NY Daily News – March 10, 2016
by Graham Rayman
Gov. Cuomo is calling on the owners of One World Trade Center to reconsider their cancellation of a charity stair climb for a 9/11-related nonprofit group.
Cuomo has persuaded the Durst Organization, which owns the skyscraper, and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to meet and try to work things out so the event can happen.
“I am confident that the remaining issues will be resolved so the event can happen again this year,” Cuomo said of the charity climb planned for May 15.
The Port Authority also weighed in, asking Durst officials to reconsider their decision.
Earlier Tuesday, Durst officials cited security and logistics concerns in their decision to can the event.
“The unique design and security requirement of One World Trade Center make stair-climbs extraordinarily challenging,” said Jordan Barowitz, a spokesman for the Durst Organization.
But John Hodge, the chief operating officer of Tunnel to Towers Foundation, charged that Durst feared ruffling the feathers of tenants, which include magazine publisher Conde Nast.
“They detest the idea of having any 9/11 tribute associated with that building,” Hodge said of the Durst Organization. He called refusing to allow the stair climb “un-American and deeply disrespectful.”
“If a fire alarm went off in that building, the same first responders being denied access would sure as hell run back up those stairs,” Hodge added.
After Cuomo and the Port Authority weighed in later Thursday, Durst indicated the event might happen in One World Trade Center after all.
“We have to work with all our tenants and partners to ensure this event is as successful as it can be,” Durst’s Barowitz said.
The Durst Organization co-owns the building with the Port Authority, and manages it.
Tunnel to Towers chairman Frank Siller thanked Cuomo for getting involved.
“We are extremely hopeful that this meeting will have a very positive outcome,” he said.
The Tunnel to Towers stair climb raises funds to build high-tech homes for returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan who are triple- and quadruple-amputees.
About 1,000 runners, including many first responders, participated in last year’s event.
A Durst official noted the company donated $25,000 to the group.
No comments yet.