New York University is considering expanding into the building that will replace the former Deutsche Bank building that was damaged in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center September 11, 2001, according to an article by Tom Topousis in today's edition of The New York Post.

The Deutsche Bank building is still being demolished but the article indicated that its Ground Zero site, known as Tower 5, is expected to be finally cleared by the end of this year, which, the article said, "would fit in with the university's" 20-year plans to dramatically expand campus housing, classrooms and other services."

The university has announced it wants to add 6 million square feet of new space, about half of which it wants to locate in its "core" area around Washington Square Park.

"In a letter to the Port Authority and Lower Manhattan Development Corp., NYU Vice President Lynne Brown has requested a meeting with rebuilding officials to determine which downtown sites are available for campus expansion," the article said.

"Tower 5," it continued, "is expected to include 1.3 million square feet of space. The PA is looking for a developer willing to build either an office tower or a combination hotel and housing high-rise on the site."

The article quoted a spokesman for the Port Authority as stating that it was "certainly willing to meet with NYU and pleased that there is so much continuing interest in the site during its building."

Sources familiar with the university's plans insist that Tower 5 would not be used to replace a proposed 40-story tower that NYU still wants to build on Bleecker Street at the Silver Towers development designed by I. M. Pei and that proposal "is the most controversial element of the expansion plan," the article noted.

The article said that "Julie Menin, chairperson of downtown's Community Board 1, said a move by NYU to expand in lower Manhattan would find broad community support:

'I raised this idea a number of weeks ago,' Menin said. 'I'm very pleased they are taking this idea seriously. I think it makes sense for a whole lot of reasons. Tower 5 is perfect for them.'"

Recently a rendering was published of a new building at the Tower 5 site that had a large "pot-belly" to accommodate trading floors for Merrill Lynch over a rebuilt church just to the north of the building but that plan was abandoned after the financial crisis.

In a separate Ground Zero development, Steve Cuozzo wrote an article in today's edition of The New York Post stating that "The race to buy a piece of the Port Authority's 1 World Trade Center is getting down and dirty."

"Time Warner Center developer Stephen Ross unloaded yesterday on a claim that his Related Cos. - one of two finalists vying for a stake in 1 WTC - has foul-smelling ties to Mideast Arab countries. Related and the Durst Organization are in a horse race to invest $100 million in the $2.6 billion project, a deal that would give the private firm management and leasing control of the iconic, 1,776-foot office tower now under construction. The PA is expected to choose on June 22," according to the article.

The article said that Mr. Ross, the head of the Related Companies, denied speculation by Peter Johnson Jr. yesterday on Fox News Channel that Related is "substantially bankrolled by the most powerful Arab corporate interests in the world" and "questioned whether it would be an appropriate partner."

Mr. Cuozzo quoted Mr. Ross as stating that he was "furious": "They're trying to get the victims' families rather than the Port Authority to make the decision," adding that "The partners they're talking about don't have an equity interest in our company."

Related's Mideast partners, he said in the article, "'are just debtholders," adding that "They have a subordinated debt position with no rights."

In fact, the article continued, "Related announced its debt agreements with Mideast funds Mubadala Development, Olayan Group and Kuwait Investment Authority in 2007."