A TALE OF TWO CITY PROJECTS

[DMCKEON]

Dear Editor,



With much fanfare two projects were begun today. In Lower Manhattan the LMDC sent out a press release to announce the footings being set for the WTC Memorial and Museum. At the same time in the Bronx the groundbreaking for the new Yankee Stadium was attended by almost every NYC elected official.



Makes you wonder about priorities. I guess even the politicians, even in an election year, are growing weary of yet another start at Ground Zero. I myself have lost count of the number of groundbreakings we have had at Ground Zero.



If you took a poll of New Yorkers as to which project they think will be completed first, you would be probably find it very difficult to find even one that would put their money on the Memorial.



Just yesterday the papers were filled with articles about how money that was dedicated to the Memorial might have found its way into other projects. That along with the fact that the city has turned over complete control to the Port Authority does not instill any confidence that this project will ever get completed on budget or on time. One only has to look at past Authority projects if they want a little glimpse into the future of Ground Zero.



On the other hand you will see Yankee Stadium completed on time and probably cost the city what the current estimates state. At this point you can actually see a blueprint for what the stadium will look like when completed. Does anyone even have a clue as to what has been decided for the Memorial or the Museum?



The bottom line is we will most definitely see the new Yankee Stadium along with the new Shea Stadium and maybe even the new Net’s complex in Brooklyn before we see a memorial or museum at Ground Zero.



Sad but true.



At least I will not be afraid to bring my kids to any of these other venues as they will be constructed under the legal jurisdiction of the NYC Building and Fire Departments. The same cannot be said of the memorial and the museum.



To paraphrase Dickens “It was the best of times, in the Bronx, it was the worst of times at Ground Zero”.



Dennis McKeon

Sent to our local papers 8/16/06