Nothing to be built on Deutsche Bank site for decade says outgoing deputy mayor.
The cursed site of the former Deutsche Bank building in Lower Manhattan that lay dormant for almost 10 years after it was damaged in the 9/11 terror attacks could remain unused for another decade.
Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber said the city and state should leave the World Trade Center Tower 5 site vacant until lower Manhattan’s office market recovers over the next 10 years, rather than build a mixed-use development there sooner.
“There will be [demand] for office space in lower Manhattan,” said Lieber, who is leaving city government later this summer. “[But] it’s going to take place a decade from now.”
But Community Board 1 Chairwoman Julie Menin said she sees no reason to wait 10 years when residential and hotel developers are interested in the Deutsche site now.
“To have another blighted plot of land, another hole in the community, makes no sense,” Menin said at a meeting of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, of which she and Lieber are board members. We’re sitting on this and we don’t have a plan.”
The demolition of the Deutsche Bank building, which was heavily damaged by the collapse of the Twin Towers, has been plagued by tragedy and delays.
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