Port Authority Updates Its Progress at
the World Trade Center Site
The 2nd Quarter of 2011 continued the substantial progress at the site. This past quarter, the Port Authority completed the Memorial Pavilion structure and curtainwall months ahead of its original commitment. At the same time, One World Trade Center (1WTC) continues to rise in the City skyline, reaching the 86th floor. Steel has also started to rise at the site of the WTC Vehicular Security Center and Tour Bus Parking Facility (VSC), a key milestone to ensuring the timely completion of this central artery for site operations.
Finally and most importantly, the Port Authority delivered on our commitment to opening 9/11 Memorial on the 10th Anniversary of the attacks. The Memorial remains open to the public going forward.
Overall, this past quarter, the Port Authority met 16 of 19 milestones. Two of the three missed milestones – Platform A Construction Completion and Installation of 1WTC Podium Glass – have been well documented in past reports, and are further explained in the report that follows. The third incomplete milestone – the completion of cladding of the west vent structure on the Memorial Plaza – was partially complete during the 2nd Quarter and was fully completed in time for 9/11/11.
As we look forward, after meeting our commitment to open the Memorial on the 10th Anniversary of the attacks, we expect to beat by many months our original commitment date to open the 9/11 Museum by the 2nd Quarter 2013 and are pushing to have it open before the end of 2012. 1 WTC remains on track to be completed by the end of 2013 and we expect the VSC will be operational in 2013 as the commercial development comes online. The substantial completion date for the Transportation Hub (Hub) continues to hold to 2014, though we have pushed back that milestone to the end of 2014 from mid-2014. This is due to a number of factors that have been discussed in past reports, including: steel fabrication issues that led to extended utilization of the large crawler crane in the East Bathtub used to support erection of the PATH Transit Hall Roof steel and vierendeel truss, and used to reduce schedule risk to the completion of the East/West Truss and PATH Transit Hall Tied Arch structures, as well as the complex coordination between multiple stakeholders to ensure the full operation of both the MTA’s #1 Subway Line, which bisects the Hub, and the PATH system, which cuts through the western half of the Hub. It should be noted that permanent structures for the Hub will be operational before substantial completion and, most importantly, PATH service will remain fully operational throughout this time as it has been since November 2003.
Previous Reports
First Quarter 2011 report (PDF)
Fourth Quarter 2010 report (PDF)
Third Quarter 2010 report (PDF)
Second Quarter 2010 report (PDF)
First Quarter 2010 report (PDF)
Fourth Quarter 2009 report (PDF)
Third Quarter 2009 report (PDF)
Second Quarter 2009 report (PDF)
First Quarter 2009 report (PDF)
Fourth Quarter 2008 report (PDF)
Legislative Correspondence
Chris Ward testimony, New York State Senate, 9/9/09 (PDF)
Chris Ward testimony, New York City Council, 8/19/09 (PDF)
