September 10, 2002

Cantor Fitzgerald, bond broker that lost 658 employees in Sept 11 terrorist attacks, is negotiating to build $100 million headquarters in Union Square, Manhattan, area better known for restaurants and residential buildings than financial services; Howard Lutnick, Cantor's chairman, is seeking tens of millions of dollars in state and federal grants and tax breaks; deal is far from finished but some in neighborhood are already welcoming company; map (M)

Hundreds of employees of Dresser-Rand Co, which was acquired by Halliburton Co in 1998, received letters in June saying they had become eligible for retirement benefits even though they were still working; many employees requested money and concluded letters portrayed as early payment of benefits was actually reduction, brought on by Halliburton merger and sponoff less than two years later; Halliburton has given workers 90 days, which ends later this month, to sign up for much smaller payment than promised earlier, or forfeit their right to lump sum forever; some recent retirees have received letters saying that they had been paid too much and should return thousands of dollars in pension money to Halliburton; few of employees and retirees have estimated that group is being stripped of $25 million in benefits, reflecting roughly $50,000 on average for about 400 people; while Halliburton appears to be within its legal rights as current sponsor of workers' pension plan, its handling of their retirement benefits contrasts sharply with its treatment of Vice Pres Dick Cheney, who was chief executive of Halliburton during acquisition and then spinoff; Dresser-Rand workers have lost their early retirement provision, and must now work until 65 or qualify for their full benefits; when Cheney left in August 2000 to become Republican Party's vice presidential candidate, Halliburton board voted to award him early retirement, even though he was too young to qualify under his contract; photos (M)

One year after terrorist attacks, people are still learning to live in changed world; some have survival backpacks that can be grabbed at moment's notice, but most have not made any significant changes, seeing little use in mounting personal attack against terrorism; some people's coping strategies discussed; photos (M)

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Article profiles Deborah Mardenfeld, who suffered severe injuries in terrorist attack on World Trade Center on September 11 and has been hospitalized for past year; she was first to be admitted to hospital following attack, and will be last of gravely injured to leave; is concerned that she and others who were seriously injured may be forgotten; photo (M)