A Modest Proposal

Image: Controlled Demolition Inc.

From NY1 News:

Donald Trump says current estimates of how much it would cost to rebuild the United Nations headquarters are way too high – and he wants to do the job himself.

Trump appealed to members of a Senate subcommittee Thursday to let him manage the project. And he even offered to waive his fee.

United Nations officials say it will cost $1.2 billion to rebuild the 39-story building, but without good management Trump says that number could go much higher.

The real estate mogul also says U.N. officials "don't know what they're doing."

"This project at $1.2 billion will cost, in my opinion, $3 billion," Trump told the subcommittee. "But in my real opinion, it should cost approximately $700 million."

Trump said rebuilding the U.N. headquarters, located on Manhattan's East Side, would be no more challenging for him than the remodeling project he oversaw at the Wollman Skating Rink in Central Park.

The renovations - set to begin in 2007 and expected to take five years - would be financed by America in the form of a $1.2 billion, 30-year loan at 5.54% interest offered last fall by the Bush administration.

Donald, you've had your successes, but in this you're an amateur. You want to save money? Here's the way to do it.

Hire The Loizeau Family

$ 10 - $20 Million tops. High performance by an old-fashioned American family concern. A nice, clean, well-regulated job from one of the world's top teams, with many demolition World Records in their resume.

Then, the Ginzburg Doctrine notwithstanding, the Turtle Bay property could actually be transformed into a vibrant revenue producing and tax generating machine to act in the cause of human benefit.

Disclaimer This opinion piece is not to be taken as a suggestion to anyone for any ad hoc efforts, even in the noble cause of aiding the American taxpayer or saving thousands of young women and children around the world from the attentions of the blue-helmeted despoilers. This job, if implemented, should be carried out with all consideration to normal bidding, contract and permit procedures extant in New York County, and with every concern for the public safety. At any event, given New York's permit process, the sun will die first.

That was nuts!