The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will hold a public hearing regarding the future of Lower Manhattan on Thursday, May 23 at Pace University in the Michael Shimmel Center from 6 to 9 pm. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to comment on ideas for the future of the World Trade Center site, adjacent areas and related transportation infrastructure, including those suggested in the LMDC draft Principles and Preliminary Blueprint.

This hearing is the first in a series of public hearings to be held by the LMDC and the Port Authority before and after each phase of a three-phase joint urban design and transportation planning study. Representatives from the LMDC, Port Authority and their planning consultants will be on hand to listen to the suggestions and comments.

The format for the public hearing is as follows:

• The public hearing begins at 6 p.m. and space is limited. Those wishing to attend should arrive by 5pm. Everyone entering will be checked by security and if possible, should avoid wearing or carrying any items that typically set off metal detectors.

• The auditorium can accommodate 750 people. A spillover room is being set aside in the Student Union to accommodate an additional 250 people who will be able to watch the hearing on closed circuit television.

• Those who cannot attend the hearing can view the hearing live on Pace University's web site, at www.Pace.edu.

• Anyone from the public may provide a comment for up to three minutes. In order to solicit as many public comments as possible within the time allowed, there will not be a Q&A session, but a professional facilitator will moderate the comments. Those who do not get an opportunity to comment will be able to fill out a comment card.

• Spanish and English translators will be on site.

• Copies of relevant documents, including the Draft Principles and Preliminary Blueprint, will be placed on every seat.

• To answer questions and receive comments about other topics regarding Lower Manhattan that are not addressed during the hearing, various government agencies will have tables set up outside the auditorium, including the Empire State Development Corporation, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and agencies involved in air quality.

• Members of the media wishing to cover the hearing should arrive by 5 p.m. A mult box will be provided. Anyone wishing to carry the hearing live must make arrangements in advance.

Comments can also be submitted via email to RenewNYC@empire.state.ny.us or by mail to:

LMDC/Port Authority Comments
C/O Empire State Development Corporation
P.O. Box 4438, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10017

To obtain a copy of the draft Principles and Preliminary Blueprint in English, Spanish or Chinese, please visit the LMDC's web site at www.renewnyc.org or call 212-962-3756 for a list of locations in Lower Manhattan where it is available. Additional documents relating to the rebuilding effort can also be obtained on the Port Authority's web site at www.panynj.gov.

The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University is located at 3 Spruce Street (between Gold Street and Park Row) New York, NY 10038.