Ground Zero towers to be completed in 2013

Days ahead of the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers, city officials say that the Manhattan neighbourhood is finally being reborn.

"Tower One has now taken its place amid the New York skyline and the memorial pools and plaza are on schedule to be opened," New York state Governor David Paterson told a press conference.

That principal tower in the complex, a 1,776-foot building at one World Trade Center, has now reached the 36th floor out of 106, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Work is also progressing quickly on a memorial site featuring two waterfalls marking the fallen Twin Towers of the old World Trade Center and a park of 400 oak trees, 16 of which have been planted.

The memorial opening is set for next year, a decade after Islamist hijackers slammed two airliners into the towers, killing almost 3, 000 people. A museum will be complete in 2012.

"The memorial site will be open in 2011," developer Larry Silverstein said. "In 2013 towers one and four will welcome their first tenants. Five years from now all these buildings will be open."

He said that media giant Conde Nast had already signaled intent to lease one million square feet in the main tower and that he expected some 250, 000 people to visit the new World Trade Center daily.

Bloomberg also said that after years of financial infighting the project is rapidly gathering pace and contributing to a boom across the neighbourhood.

"Today, it’s fair to say, the streets of downtown have never been more full of life. Some 15, 000 housing units have been built here since 2001, which has led to lower Manhattan’s population more than doubling in size," Bloomberg said.

The politicians and developers steered clear of comment on controversy over private plans to build an Islamic community center two blocks from Ground Zero.

The Muslim alliance behind the center says it would promote tolerance and has received support from President Barack Obama. But increasingly vociferous opponents, backed by other leading national politicians, accuse the project of deliberately disrespecting the victims of 9/11.

Paterson said it was better for now to let the matter rest.

"I'm going to try not to talk about that for a week just to see if that helps New Yorkers," he said.