Silverstein on Trade Center Delays: 'Not The End of The World'

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By Tom Acitelli

November 20, 2008 | 2:26 p.m

Larry Silverstein in January 2008.

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Joe Fornabiao.

Here was World Trade Center site developer Larry Silverstein at a forum hosted by NYU last week:

The time frames have changed, they are delayed by virtue of the Port Authority being able to deliver in a timely fashion, it will get there and they will deliver ultimately. But the timing for the development and the building of those building is going to be set back a few years, which under the circumstances, is not the end of the world.

Mr. Silverstein was talking about delays at the trade center site, and, as Real Estate Weekly's Dan Geiger ably points out, "Silverstein for one of the first times publicly conceded that he was glad the construction would likely be delayed."

Why was Mr. Silverstein so nonchalant? It's the economy, stupid.

"“I’m 77… I’ve been cognizant for the last 59 years," he said at the forum. "I’ve never seen anything quite like it, the circumstances that we face today. Is there anything positive out there?”