By Thomas Tracy New York Daily News
Security remained tight, but with no obviously visible new measures, at the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan after a 16-year-old reportedly infiltrated 1 WTC in the middle of the night and made it all the way to the top of the building. Aaron Showalter/New York Daily News
A top official responsible for protecting 1 World Trade Center tendered his resignation Friday amid a flurry of security flops.
David Velazquez, the assistant security director for the Durst Organization, resigned following a meeting with company heads, who apparently urged him to step down, sources said.
“He was canned,” a source said. “I’m sure there was some Port Authority influence on this.”
The official reason for Velazquez’s resignation were not immediately revealed Friday.
“He offered his resignation and we accepted it,” said Durst Organization spokesman Jordan Barowitz, who said that Velazquez will stay on until the company finds a new assistant security director.
The nation’s tallest building is on Port Authority property, but the Durst Organization, which manages it, took control of security inside the under-construction tower in January.
The Port Authority is in control of security outside the building.
Since Durst took over, a 16-year-old sneaked to the top of the 104-story building — slipping past a sleeping guard — to take photos on March 16.
Then on Sunday, exactly one week after the breach, a half-blind guard hired by the Durst Organization was found sleeping on the job inside the Freedom Tower lobby. Abdul Basher, 65, was photographed stretched out in his chair by a high-ranking Port Authority official during a surprise inspection, sources said.
On Monday, three thrill seekers were arrested for parachuting from the top of the building in September, when the Port Authority was in charge of security both inside and outside the tower.
The Port Authority would not comment on Velazquez’s resignation, referring all calls to Durst.
Barowitz said Durst plans to employ more security guards to patrol the inside 1 World Trade Center in the upcoming weeks.
“Many more guards will be hired as the building comes online,” Barowitz said.
