pics! It is very exciting to see some real updates
on this building. One would think the world would be following the progress
more closely, or at least posters on SSP would be posting more pics.

The tower is just now getting to the point where anything is visible enough
to get photos. I'm sure people will take more photos now that it begins to rise
above street level.

For the first time, I feel that I am truly looking at the Freedom Tower, and
not just some steel in the ground...

[Kamatzu]

Aren't they releasing the budget concerns today?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Kamatzu

Aren't they releasing the budget concerns today?

They have. The memorial won't be completed by the 10th anniversary (not sure that's a big problem) and the new PATH terminal will be delayed (not a big problem either, as long as the station is currently open for business). There are still some overall site issues that need to be resolved. But the skyscrapers are being built at least.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/higher-costs-and-delays-expected-at-ground-zero/?hp

Higher Costs and Delays Expected at Ground Zero



Mr. Silverstein, whose real estate development firm is a key part of the reconstruction effort, said in a statement:

New Yorkers are entitled to an aggressive, reliable schedule for rebuilding the World Trade Center, backed by absolute accountability from the people responsible for getting the job done. Governor Paterson and Chris Ward have shown real leadership in committing to candidly and openly address the challenges the Port Authority faces with the projects under its control. As of today, my company’s projects – Towers 2, 3 and 4 – are fully designed and on schedule. Construction of Towers 3 and 4 is underway, and all three buildings are slated for completion, as projected, by the end of 2012.

As demonstrated by the success of 7 World Trade Center, as well as other recent developments in the area, Downtown is energized like never before. It is vital that we maintain that momentum and finish the rebuilding.


Scott Thompson, a construction project executive with Silverstein Properties, at the World Trade Center site last week.

[[SP]Neo]

thank you all for these update pictures. how many days do they need for one floor?

[NYC4Life]

Originally Posted by Lt. Washburn

Yes, thanks for those who are providing pictures, but in all of New York is there not anyone that can take pictures more regularly? Just no one that visits this forum, eh?

The vast majority of the construction taking place at WTC is still below grade (below ground) or in the foundation phase. Tower 2's foundation is still being dug up. Towards the end of the year we should start seeing more cranes at the site and the first steel beams being erected on Towers 2, 3, and 4. By that same time we should see Deutshe Bank Building (Site of the future Tower 5) finally demolished....Assuming demolition stays on schedule. So for now pictures of the progress at the site are limited to just the pits, the Freedom Tower's core, and the 2 cranes operating on the tower (which will soon be 4).


For live webcam streams of the WTC site You can check out it's EarthCam link:

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/groundzero/

[Renton]

Reading the full report just now, It looks like the entire process is a mess. Everything is behind schedule and over budget. Just the talk of cutting back things like the memorial and the Path station make me cringe. Hopefully they can get all interested parties back together to get all these projects back on track.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Renton

Reading the full report just now, It looks like the entire process is a mess. Everything is behind schedule and over budget.

It is a mess, but you would have the same situation if everything went right. Each of the individual WTC projects would be facing some type of delay, one way or the other. Basically what the report is saying is that the target completion dates were unrealistic. But this is no big revelation for the WTC site - everyone already knew these things were behind schedule, its just that now the Port Authority admits it.

The public has shown some genuine outrage, but those of us who follow this on an almost daily basis already knew these things. But on the other hand, if Silverstein gave his own press conference to clarify that - in fact - the office towers were on target to be completed, that's all the vast majority of the people want. Does it really matter that the memorial may be completed 12 years later rather than 10? It shouldn't. Everyone agrees that the Calatrava PATH terminal is causing the biggest problem and is most over budget. If it has to be scaled back, then so be it. AS much as I would like to see it built as is, it's better to get a scaled down version built than to sit around for years pretending that it may get built.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by NYC4Life

Towards the end of the year we should start seeing more cranes at the site and the first steel beams being erected on Towers 2, 3, and 4.

I don't think we're scheduled to see steel on those towers until next year...
(the dates have already been pushed back a few months from posted dates)

Tower 2

Foundation Construction.............. July - December 2008
Construction Drawings................. April 1, 2008
Superstructure to Ground Level..... January - July 2009
Structural Steel Erection.............. July 2009 - March 2011
Structural Concrete Tower Core & Slab.......... October 2009 - June 2011
Core and Shell Work.................... March 2010 - December 2012
Curtain Wall............................... April 2010 - March 2012

Tower 3

Foundation Construction.................. January - July 2008
Construction Drawings..................... April 1, 2008
Superstructure to Ground Level......... July 2008 - January 2009
Structural Steel Erection.................. January 2009 - September 2010
Structural Concrete Tower Core & Slab........... March 2009 - November 2010
Core and Shell Work........................ September 2009 - December 2011
Curtain Wall......................... November 2009 - March 2011

Tower 4

Foundation Construction........................ January - July 2008
Construction Drawings........................ April 1, 2008
Superstructure to Ground Level............ July 2008 - January 2009
Structural Steel Erection......................... January 2009 - September 2010
Structural Concrete Tower Core & Slab............ March 2009 - November 2010
Core and Shell Work.......................... September 2009 - December 2011
Curtain Wall................................ November 2009 - March 2011

The combined delays of Silverstein and the Port Authority have pushed these towers back to 2012...

As of today, my company’s projects – Towers 2, 3 and 4 – are fully designed and on schedule. Construction of Towers 3 and 4 is underway, and all three buildings are slated for completion, as projected, by the end of 2012.

[M II A II R II K]

Ground Zero rebuild plan scrapped

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7483590.stm

The owner of the World Trade Center has abandoned the timetable for rebuilding work at the site of the 9/11 attacks, saying it was "not realistic".

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive director, Christopher Ward, listed over a dozen issues that had slowed work and raised costs.

New dates for the completion of a memorial, skyscrapers and a transit hub are expected to be issued in September.

It is unclear if the centrepiece Freedom Tower, will now be scaled back.

The tower, intended as a replacement for the destroyed Twin Towers, had been scheduled for completion in 2006 and then 2011, but the latest estimate is 2013.

At 1,776ft (541m) it would be the tallest building in the US.

'Emotional dates'

In a report to New York governor David Paterson, Mr Ward said: "The schedule and cost estimates of the rebuilding effort that have been communicated to the public are not realistic."

He said developers and government agencies would set new "clear and achievable timelines" by the end of September.

Mr Ward said the earliest rebuilding estimates in the wake of the 9/11 attacks were not truthful, referring to them as "emotional dates".

The deadlines for the redevelopment work have been moved several times.

The project's initial $14bn (£7bn) budget has continued to rise as commodity prices soar and developers and government agencies wrangle over site plans.

[spwelan]

I don't know how people could let this happen
They should have just let private developers have the site after it was cleared out and let them do whatever they wanted.
The government and politics screw everything up. I don't know how anyone can trust them to handle anything.

The same thing is happening to our country now.

I'm annoyed

[Don098]

Can one of the vets that REALLY knows this project please comment on this:

"Well I hope this is wrong but , my daughters engineering buddy
claims the ACC tower has about as much a chance of being built
as the WTC in New York .

Seems the tower in NYC is seven or eight years behind schedule ,
three BILLON dollars over budget and no one has totally agreed on
the final design . What's up with that ??" (Italics added for emphasis)

Is this true?

[Kamatzu]

Originally Posted by Don098

Can one of the vets that REALLY knows this project please comment on this:

"Well I hope this is wrong but , my daughters engineering buddy
claims the ACC tower has about as much a chance of being built
as the WTC in New York .

Seems the tower in NYC is seven or eight years behind schedule ,
three BILLON dollars over budget and no one has totally agreed on
the final design . What's up with that ??" (Italics added for emphasis)

Is this true?

There was no way it was going to be done seven or eight years earlier than the current "schedule", and the final design is more or less finalized. The only things that have a decent chance of changing are the PATH terminal, the underground concourse and mall, and possibly 3WTC (If Merrill chooses to reside there).

[Scruffy]

Originally Posted by Don098

Can one of the vets that REALLY knows this project please comment on this:

"Well I hope this is wrong but , my daughters engineering buddy
claims the ACC tower has about as much a chance of being built
as the WTC in New York .

Seems the tower in NYC is seven or eight years behind schedule ,
three BILLON dollars over budget and no one has totally agreed on
the final design . What's up with that ??" (Italics added for emphasis)

Is this true?

I can't comment on the ACC.

There are a variety of reasons why the Freedom Tower is so delayed. Design Changes being a main one. The "emotional dates" isn't a lame excuse. its true. But more political then emotional. Then Governor tried to rush the project much faster than its intended evolution for political exposure to aid in a presidential campaign. what better campaign image than to be the man standing in front of a towering world trade center under construction. This is all true. Well he got shot down by the police department when out of left field they announced the tower was unsafe and in danger of truck bombs in its current location. The timing of the annoucement was suspect to me. But the outcome was welcome. The tower got shifted to a more suitable location on the site and another redesign came about ending the birdcage tower design.

From the time of the new design (3rd i think) the tower has progressed like any other supertall does. No major delays. The foundation didn't start in earnest until then. It did NOT start in 2002. With all the bull that happened 5 years ago, im surprised we are this advanced. This is a near 1400ft tower to the roofline, the foundations for something that size take time. Add into that that a subway line (path line) actually crosses through the towers basement and that the line cannot be shut down and you have more complications.

This is the final design. There may be tweeks on the base structure and the spire but thats it. The only delay that I fault the PA for is the fact that during all the delays and design changes, they did not dig the bathtub for towers 2,3 and 4. No matter what the design, that would need to happen. They could have saved some time there. instead we are still waiting for 2 to be dug out.

the site is 13 acres. Goes at least 70 feetdeep, i think deeper. There is 1 subway tunnel on its east side and two others going through the site. And its right up against the hudson river which is why we keep talking about a bathtub. the wall keeps the river out. Across the street is built on landfill from the original twins. The port Authority is doing a good job despite the massive challenges. they need some credit.

does that help?

[37TimPPG]

What a disaster...what a complete, disgraceful disaster!!! Those clowns at Port Authority couldn't even deliver a bottle of milk on time. I agree with an earlier poster that the whole site should have been turned over to private developers after being cleared out.

Why do I have this terrible feeling Freedom Tower will be scaled back? I just hope it is still going to be 1,776 ft tall!?

What a bunch of clowns!

[Don098]

Yes, thanks scruffy for the synopsis. Someone on our American Commerce Center forum was making some bold statements about this project that sounded a little suspect to me. You can't compare this project to the ACC considering the national attention the WTC engenders and the emotions behind it that have caused the delays you outlined. I'm not the biggest fan of the design, but I think the smaller buildings will be nice staging.