Downtown Express photo by Elisabeth Robert

Progress Report 2008
Mark Vigg began to paint around the World Trade Center site last weekend to help cover up the barriers and the imposing green wall on Church St. It is one of the short-term improvements being implemented by Chris Ward, the Port Authority’s executive director, who promises to be a “better neighbor” in our 13th annual Progress Report. Ward also writes about the Port’s plans to crack down on illegal vendors, and W.T.C. developer Larry Silverstein says he’s not fazed at all by the shaky economy as he builds commercial towers.

Mayor, Silver have a laugh as city pays up for Fiterman
One of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s biggest battles this year was over money for Fiterman Hall, the City University of New York classroom building damaged on 9/11.

Parents knock mayor’s control of schools
By Lincoln Anderson
A forum on mayoral control of New York City’s public schools at The Cooper Union last week saw about 70 parents turn out in numbers to demand a greater voice in their children’s education.

Council approves sanitation garage tower for Hudson Square
By Albert Amateau
The three-district Department of Sanitation garage on Spring St. received final approval from the City Council on Wednesday by a vote of 40 to one with one abstention, but the Bloomberg administration made commitments to Council Speaker Christine Quinn to work over the next six months to make the project more acceptable neighborhood residents.

Vendors don’t buy arguments for new laws
By Albert Amateau
Vendors who sell everything from hot dogs to handicrafts filled the City Council Chamber last week at the council’s hearing on proposed new rules on how and where vendors may do business on the sidewalks of New York.

Getting back to business with art and trains
Liz Berger, president of the Downtown Alliance, administers Lower Manhattan’s Business Improvement District, the largest in the city. She answered Downtown Express questions on the state of Downtown.

There is something open at the W.T.C.
By Jennifer Adams
As Lower Manhattan is undergoing a historic shift to a 24/7 mixed community with an increasing residential population, the Tribute Center is welcoming visitors on a quiet street on the south side of the W.T.C. site.

2 schools aren’t enough to match Downtown’s growth
By Julie Menin
As we are in the midst of very tough economic times, many parents have asked me what this means for the potential to build new schools. The answer is very clear.