by Brianna Crandall — May 7, 2012—The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s One World Trade Center (WTC), previously known as the Freedom Tower, reclaimed the title of the tallest skyscraper in New York City after surpassing the height of the Empire State Building by 21 feet when ironworkers installed two 26-foot steel interior columns on the top of the skyscraper on April 30. Rebuilt on the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the vision of the new WTC combines modern, safe and sustainable commercial space in five new skyscrapers, a convenient transportation hub, and a cultural destination, including a Performing Arts Center and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
The placement of the columns brings the height of the building to 1,271 feet above street level. When One World Trade Center tops off at the 104th floor this summer, it will rise to 1,368 feet, 118 feet above the height of the Empire State Building, which is 1,250 feet above street level. Once the skyscraper is totally completed, it will measure 1,776 feet to the top of its antenna, making it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
To get to its present height, construction workers, laboring high above the city through snow, rain and heat, installed 37,000 tons of steel and 190,000 cubic yards of concrete—reportedly enough for a four-foot-wide sidewalk from New York to Chicago. The building will contain 1 million square feet of glass facade, enough to cover 20 NFL football fields.
“One World Trade Center is not merely the tallest building in New York, but also a symbol for liberty, opportunity and economic prosperity.” said Port Authority Vice Chairman Scott Rechler. “It has and will continue to serve as a significant generator of jobs and economic activity as the centerpiece of what will be one of the most successful commercial developments in the world. When finished, it will feature a state-of-the-art broadcast facility and a one of a kind observation deck that we believe will be one of the top tourist attractions in New York City.”
With more than one and a half years remaining before workers complete One World Trade Center, the 3 million square foot tower is already 55 percent leased. The building will serve as the headquarters of Conde Nast, a world-class publisher, which has leased more than 1.2 million square feet covering 25 floors. An additional 190,000 square feet has been leased by Vantone China Center, and the federal General Services Administration (GSA) is in final review of a lease for 300,000 square feet.
One World Trade Center aims to be one of the most sustainable office buildings of its size and to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification standards from the U.S. Green Building Council. These standards are expected to result in lower energy expenses, lower operating expenses, access to natural light through floor to ceiling glass windows and highly filtered air.
The highly respected real estate developer the Durst Organization manages One World Trade Center. The Port Authority expects to select an operator sometime this summer to run the iconic Observation Deck at the top of the building. The tourist attraction will provide visitors with unrivaled views of New York City, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Hudson and East River waterfronts.
In addition to managing the Observation Deck, Durst will also oversee the construction and operation of a broadcast facility that will service television and radio broadcasters. A 408-foot antenna atop the building will provide an unparalleled resource for the region’s broadcasters.
