Port Authority now to build WTC Memorial.

In a move designed to consolidate crews and costs at the busy World Trade Center site, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has taken control of construction for the World Trade Center Memorial. Construction responsibilities had previously been in the hand of The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, which will run the memorial and attached museum once construction is complete.

"Our board had a special meeting this morning and voted in favor of the agreement," said Lynn Rasic, vice president of public affairs for the Memorial Foundation. "Now that the Port Authority will manage construction, the Foundation will be working to complete the design and manage the longer-term planning and operation for the site, particularly the museum."

Formed in the aftermath of the destruction of the twin towers with a stated mission to "remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women, and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001," the Memorial Foundation not only will run the site, but also must raise funds for its construction. Hours after announcing the Port Authority would handle construction of "Reflecting Absence," the Michael Arad and Peter Walker-designed memorial, the Memorial Foundation launched the nationwide media campaign it hopes will help the group raise its $260-million share of the $510 million officials say will be needed for memorial construction. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation will provide the remaining $250 million.

"This will now allow us to really focus on fundraising," said Rasic.

Officials close to the project say preliminary discussion of handing over construction duties to the Port Authority began last fall, as estimated construction costs on the site ballooned from $500 million to $973 million. Builder Frank Sciame, who Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg brought in earlier this year to reign-in costs, also recommended the switch as part of his value engineering-based redesign and reduction of the site.

"It makes more sense this way," said Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman "We're familiar with the infrastructure, we have expertise in large construction projects ... And there's a lot of shared infrastructure. Now you won't have two competing crews on site."

In addition to taking on construction duties for the memorial, the Port Authority announced Thursday that they would up their commitment to developing "shared infrastructure" at the WTC site from $100 million to $150 million. This money will go mostly toward the installation of below-grade necessities such as foundations, electrical wiring, plumbing and a chiller plant. The Port Authority is already involved in such work next door to the proposed memorial at the Santiago Calatrava-designed WTC Transportation Hub, which is under construction.

According to Coleman, the Port Authority plans to begin construction on the memorial by late summer or early fall and expects to complete the memorial on schedule, opening September 11, 2009.

Bovis Lend Lease had been serving as Construction Managers/ General Contractors on the site when it was under the control of the Memorial Foundation, but Coleman said Thursday it was unclear whether their involvement would continue.

"It could be Bovis or it could be someone else," he said. "It's too early to say right now."

As for the Memorial Foundation, their ad campaign, with its tagline "it's time," hit newspapers, radio, billboards and television this week. The pro bono campaign features ads designed and then donated by the firm TBWA. The Memorial Foundation hopes not only to raise the $260 million it has committed toward memorial construction, but also an additional $40 million for programming and operating costs for the museum. More information is available at buildthememorial.org.