At 45 Park Place, a 43-story condominium building will soon begin construction. Its developer, Sharif El-Gamal, originally planned a 15-story Muslim cultural center and mosque on the site.The original plans caused an outcry in 2010 from those who felt its presence so near the World Trade Center site to be offensive, reports Ronda Kaysen in the New York Times.
Plans for the cultural center were abandoned in 2011. The new building will hold 50 luxurious apartments and a three-story Islamic museum. A new name has not been announced. Park51, the original name, will not be used. The building should open in 2019.
