Rebuilt World Trade Center Becomes New York's Tallest Skyscraper
Eleven years after the shocking terrorist attack on the World
Trade Center (WTC) building in New York, the U.S., reconstruction at the
World Trade Center site is now well underway but not after years of
delay and controversy. The new complex will include One World Trade
Center formerly known as the Freedom Tower, 7 World Trade Center, three
other high-rise office buildings, a museum and memorial, and a
transportation hub similar in size to Grand Central Terminal.
As
construction continues, the rebuilt One World Trade Center has quickly
become a prominent fixture in the New York City skyline, overtaking the
Empire State Building to become New York's tallest skyscraper this week
at 1,271 feet. The milestone is a preliminary one. Workers are still
adding floors to the Freedom Tower, and it isn’t expected to reach its
full height for at least another year, at which point will be the
tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third-tallest
building in the world by pinnacle height, with its spire reaching a
symbolic 1,776 feet.
However, its overall roof height, at 1,368
feet will still be 82 feet shorter than the roof of Chicago's 108-story
Willis Tower. The building's structure is expected to top out sometime
in late spring or early summer of 2012, whereupon its 408-foot radio
antenna will be installed. At an estimated cost of $3.8 billion, the
tower is also the most expensive single building in the world at the
moment.
The 104-story tall skyscraper is being constructed in
the northwest corner of the 16-acre World Trade Center site, occupying
the location where the original 8-story 6 World Trade Center once stood.
Steel
workers Adam Cross (R) and Steven Cross maneuver a steel column into
place on the 100th story at the top of One World Trade Center to make it
New York City's tallest building on April 30, 2012 in New York City.
Two
construction workers on the 71st floor of One World Trade Center look
at a view of the New York skyline, including the Empire State Building.
Work continues on the core of One World Trade Center (Bottom R) on February 11, 2009
A
view of the construction at former site of the World Trade Center in
Lower Manhattan in New York, New York, USA, on 16 December 2009.
Queen
Elizabeth II of England walks after laying a wreath to pay tribute to
the victims of the 9/11 attacks during a visit to Ground Zero in New
York on July 6, 2010
Construction of the One World Trade Center on March 11, 2011
The Freedom Tower in New York on 09 September 2011
The
Freedom Tower rises above the World Trade Center site as a worker
prepares the site memorial ceremonies, in New York, on 09 September 2011
A
view of the bronze panels bearing the names of the victims around the
perimeter of the 9/11 Memorial North Pool before the tenth anniversary
ceremonies at the site of the World Trade Center September 11, 2011
One World Trade Center, the central skyscraper at Ground Zero, stands under construction on January 30, 2012