Homeland Security is buying a new bunker

[ThomCat]

Verizon owns a huge building on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan. It's a huge (40+ story) windowless bunker that was built to house a huge telephone switching center.

Telephone systems have become much, much smaller and Verizon no longer needs more than a single floor in that building. So they are selling it to the Department of Homeland Security.

How do I know this? I'm a telecom consultant and I know a hell of a lot of people at Verizon. Verizon employees know they're being moved out of that building, and they know who's moving in. Verizon will apparently have a long term lease on just one floor to maintain a presence in that building.

So, why, I ask you, would Homeland Security want a huge bunker of a building that is designed to hold and shield massive amounts of electronic equipment, and used to be central hub for the local phone company? And why would they want Verizon, that local phone company, to maintain their presence in that building?

x(

[unhappycamper]

1. The Pearl St. facility makes a fine listening post.

Plus it's close to Chinatown. And I'm sure Ivan's making some $$$$ on the deal.

[ThomCat]

4. I wonder how many other central office facilities they're buying

in other cities.

Exactly how massive a spying infrastructure are they building in our own country?

And I want to know why the news isn't all over this. x(

[dkofos]

2. Is this going on in other cities as well??

This will make it easy to tap into most if not all
communication in NY.

[ThomCat]

5. That's a damned good question.

Given all the business that goes on in NYC, it's understandable that they'd start here. But I can't imagine they'd stop here.

[donsu]

8. the tiny island of Key West has a brand new Homeland Sec. bldg.

sorta tastefully done, but the tall black iron fence around the whole thing makes a point.

[lovuian]

3. our ta dollars at work

for the NWO

[RainDog]

6. sounds like an upgrade for their facility in San Fran w/ AT&T n/t

[unhappycamper]

7. I wrote about the telephone network on 5.18.2006

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/unhappycamper/4