...expect to obtain a temporary certificate of occupancy by the end of ’09," says Ruffini. At the same time, Tishman expects to top out the lattice-work tower above the occupied floors.

Confident

Silverstein expects to build the other four office towers as market conditions warrant. "We’re confident we can build the entire 10 million sq ft with insurance proceeds and other available financing, including Liberty Bonds, which were created for this purpose," says Larry Silverstein, president of the firm.

Demolition of the Deutsche Bank Building, damaged on 9/11, is set to begin this fall. WTC’s landowner, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, ultimately will own the two-acre property. The land just south of Ground Zero proper will be used for Silverstein’s fifth tower, a park, possibly a replacement church and for truck access to the WTC complex.

In the next couple months, LMDC expects to issue final design guidelines for the site. This includes setting street and sidewalk dimensions and grades and elevations of new streets. Click here to view reconstruction timeline

Schematic design for the WTC memorial should be wrapped up by year-end. Davis Brody Bond, New York City, recently was named associate architect, working with competition winner Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. Final design is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

The memorial design "affects everything else we do," says Anthony G. Cracciolo, the port authority’s director of priority capital programs.

The rebuilders also are waiting for the state Dept. of Transportation’s decision on a bypass tunnel under West Street, alongside Ground Zero. The $2-billion permanent WTC PATH Terminal also is on the critical path. Final design may begin this fall. Initial construction contracts should be out for bid in mid-2006.

The port authority hopes to begin foundation work next year for the so-called east bathtub, the nine acres outside the foundation for the original twin 110-story towers. The area will become the PATH terminal’s basement, a parking area for tour buses and a loading dock.

LMDC and the port authority are pushing for phase one, which includes the Freedom Tower, the PATH terminal, as much infrastructure as possible, new streets, public spaces and the memorial, to be finished by 2009. So far, "I think we’ve made tremendous progress here," says Cracciolo. "We’re proud of that."