Holden Assesses WTC Cleanup; Praises Industry’s Quick Response (10/4/01)

NYCN: What is the role of DDC?

HOLDEN: DDC’s role is demolition, excavation and removal of the debris at the World Trade Center site. We also got involved in the making the site safe for the workers; for shoring up buildings where debris stuck out, particularly the American Express Building and Bankers Trust Building. We are also operating on private buildings by making them safe for DDC employees and the contractors.

NYCN: How did it feel as a city official to be immersed in all of this?

HOLDEN: It is one part exhilaration and adrenaline and two parts immense sadness. It’s the most horrific project I have ever worked on. It is horrific in its human loss and in the loss to the city. It is also one of the most exciting projects because so many different groups have come together working hard to make this, cooperatively, come together. This includes public agencies, private contractors, consultants, everybody. Everybody has been more than great.

NYCN: What was the response of your city agency and the private sector?

HOLDEN: Both Mike Burton, executive deputy commissioner of DDC and myself spent the afternoon and through the night of Sept. 11 in 1 Police Plaza trying to bring contractors down. The initial request was for light towers so we could see what was going on and to allow the fire department to fight the fires. That Tuesday night and Wednesday morning was a mad scramble for light towers. From that point on, instinct took over and we all went to help the firemen and police in their rescue operations. The private sector responded with a superhuman effort.

NYCN: How will things change with regard to DDC and the WTC cleanup efforts with a change in city administrations?

HOLDEN: I have not had any contact from any of the candidates to date.

NYCN: What were some of the misunderstandings that needed to be cleared up?

HOLDEN: Misinformation about buildings falling down. One Liberty Plaza and the Millennium Hotel have been “falling down” several times since September 11, but they are still standing today. Also, there is a lot of misunderstanding about the four contractors that were chosen. People don’t understand how they were chosen.

NYCN: Are there any misunderstandings that currently need clarification?

HOLDEN: Aside from every day details on any big project, there are now no major misunderstandings.

NYCN: What equipment and supplies do those involved in the recovery efforts still need?

HOLDEN: The people we have on board can supply everything that is needed to do the job. DDC appreciates all of the people who have come forth to volunteer. But to run an operation of this magnitude on a volunteer basis, with security and safety concerns, is too difficult to do. This is still designated a crime scene.

NYCN: Have there been any construction industry workers’ lives lost?

HOLDEN: None. And there have been no serious accidents.

NYCN: Is there any official industry association designated by DDC as the industry’s liaison with the city?

HOLDEN: No. We’re dealing with the contractors themselves, Frank McArdle of General Contractors Association and Ray Maguire of Contractors Association of Greater New York. We have also had direct contact with Tom MaGuire of the Brotherhood of Operating Engineers as well as Ed Malloy of the Building and Construction Trades Council.

NYCN: Who has contracts with DDC? Will there be more?

HOLDEN: The Big Four are: Tully Construction, AMEC, Bovis Lend Lease LMB, and Turner Construction.

NYCN: Isn’t Plaza Construction on the Turner team?

HOLDEN: Our contract is specifically with Turner.

NYCN: Will you clarify how the cleanup is being organized and how the contracts were awarded?

HOLDEN: We are negotiating with the contractors now. It is primarily a T&M (time and materials) contract and I hope to have the contract terms finalized by the end of this week [by Oct.5].

NYCN: What are the terms/costs of each contract to the city?

HOLDEN: These are still being worked on. We are initially seeking to register four $250 million contracts. That number is not based on any estimate of work that has been done. It is based on a base number to get contracts rolling.

NYCN: There is talk in the industry that the indemnification language in DDC contracts needs to be changed with regard to emergency response. Are there plans to address the indemnification language in DDC and other city agency contracts with regard to emergency response?

HOLDEN: We’re still talking about it. I understand the contractors have tremendous concern on the liability end and are having a hard time accepting the standard contract liability provisions. That is why we are continuing to work with the contractors, the city’s law department and DDC to resolve this issue.

NYCN: There are rumors about Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). Are there any PLAs planned?

HOLDEN: At this point, it is an open discussion. There have been a series of proposals. Nothing has been definitively decided.

NYCN: Who is funding the cleanup?

HOLDEN: The city funds it and based on my discussions with FEMA, all of the work we are doing should be reimbursable by FEMA.

NYCN: How will all the funding plans we have heard about go toward rebuilding?

HOLDEN: I know the city has made a request of the federal government for reconstruction costs, not only for the buildings in the World Trade Center complex that were lost but also the surrounding infrastructure.

NYCN: Will DDC also oversee the rebuilding efforts?

HOLDEN: I think we will oversee the surrounding infrastructure such as the streets. Some are city streets and others, like Route 9A, is a state highway. I don’t know if the state will want to redo it or if they will want us to redo it. Tully Construction is the contractor of record on this portion of 9A.

NYCN: How is/ or will this disaster impact on the rest of construction activity in the city? Other DDC projects?

HOLDEN: I understand that in Manhattan, due to the traffic, contractors had had a hard time getting concrete. At one point, Bovis Lend Lease LMB was going to build a concrete plant on one of the West Side piers that would be shared with other contractors. However, now that traffic as eased, that plan has been put on hold.

NYCN: What other city/state agencies do you have reporting to you ?

HOLDEN: No one is reporting to me per se. We are however working closely with FEMA, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the State Emergency Management Office and we are closely coordinating cleanup efforts with the New York City departments of sanitation, transportation and environmental protection. We are also continuing to work closely with the fire and police departments with regard to the search and recovery efforts.

NYCN: When do you expect the 1.2 million tons of debris to be cleaned up?

HOLDEN: By October 2002, assuming a 24 hour operation continues.

NYCN: What happens then?

HOLDEN: After the cleanup, the future of the site will be in the hands of the Port Authority of NY & NJ, the owner of the property.

NYCN: What situations stand out in your mind as heroism on the part of the construction industry workers who have been at ground zero? Are there any specific individuals that stand out in your mind?

HOLDEN: Now is not the time to single out any one individual’s contributions. Now is the time to look at the industry’s contribution that has and continues to be exemplary and a model for the world on how to respond to a disaster of this nature.

NYCN: What else can the construction industry do to help?

HOLDEN: They can continue the excellent work they have already begun.

NYCN: Thank you, Ken.

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