Barry A. Gosin, chairman of Newmark & Co., says the firm has already beefed up building security over the past several months, but that no new protection will be put in place on Sept. 11. "We will, of course, be on a higher state of alert, but then we've been at a level of heightened security for coming up on a year now." Regardless, says Gosin, trying to guess a future attack date is futile at best. He laments, "If they know we're going to be on alert on Sept. 11, why not hit us on Sept. 12?"

An additional concern to some property owners is where the responsibility for protection actually lies. "Security is a police function," says Robert Selsam, senior vice president at Boston Properties. He tells GlobeSt.com that the company's Sept. 11 plans include "business as usual, underscored with recognition of the event."

"That's simply not true," says REBNY president Steven Spinola, responding to Selsam's suggestion that the New York Police Dept. oversee building security. "You can't expect the police to oversee and monitor the office space in New York City. That responsibility lies with the building owners."