Cost overruns and continual delays are forcing architect Santiago Calatrava to make considerable changes to the original design he submitted for the World Trade Center’s majestic transportation hub. With some urging from the Port Authority and the Mayor himself, Santiago Calatrava’s “lamp of hope” has been thoroughly extinguished: “Among the first elements to go — without fanfare or public announcement — were the skylights over the mezzanine.” The new date for completion has been set for the 10th anniversary of the attacks: September 11th, 2011. |CityRoom|
Not only has the fallout from Wall Street’s greed already bruised the country, but the other national disgrace in Lower Manhattan, the still undeveloped WTC site, has also left an open wound that is slowly killing the city. Although it’s been more than 7 years since the 9/11 attacks, virtually anything being built at Ground Zero is facing delays, including the grand rail hub, “a planned architectural masterpiece with steel ribs jutting like a bird’s wings from the dome, a retractable skylight and a vast, naturally lit concourse.” It’s more than 5 years behind schedule and “hundreds of millions of dollars over budget,” transforming the site from a symbol of tragedy to one of absolute incompetence. |AP|
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