Port Authority Scratches 3 WTC Vote

NEW YORK CITY—After a healthy dose of controversy and the raising of questions over the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s role, the agency has decided to scrap plans to provide a $1.2 billion financial guarantee that would allow a new tower to rise at the World Trade Center site and, instead, it will pursue a deal to finance the soaring building with private funds.

A PANY/NJ spokesman tells GlobeSt.com, “We’ve been pursuing two tracks, along with developer Silverstein Properties: a restructuring, based on an agreement reached in 2010—in which the Port Authority pledged to provide a $200 million backstop for the new building—or a public/private partnership. We have reached a point, based on recent conversations, where we’re confident that we can put together a deal based on a public/private partnership rather than restructure the deal.”