Rebuilt Ground Zero Billed as National Symbol

Rebuilt Ground Zero Billed as National Symbol,
But Costly Construction Projects
Outsourced Overseas

This weekend, thousands of people will gather at the site of the former World Trade Center to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

On Sunday, a dedication ceremony will be held for the 9/11 Memorial, which will open to the public on Monday. However, construction continues on 1 World Trade Center, which is far from complete.

While the 10th anniversary has made international headlines, little attention has been paid to some controversial aspects of the rebuilding at Ground Zero.

At a time when President Obama is launching a massive jobs initiative, key parts of the construction project were outsourced overseas. A Chinese glass company won the contract to manufacture the special blast-resistant glass base of 1 World Trade Center.

Some 250 tons of stainless steel from Germany will also be imported for the project. So far, just two tenants have agreed to move in to the 105-floor building, the massive skyscraper formerly known as the Freedom Tower.

The China Center was the first tenant to sign a deal. Leasing floors 64 to 69, the center will be used to promote the expansion of Chinese companies in the United States and house the U.S. offices of some Chinese firms.

The publishing giant Condé Nast has agreed to be the anchor tenant by leasing floors 20 to 41 at a heavily subsidized rate.

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Joe Nocera, business columnist for the New York Times has closely followed the rebuilding at Ground Zero and recently wrote a column titled "9/11’s White Elephant."