NEW YORK.- Governor George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the appointment of Charles Maikish as Executive Director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center. The Command Center is charged with coordination and oversight of all of the construction projects in Lower Manhattan consistent with the rebuilding timeline while minimizing the impact of construction activity on Lower Manhattan's business and residential communities.

"Charles Maikish will lend his tremendous expertise to help ensure that the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan is coordinated and that business downtown will continue uninterrupted," Governor Pataki said. "I want to thank Charles for agreeing to take on this important role coordinating the efforts of private developers, utilities, Federal, State, and City entities. Under his leadership, the Construction Command Center will oversee the rebuilding efforts in order to make sure that construction activity runs smoothly for both downtown businesses and residents. Thanks to a shared vision with Mayor Bloomberg and our partners in the private sector, the rebuilding will continue safely and cause minimal disruption in Lower Manhattan."

Mayor Bloomberg said, "The rebuilding of Lower Manhattan will require unprecedented levels of cooperation and coordination among our partners, and it is essential that we have a talented and experienced leader at the helm. We are extraordinarily fortunate that Charles Maikish has agreed to serve in this position. The Command Center, under his leadership, will ensure that construction proceeds as rapidly and safely as possible while maintaining the quality of life for all of the residents and workers of Lower Manhattan."

Charles Maikish said, "This is a project for New York and America. I look forward to working with both the Mayor and the Governor and their staff facilitating this vital work. This project brings me back to a place where I spent most of my adult professional life, where I stood in the mud setting the foundation and steel for the World Trade Center and where I served as an engineer and as a lawyer. I am proud to take on this challenge and to be back in Lower Manhattan."

Charles Maikish, as an attorney, an engineer, and a senior executive, brings over thirty years of experience in construction, real estate development, transportation development, and physical facilities maintenance and operations. He currently serves as Executive Vice President of Global Real Estate Business Services for J.P. Morgan Chase. He also has prior experience as Vice President of Facilities Management for Columbia University. Mr. Maikish served as Director of the World Trade Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey where he spearheaded the reconstruction of the World Trade Center Towers after the 1993 terrorist bombings and was responsible for the overall management of the World Trade Center and other Port Authority properties, including the operation, marketing, leasing, capital investment program, and budgeting.

In November of 2004, the Governor and Mayor signed joint Executive Orders creating the Command Center and charging it with coordination and oversight of all Lower Manhattan construction projects. The Center will also take steps to minimize the impact of ongoing construction on residents, businesses, and workers in Lower Manhattan. The Command Center will bring together private developers, public agencies, utilities, businesses, and residents in one location. In addition to its oversight and coordination responsibilities, the Center and its Director provide a forum for expeditious and consistent decision-making on disputes among agencies. The Executive Director will report directly to both the Governor and the Mayor.

Some of the areas of responsibility for the Command Center include:

Establishing a master schedule of all Lower Manhattan construction projects,
Coordinating maintenance and protection of traffic,
Maintaining and improving access to residential and business areas,
Coordinating utilities, environmental compliance, and safety,
Ensuring fraud prevention, through the creation of a fraud prevention hotline and coordination with each agency's Office of Inspector General, and
Coordinating contract requirements and protocols for compliance with environmental performance commitments, and the mitigation of construction impacts.

The Command Center will also ensure minority and women-owned business and worker participation in the rebuilding efforts and serve as central source to the community by reaching out to residents, businesses, and the general public on issues critical to the local community.

Entities that will work with the Command Center include high-level personnel from the New York City Department of Transportation, the New York City Department of Design and Construction, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York City Department of Sanitation, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Fire Department, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York State Department of Transportation, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Silverstein Properties, Verizon and Con Edison, the Alliance for Downtown New York, Community Board 1, the Battery Park City Authority, and the Real Estate Board of New York.

Mr. Maikish will transition into his new role in March and assume full-time responsibility in April. The Command Center will temporarily be housed out of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's offices at 1 Liberty Plaza. The Executive Orders creating the center are available for viewing on www.renewnyc.com and www.lowermanhattan.info.

Mr. Maikish attended Manhattan College, School of Engineering, holds a B.S. from St. Joseph's College and Seminary, and a J.D. from New York Law School. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Business AMP program and serves on numerous civic and not-for-profit organizational boards.