New York mayor: Ground zero rebuild won’t bow to Hurricane Irene

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With Hurricane Irene expected to roar through New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday that construction at the World Trade Center site is being suspended for safety reasons. But he said that everyone is committed to making sure that the storm will not delay construction.

As the city braces for what could be the worst storm in nearly 100 years, one of the first orders of business was securing huge, hulking construction cranes that sit atop buildings throughout the city. The cranes could do unthinkable damage if they came crashing down during the storm, which some forecasters say could bring winds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Such cranes are also positioned at the trade center site, which will be the site of a ceremony on Sept. 11 to mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

PHOTOS: In the path of Hurricane Irene

Bloomberg assured the media Friday that while the cranes and workers would halt for safety reasons, construction would remain on schedule.

View Hurricane Irene track forecast in a larger map
The memorial, called ‘Reflecting Absence,’ is scheduled to be formally unveiled on Sept. 11. It is dominated by waterfalls flowing into massive squares that once held the World Trade Center’s twin towers. It will be one of the centerpieces of the rebuild that includes a transportation hub, a museum and skyscrapers, including 1 World Trade Center.

Also known as the Freedom Tower, the new building will stand 1,362 feet tall -- the height of the original south tower -- and boast an antenna that will bring the official height of the building to a symbolic 1,776 feet.

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-- Rene Lynch and Geraldine Baum