The Rebuilding of Ground Zero, Part 15

While the MTA continues to screw the public with its downsizing of the Fulton Street Transit Center and the streets in the immediate vicinity of Fulton Street and Ground Zero remain a trecherous maze of construction cuts and sidewalk sheds, the private sector continues to show that business can get done downtown.

Leading the charge is Larry Silverstein. Once again, Silverstein shows that he has the moxie to get projects built downtown. His latest effort is 99 Church, just blocks from Ground Zero and his recently completed 7WTC. 99 Church will be designed by Robert A.M. Stern, and will feature New York City's second Four Seasons Hotel and hundreds of apartments in a dual use configuration. As Curbed notes, there are some interesting features:

3) At 80 stories when it tops out in 2010, 99 Church will be Manhattan's tallest residential building. There will be 143 condos, including full-floor penthouses.
4) The hotel lobby will be on Barclay Street, and will have four floors of hotel amenities space. The residents' lobby will be at 30 Park Place. A public plaza on the east side of the building will link Park Place and Barclay Street.
5) LEED certified! Larry, you hippie!

Silverstein has been pushing in the direction of LEED certification for a while, and incorporated many energy saving features into 7WTC.

Now, if only the MTA could take a page from Silvestein and get on the ball. Of course, given that it's the MTA we're talking about, the chances of that happening are slim and none.

UPDATE:
Gothamist reports on the Port Authority seeking bids on a new restaurant and concessionaire to operate the observation deck at the Freedom Tower (aka 1WTC).

UPDATE:
The JPMorgan Chase building, which is to go up at the Deutsche Bank building site, has apparently lost its beer belly - the cantilevered structure enabling large trading floor space.

Of course, there's no timeframe as to when the building will get built because there's no timeframe as to when the Deutsche Bank building demolition will be completed. It's already months behind schedule and threatens development elsewhere in Ground Zero.

UPDATE:
Maybe it's time for the City, MTA, and other concerned individuals to take the Fulton project out of the hands of the MTA and into those of someone who can get the project built. Grand Central Terminal wasn't built by a public authority, but by the New York Central Railroad. Penn Station was built by the Pennsylvania RR. The IRT, BMT, and IND built much of the NYC subway system. All were independent companies who put their own money, prestige, and efforts into building infrastructure that we either take for granted now, or wish we had back (Pennsylvania Station for one).

Silverstein has shown a commitment to rebuilding in Lower Manhattan and could be the right person to get the Fulton Street Transit Center built. If not him, then perhaps it should go to another major real estate developer who can develop the site and get it built. The MTA clearly has shown it cannot build infrastructure necessary to keep the City competitive and flowing smoothly.

UPDATE:
Curbed breaks with still more news. This time it's detailing some 1,700 new hotel rooms in the works or already being built around Lower Manhattan. That's a pretty serious commitment.