Millennium & Copthorne plans to reopen hotel caught in WTC attacks

A New York hotel that faced demolition after the terrorist attacks on the city last September may reopen later this year.

Initial reports said the Millenium Hilton, which stands on the next block to the World Trade Center (WTC) site was so badly damaged in the attacks that it would have to come down.

Hundreds of its windows facing the WTC complex were blown out and its reception, which looks out on to the site, was coated in several inches of the brown dust that smothered much of downtown New York after the explosions.

But Paul Underhill, Millennium & Copthorne's president for the Americas, said exhaustive checks on the building in Church Street have shown it still to be "structurally sound."

He said he hoped the hotel would reopen later this year.

The hotel is still sealed off as part of the designated "crime scene" around the WTC and is manned only by security staff.

Refurbishment cannot begin until the police investigations around Ground Zero have been completed, but Underhill was hopeful that restoration work could start soon.

The only people to use the hotel since 11 September have been police, firefighters and paramedics taking breaks during the rescue work.

by Stanley Slaughter
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 7-13 February 2002