Space holding pedestals to appear at New York's Ground Zero

New York, Jan.30 (ANI): A pair of gigantic space-holding pedestals could appear at Ground Zero as temporary stand-ins for two of the site's long-planned signature skyscrapers, officials disclosed Thursday.

The broad-shouldered pedestals - facing each other along Church Street - could possibly house world-class retail shops if officials delayed additional construction during the economic downturn.

Each could be engineered to permit later construction of the immense towers planned by World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein for the 16-acre site.

According to the New York Daily News, the pedestals are essentially handsome and ultra-expensive stumps for the future buildings. They could serve as a stop gap measure until the hobbled economy recovers and private construction financing becomes available again for the twin mega-projects.

At stake is the future of two Silverstein buildings: Tower 2, slated to be taller than the Empire State Building, and Tower 3, another iconic design expected to reshape the downtown skyline.

Foundation work for Tower 4, the future corporate home of the Port Authority and possibly some city agencies, would not be affected. (ANI)