HEART OF GLASS
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Anthony Weiner who? Yesterday, there was a much bigger (and less shameful) unveiling: plans for the $250M makeover of New York City’s World Financial Center.



Brookfield Office Properties CEO Ric Clark gave us the lowdown.
(He's standing right, with Brookfield national director of retail leasing
Ed Hogan, prez/global CIO Dennis Friedrich, and Battery Park City
Authority prez Gayle Horwitz). Among the upgrades: expansion of
retail offerings to include 40 local and international high-end retailers
(designed by Omniplan/Morrison Dilworth + Walls), a 25k SF
European-style gourmet marketplace, and 30k SF of waterfront dining
(designed by AvroKO and BCV Architects). There’s been $20B
private and public investment in Lower Manhattan and a “wonderfully
evolving neighborhood” that encouraged them to start the
renovations, they say. Lower Manhattan is still very underserved in
retail, adds Dennis—and more is needed to meet the demands of the
growing workforce and residential population.



Above, probably something to do with David Blaine's next trick. Hold on—We're now being told, it's a glass pavilion on West Street that will link the World Financial Center and Hudson River ferries to the pedestrian passageway from the World Trade Center and Fulton Street transit hub and serve as the main entranceway to the complex. It was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, the original designer of the World Financial Center (and don’t worry—the Winter Garden staircase will be incorporated into the design). The multi-phase construction is set to begin this October and will conclude in 2013



While we were there, we snapped neighboring One World Trade Center’s progress (Condé Nast Publications recently inked a 1M SF lease there, a game-changing deal for Lower Manhattan). One and Four WTC are well on their way, as is the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. To check out the latest from Ground Zero and view some nifty webcams, go to Port Authority’s progress page.