The demolition of the former Deutsche Bank building at ground zero will be completed by the end of the year, the head of the agency overseeing the project said yesterday.

The chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., Avi Schick, told City Council members yesterday at a hearing on the deconstruction’s timetable and safety that no firm start or end date had been set because he needed a green light from eight to 10 city agencies. Mr. Schick told reporters that the agency could be as close as “days away” from gaining the approvals.

A representative from the new subcontractor handling the demolition, LVI Services, said laborers would start to remove fire-damaged concrete slabs from the building starting on Monday. It would be an eight-week process he said was a prerequisite to taking down the structure.

Council members Alan Gerson and Peter Vallone expressed frustration with the slow pace of the demolition work. “I believe that the fact that this monument to mismanagement still stands next to an empty pit is a national disgrace,” Mr. Vallone said.

The demolition of the building at 130 Liberty St., which was irreparably damaged by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has been delayed since a blaze at the tower killed two firefighters in August. It has drawn criticism from politicians both for the slow pace as well as its safety hazards. Air quality has been a concern, with some worried that asbestos and other chemicals from the building could sicken nearby residents. Mr. Schick said tests since the fire have uniformly indicated the air is safe.