While no final decision has been made, Campofranco speculates that, "We will get anywhere from 30,000 sf to 120,000 sf back from them." He adds that Reckson has a good relationship with WorldCom and is trying to negotiate a space reduction agreement with the Clinton, MS-based company. WorldCom's presence in Westchester also includes leased space in Elmsford and White Plains. Spokespeople for WorldCom had no comment on its potential office space reduction in Rye Brook or other parts of Westchester County.

In February, WorldCom announced it was reducing its facilities overhead by 8.7 million sf this year. The company is also looking to reduce its workforce by 5,000 employees and reap cost savings of more than $1.5 billion through network integration and efficiencies, improved technologies and the renegotiation of more than 2,600 supplier contracts.

The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in July 2002. It plans to file its reorganization plan in April and has hopes of emerging from bankruptcy later this year, company officials said. At the time of its bankruptcy filing, WorldCom had more than 500,000 sf of leased space at Reckson properties in the New York metro area.