[lbryce]

Compare the enormous delays, construction cost over-runs, egregious sloppinesss inherent throughout, that with the construction of the Empire State Building, and you'll realize the degree in which times have so dramatically changed.

[Mr. K]

We went to the moon in less than 8 years, and we can now no longer build a single building in less than 10?

[lbryce]

Sorry about the photo. I always go out of my way to prettify my posts but it doesn’t always pay off.

[eyeamok]

DIdnt it only take 1 year to build the Empire State bldg? Why do we allow Unions and Government to be Involved in ANYTHING?

[Pietro]

The problem is that we no longer employ Master Builders for these projects. I'd bet not one of the "people" on the "Project Team" knows which end of a shovel to pick up.

Here's my blind profile of the Team:

Architect- Harvard Professor who made his name "deconstructing negative space"; white guy / female principle partner

Lead Engineer-- we don't need no engineer (too many white guys) we'll farm out packages to multiple firms that will enable us to have diversity on the team; Indian, Asian, females of various colors)

GC-- well connected multi-national

City liasions-- environmental, archeological, cultural and subcultural; this is where the real power is (the tail wagging the dog) and this is where the black, hispanic and gay constituances get to play.

Somewhere, 6 layers deep are the Italian guys that are trying to build this thing and if they've learned one thing by now it's how to spell "CO".

[AppyPappy]

The good news is that the unions got paid already

[Smokin' Joe]

Are there going to be public restrooms on site? I heard they had been left out of the design (with waterfalls, real smart).

[SMGFan]

What, is there about 10 men working up there building it?