Annan, New York Mayor to discuss plans to improve UN Headquarters complex

The planned improvements in the landmark United Nations complex on Manhattan's East Side will be high on the agenda of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's meeting today with the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

During a working dinner, which will be hosted by Bill Luers, the President of the UN Association of the United States, discussions are expected to focus on the UN's Capital Master Plan for renovation and consolidation of the UN's workspace.

The Plan emerged after a detailed study found the decades-old complex to be in "dire need of refurbishment." Although the original design and construction were of high quality, many systems and much of the major building equipment are now well beyond their useful life. In addition to the effects of sheer age and heavy usage, the buildings are no longer in conformance with New York City fire safety codes, environmental standards, accessibility standards or reasonable modern security requirements.

Equally worrisome to UN officials is the fact that the Headquarters complex, comprising some 2.7 million square feet on over 17 acres, has never received the fundamental upgrades required to convert a building complex conceived in the energy-innocent 1940s to modern concepts of energy conservation.

When the Plan was proposed back in 2000, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Management, Joseph Connor, noted that continuing with the present "reactive" approach of conducting repairs as needed would cost an estimated $1,154 million in emergency work and major construction, and an additional $490 million in energy, over the next 25 years. Despite such significant expenditures, however, after 25 years of reactive repair the buildings and systems would remain without the fundamental upgrades needed to meet codes and standards or drastically reduce energy costs.

Regarding other issues likely to be discussed, spokesman Fred Eckhard said, "the relationship between the United Nations and New York City is a lot more complex than parking tickets, and so I think they'll have lots to talk about."

"The Secretary-General and the Mayor are good friends, and the Secretary-General is looking forward to a warm and productive relationship with New York City in the years ahead," Mr. Eckhard said.