Rebirth of Lower Manhattan celebrated at PWC conference.

Professional Women in Construction (PWC) celebrated progress in Lower Manhattan at their annual conference, saluting the owners, developers and builders of the first rebuilt tower, 7 World Trade Center (WTC), and the soon-to-launch WTC Transportation Hub, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

"Tonight, Professional Women in Construction is celebrating the rebirth of Lower Manhattan through one of the most massive and complex reconstruction programs ever undertaken in the history of New York City," said PWC President Lenore Janis as she introduced the honorees at the organization's annual awards reception, held on Wednesday, March 22, at The Yale Club in New York City.

Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, a guest speaker, praised the event, saying, "PWC is to be congratulated for celebrating success stories in the Lower Manhattan rebuilding effort. 7 World Trade is a spectacular building and the Calatrava station will make a huge contribution to Downtown recovery." Calling 7 World Trade Center and the WTC Transportation Hub "stunning examples of beauty welded to security," Janis noted that 7 WTC has a shimmering facade of over 500,000 s/f of glass that will change its appearance according to the surrounding weather conditions and is the first official "green" office building of New York City. The WTC Transportation Hub will serve 80,000 daily PATH riders and millions of annual visitors. Its cathedral-like arches will open each year on September 11th.

Larry Silverstein, president and CEO of Silverstein Properties, commented prior to the program, "We vowed to rebuild the World Trade Center to the highest standards of excellence in every way. After four years of hard work, the building is ready."

Pointing out that many women in key positions helped meet the unique challenges of the project, Silverstein continued, "We could not have done it without the women who are here tonight ... PWC is affirming that we are on the right track. With this first building at the World Trade Center site, we have raised the bar for professional women in construction in New York City."

Jack Klein, Silverstein Properties' vice president of construction and the director of construction for 7 WTC, said, "Silverstein Properties will take the knowledge we've gained at 7 WTC and implement it at the Freedom Tower and other office buildings at the World Trade Center site." He then called the leading women involved with 7 WTC to the dais including: Yvette Wright, energy coordinator, Silverstein Properties; Robin Murray, senior business development representative, the Port Authority of NY & NJ; Tania Barba, project engineer and Flora Ramos, assistant project manager, Tishman Construction Corporation of NY;

Nicole Dosso, architect, Skidmore Owings and Merrill; Rodica Kestenband, structural engineer, WSP Cantor Seinuk; Alice Arana, project manager/engineer, Mueser Rutledge; Annie Weinmayr, architect, Ken Smith Landscape Architect; Victoria Cerami, president, Cerami Associates and Nan Magid and Ellen Feuer, principals of National Reprographics. PWC also honored the major firms and agencies behind the tower's construction: the Port Authority of NY & NJ, land owner; Tishman Construction Corporation, construction manager; Skidmore Owings & Merrill, architects; and WSP Cantor Seinuk and Cerami Associates, engineers.

Steven Plate, director of priority capital programs for the Port Authority of NY & NJ, accepted the award for the WTC Transportation Hub on behalf of the owner and joint venture construction team.

He asked members of the construction team to join him on the dais including representatives from Phoenix Constructors JV: Fluor Enterprises, Slattery Skanska, Granite Construction Northeast, and Bovis Lend Lease; The Downtown Design Partnership of DMJM Harris, STV and Santiago Calatrava; and the oversight construction manager JV: Parsons Brinckherhoff and URS.

Janis granted PWC Special Recognition awards to supporters and board members Andy Frankl, president and CEO of IBEX Construction, and Christine Flaherty, Business Development Manager for STV Construction, Inc., a subsidiary of STV Group.

The event sponsors were: Phoenix Constructors JV, Ibex Construction, Tishman Construction Corporation, The Downtown Design Partnership, National Reprographics, Weidlinger Associates, and Turner Construction Company.