Just in time for the 16th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, when all its buildings and the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church were destroyed, a formal lease and purchase agreement has finally been signed with the Port Authority for what is to be known as The Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center.
The final deal was signed on Aug. 21 by Rick Cotton, the Port’s new executive director, just days after he took on the role. The 198-year lease runs until July 31, 2215, and has an additional 99-year extension. There’s also an option to buy the land from the Port Authority.
According to the church, the rent is a mere $1 per year. “Most importantly, the church also has an option to purchase the site at any time during the term of the lease for a nominal [i.e., $1] purchase price,” said Jerry Dimitriou, executive director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. “The current plan is to exercise the option to purchase soon after the completion of construction and after the church officially opens its doors.”
The church is being constructed by Skanska at 130 Liberty St., where the hulking black glass Deutsche Bank offices once stood.
The prior church at 155 Cedar St. was founded in 1916 in a 1,200-square-foot, four-story structure.
Destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, its rebuilding was hampered by early Ground Zero plans.
Talks broke down in 2009, resulting in 2011 litigation. A deal was finally reached to start construction without a formal lease and a ground blessing was held on Oct. 18, 2014.
The dome of the new Santiago Calatrava-designed church was topped out in November 2016, with an opening now targeted for November 2018 — the 102nd anniversary of the church.
Starting Wednesday, the Port announced that the Koenig Sphere by German artist Fritz Koenig, which stood in the Trade Center’s plaza and was crushed on Sept. 11, was cleaned and will now be displayed in Liberty Park.
