Political Skirmishes Delaying Ground Zero Construction

New York City's Ground Zero has sat as an empty hole for years. Though infrastructure work is underway, politics are holding the rebuilding back, according to this interview with New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger.

1 minute read

March 19, 2010, 6:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


The Port Authority reluctant to spend money on rebuilding Ground Zero, preferring to focus its funding on bridge and tunnel projects. The developers of the site don't have enough money to push the project forward on their own.

"The dispute has spread into the political realm, with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg asking more flexibility from the Port Authority and the editorial board of The New York Times advocating against such a move.

Goldberger says the dispute spilled over into the naming of his own book. He originally wanted to call it Architecture, Politics and the Rebuilding of New York, but his editors made him flip the order of the words 'politics' and 'architecture' because it's mostly a tale of politics.

'Sadly,' Goldberger said, 'nine years later, that's still the case.'"

Friday, March 12, 2010 in National Public Radio

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

People vote in Chicago behind blue privacy screens

Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners

Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents

November 5 - Block Club Chicago

Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks into a microphone. He wears a gray suit.

NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting

New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.

November 5 - The City Reporter

People in Los Angeles going to the polls, following a sign with an "I Voted" design

California appears to reject Prop. 45

The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.

November 5 - Cal Matters