Just weeks before the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the agency created to manage the rebuilding process, has announced it has ended its "mission" and will close soon. The NY Times' David Dunlap explains that the mission included "selecting a master plan and a memorial design for the trade center site; allocating more than $2.7 billion in federal grants, including support for downtown residents and businesses; financing park renovations and cultural programs; and planning the revitalization of Fulton Street, from river to river." Which is certainly more generous than our initial thought and a good reminder of what the LMDC has done, as we've come to regard it as a puppet for Governor Pataki and muddling through the redesign of Freedom Tower and the WTC Memorial. The Times article has good quotes that show the pros and cons of the agency, with many hopeful that one less agency means more action and less bureaucracy.
The LMDC's responsibilities will be disbursed to other agencies, including the Port Authority.
