Why Ground Zero Is Still Near Zero

In short, lack of leadership from top to bottom. In detail, consider these facts: The design competition was too long (over 17 months) in selecting a winner. – The winning design was not satisfactory from an architectural and security standpoint (replaced 28 months after being selected). – Memorial design plans have been highly disputed and overpriced despite forced cost-cutting. – The developer and the mayor’s feuding led to building delays until power was shifted from the developer to the Port Authority. – The proposed transit hub suffers from design flaws and higher than projected costs to complete. Engineers are working to save money, delaying the rest of the project as a result. – Insurance carriers delayed payments until May of 2007. – Though the WTC-site cleanup for remains was ended in May, 2002, additional remains were found later on. This justifiably slowed the rebuilding process so other remains might be located. In the long run, the buildings that finally replace the World Trade Center will be over-budget and overdue. This we can’t blame on Osama Bin Laden. That blame is ours. As New Yorkers, we’ve seen mismanagement of large building projects, time and again. Few stand up to complain. So we’ll wait, who knows how long. We’ll overpay, by hundreds of billions of dollars. But we won’t rise up as one to hold the guilty accountable. Maybe like the former troubled Wollman Rink project, we needed the “can do” attitude of a Donald Trump to manage this effort. Maybe we still do.