Skidmore architect David Childs unveiled plans for the 51-story tower at a meeting of Community Board One's Land Use and Transportation committees. If approved by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land, Tishman Construction Corp. would build the structure for WTC leaseholder Larry Silverstein.

Childs' design calls for 1.6 million sf of office space on 42 floors. Two nine-story Con Ed transformers will be located at the base of the building's north and south ends. The lobby and truck docks will occupy the center of the structure on the restored Greenwich Street corridor. Construction of supports for the substation will begin in June and the building is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in 2005.

Community Board 1 assistant district manager Judy Duffy says the two committees came out largely in favor of the design after last night's presentation, though they will make some recommendations when they bring their findings to the full board next Tuesday. "We passed a resolution that we, in general, were in favor of the building," Duffy tells GlobeSt.com. Chief among their concerns, she adds, is the appearance of the substation enclosure. "Obviously there are concerns about the size of the blank wall. Ideally, you want something that's beautiful." Employing local artists to create a design for the space would be a potential solution, Duffy notes.

Kohn says the design's height should not be a concern, either from a safety standpoint or a marketing perspective. "The height is not an issue for me," he tells GlobeSt.com. "It's not a super-tall building in today's world. I could see designing it even taller." He predicts that Silverstein will have little trouble finding tenants for the building, if it is approved. "It will lease when the market's good. We all want that building to succeed because it will help the market down here. I would hate to see it sit empty."