Durand has stated that he wants more open space and smallerbuildings near the water. After the original proposal for the 3.3million-sf Fan Pier Project, which is part of the Harbor Plan, wasshot down Chicago developer Nicholas Pritzker had warned that hewould pull out of the project if there were any more delays. CityHall put forth a compromise plan, which reduced the size of thecontroversial Building H, a 23-story office and tower building, andadded more civic space. Pritzker accepted that plan.

Durand wants that building eliminated and he wants a two-acrecenterpiece park. "The secretary has said that something needs tobe done to mitigate the shadow over the cove in front of Fan Pier,"Doug Pizzi, press secretary for office of environmental affairs."Building H needs to be eliminated." Pizzi points out that BuildingH occupies a footprint of approximately a half an acre. Pritzkerwould still get enough total space to fill three large officetowers.

The influential Conservation Law Foundation that had threatenedto sue if the Fan Pier original proposal or compromise wasaccepted. "We are pleased to see the secretary stand by his draftdecision," Bennett Heart, senior attorney at CLF tells GlobeSt.com."The secretary is a public trustee and he has thus far acquittedhimself well in his role."