Bank of America breaks ground on NYC headquarters

NEW YORK, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Bank of America (BAC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) broke ground on a 52-story New York headquarters on Monday, even as metropolitan-area banks and other companies girded against potential terror attacks on well-known buildings after a new warning from U.S. officials. At a ground-breaking ceremony attended by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and state Gov. George Pataki, Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Ken Lewis said: "We are committed to being in the city and we are not going to be deterred by threats of terrorism." A day after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge put New York, Washington and other financial centers on a "High" alert for attack -- the nation's second highest level of readiness -- security was visibly stepped up at key buildings in the New York area. The No. 3 U.S bank, which increased security around the country after the latest warning on Sunday, said it expects to have the tower completed by 2008. The bank, which has its main headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, said the 2.1-million-square-foot (195,100-sq-metre) structure will have six trading floors. The bank will occupy about half of the building. A joint development with the Durst Organization, the building will cover a two-acre (0.9-hectare) site one block from Times Square in midtown Manhattan. Construction will create nearly 7,000 jobs.