Deutsche Bank Building
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- For the current Deutsche Bank building, see 60 Wall Street
The Deutsche Bank Building at 130 Liberty Street in New York City, United States, was built as Bankers Trust Plaza and opened in 1974 and is now being deconstructed. Bankers Trust was acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.
The 40-story building was severely damaged by the collapse of the 2 World Trade Center (South Tower) in the September 11, 2001 attacks. The collapse of 2 World Trade Center tore a 24-story gash into the facade and destroyed the lobby. As of July 2005, the Deutsche Bank Building was the only real visible sign that a large-scale disaster had occurred at the site, the gaping hole in its front serving as an eerie reminder of the tragedy. The building was declared a total loss in 2004.
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[edit] Aftermath
After the 9/11 attacks, netting that had the appearance of a black burial shroud was placed around the building. The bank maintained that the building could not be restored to habitable condition, while its insurers sought to treat the incident as recoverable damage rather than a total loss. Work on the building was deferred for over two years during which the condition of the building deteriorated. The fire sprinkler system had sprayed excessive water in the building, which caused black mold to grow, making the building unsafe.
In 2002, over a year after the attacks, a number of mummified human remains were found inside the building. The remains had been ejected there by the explosions across Liberty Street. Additionally, in September 2005, even more human remains were found on the roof.<ref name="renewnyc">Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Frequently Asked Questions - 130 Liberty Street and Findings of Potential Human Remains. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.</ref> In March 2006, construction workers who were removing toxic waste from the building before deconstruction found more bone fragments and remains. This has prompted calls from victims' family members for another search of the building by forensic experts. In 2006 between April 7 to April 14, over 300 human bone fragments were discovered in the ballast gravel on the roof. Workers sifted through the gravel to find these remains. More remains are expected from other buildings' roofs.
The cost of this deconstruction (photo right) has steadily increased as large amounts of asbestos, dioxin, lead, silica, quartz, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chromium and manganese have been found in the building.
On February 27,2004, an agreement was announced to settle the disposition of the building and insurance claims. Later that year as part of this agreement, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation acquired the land and commenced its deconstruction.<ref name="stateny">Governor's Press Releases (2004-02-27). GOVERNOR PATAKI: DEUTSCHE BANK SETTLEMENT REACHED. New York State. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.</ref>
[edit] Future of the 130 Liberty Street site
Negotiations over the World Trade Center site concluded in April 2006 with private developer Larry Silverstein yielding his right to develop on the site designated for Tower Five to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in exchange for assistance in financing Towers Two, Three, and Four.[citation needed]
As of May 2006, Tower Five is expected to be redesigned for residential or mixed use and offered to another private developer; there is no estimated date for construction to commence on that site.[citation needed]
Recent negotiations among LMDC, Gov. Pataki and Silverstein included giving Silverstein the Deutsche Bank Building and property, but its future remains uncertain.[citation needed]
