Ground Zero Hour.

“With today’s agreement, we can now move forward with rebuilding the World Trade Center.” After months of wrangling, developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority strike a deal on the planned “Freedom Tower” at the WTC site. Said Pataki: ““This is the last stumbling block to putting shovels in the ground.” Construction on the 1776-foot Freedom Tower is set to be completed by 2012.

Memorial Politics.

Speaking to the families of 9-11 victims, Governor Pataki declares that nothing will be built on the site of the former WTC. While obviously some kind of memorial on the premises would be appropriate, I don’t agree with Pataki at all on this one. NYC doesn’t need another park…the city should stay true to its organic nature and rebuild on the (extremely valuable) space, particularly if you consider the fact that the WTC project tore up several blocks of historic Dutch Manhattan back in 1973.