194-624: One World Trade Center , also known as One WTC and Freedom Tower , is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan , New York City. Designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill , One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the United States , the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere , and the seventh-tallest in the world . The supertall structure has
388-499: A reinforced concrete core, wider stairways, and thicker fireproofing on steel columns. It also incorporates numerous green design features. The building received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and was part of the council's pilot program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Core and Shell Development (LEED-CS). The original 7 World Trade Center
582-478: A block-long planter/bench. Durst also removed a skylight from the plaza's plans; the skylight was designed to allow natural light to enter the below-ground observation deck lobby. The plaza is 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) higher than the adjacent sidewalk. Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority, said that he thought that the changes were "few and minor". A contract negotiated between
776-721: A building with a traditional street address. The change came after board members of the Port Authority voted to sign a 21-year lease deal with Vantone Industrial Co., a Chinese real estate company, which would become the building's first commercial tenant to sign a lease. Vantone planned to create the China Center, a trade and cultural facility, covering 191,000 square feet (17,700 m) on floors 64 through 69. Mass media company Condé Nast became One WTC's anchor tenant in May 2011, leasing 1 million square feet (93,000 m) and relocating from 4 Times Square . While under construction,
970-467: A café (called One Café); a bar and "small plates" grill (One Mix); and a fine dining restaurant (One Dining). A Curbed commentary criticized the food prices; the need for a full observatory ticket purchase to enter; and their reputations compared to Windows on the World. Like other buildings in the new World Trade Center complex, One World Trade Center includes sustainable architecture features. Much of
1164-564: A coordinated act of terrorism. At 8:46 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), a team of five hijackers intentionally crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the northern facade of the North Tower. At 9:03 a.m. ET, a second team of five hijackers intentionally crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the southern facade of the South Tower. After burning for 56 minutes, the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. At 10:28 a.m.,
1358-474: A deal was made between developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, so the cornerstone was temporarily removed from the site on June 23, 2006. Soon after, explosives were detonated at the construction site for two months to clear bedrock for the building's foundation, onto which 400 cubic yards (310 cubic meters) of concrete was poured by November 2007. In a December 18, 2006, ceremony held in nearby Battery Park City , members of
1552-500: A design that uses ultra-clear, low-iron glass to provide reflectivity and light. There are stainless-steel spandrels behind the glass to help reflect sunlight. The spandrels are textured and are curved in a manner that reflects light both from each story's window sills and from the sky. On the lower stories, there are 15-by-5-foot (4.6 by 1.5 m) panels with steel triangular prisms. There are 130,000 prisms in total, which are tilted at different angles to reflect natural light from
1746-484: A design was revealed for the new center. The underground parking garage started construction in 2017, followed by the building in 2018. The center opened on September 13, 2023. The Performing Arts Center includes 129,000 square feet (12,000 m ) across three floors. The public floor is located at street level and houses a restaurant/bar to provide refreshments during show intermissions. The second floor consists of rehearsal and dressing rooms for theater actors, and
1940-422: A few months. By July 2005, American Express Financial Advisors was planning to lease 20,000 square feet (1,900 m ) of space, making it the building's first tenant. Although Silverstein intended for the building's design to attract tenants, he wanted occupants to pay $ 50/sq ft ($ 540/m ) to lease space by 2005, which New York magazine called "easily the highest price in lower Manhattan". Construction
2134-748: A free exhibit hosted by the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation , on the 45th floor of 7 World Trade Center. The exhibit consisted of 63 photographs that captured Americans' responses after the September 11 attacks. In September 2006, Moody's signed a 20-year lease for 15 floors at 7 World Trade Center; prior to Moody's lease, only eight floors had been occupied. Other tenants that had signed leases in 7 World Trade Center in its first two years included ABN AMRO , Ameriprise Financial Inc., DRW Trading Group , publisher Mansueto Ventures , and
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#17327649612802328-515: A glass parapet , whose shape is a square oriented 45 degrees from the base. A 407.9-foot (124.3 m) sculpted mast containing the broadcasting antenna – designed in a collaboration between Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), artist Kenneth Snelson (who invented the tensegrity structure), lighting designers, and engineers – is secured by a system of cables, and rises from a circular support ring, which contains additional broadcasting and maintenance equipment. At night, an intense beam of light
2522-486: A lack of tenants. In early December 2013, Australian retail corporation Westfield announced that it would invest US$ 800 million for complete control of the retail space at the rebuilt center, with subsidiary Westfield Corporation buying out the Port Authority's 50 percent stake in the retail part of the World Trade Center site. Liberty Park , a new elevated park , also began construction in late 2013 when
2716-520: A large, open-air steel lattice structure on the roof of the tower, containing wind turbines and "sky gardens". The New York City Police Department (NYPD) also expressed concerns about the amount of glass used in the building, as well as the structure's proximity to the West Side Highway, both of which the NYPD claimed would make the site vulnerable to another terrorist attack. In a later design,
2910-488: A museum and memorial, and a transportation hub building that is similar in size to Grand Central Terminal . 7 World Trade Center, which was not included in the site's master plan, opened on May 23, 2006, making it the first of the skyscrapers to have been completed in the World Trade Center complex. 4 World Trade Center, the first building completed as part of the site's master plan, opened on November 12, 2013. The National September 11 Memorial opened on September 11, 2011, while
3104-581: A narrower footprint at ground level than did its predecessor, so the course of Greenwich Street could be restored to reunite TriBeCa and the Financial District . The original building, on the other hand, had bordered West Broadway on the east, necessitating the destruction of Greenwich Street between Barclay Street and the northern border of the World Trade Center superblock. David Childs of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill worked in conjunction with glass artist and designer James Carpenter to create
3298-454: A new World Trade Center as soon as possible. In January 2002, New York City art dealer Max Protetch solicited 50 concepts and renderings from artists and architects, which were put on exhibit in his art gallery in Chelsea . With the World Trade Center site, numerous stakeholders were involved, including Silverstein and the Port Authority. In addition, the victims' families, people in
3492-470: A new plan for the tower. The World Trade Center Transportation Hub formally opened on March 3, 2016, several years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. Liberty Park opened on June 29, 2016, while Westfield World Trade Center , located partially within the hub, opened with its first group of stores on August 16, 2016. The performing arts center was renamed that summer for billionaire businessman Ronald Perelman , who donated $ 75 million to
3686-419: A number of other safety features were included in the building's design, so that it would be prepared for a major accident or terrorist attack. Like 7 World Trade Center , the building has 3-foot (91 cm) thick reinforced concrete walls in all stairwells, elevator shafts, risers, and sprinkler systems. There are also extra-wide, pressurized stairwells, along with a dedicated set of stairwells exclusively for
3880-488: A plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania , the attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people (2,507 civilians, 343 firefighters , 72 law enforcement officers , 55 military personnel , and the 19 hijackers ). Following the destruction of the original World Trade Center, there was debate regarding the future of the World Trade Center site. There were proposals for its reconstruction almost immediately, and by 2002,
4074-473: A preliminary design for the building, dubbed the Freedom Tower, on December 19, 2003. The plan called for a 1,776-foot-tall (541 m) tower that had a parallelogram floor plan, an asymmetrical spire, and a rooftop turbine. There was criticism concerning the limited number of floors that were designated for office space and other amenities in an early plan. Only 82 floors would have been habitable, and
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#17327649612804268-404: A restaurant near the top of the tower, similar to the original One World Trade Center's top-floor restaurant Windows on the World , was abandoned as logistically impractical. The tower's window-washing tracks are located on a 16-square-foot area, which is designated as floor 110 as a symbolic reference to the 110 floors of the original tower. There are three eating venues at the top of the building:
4462-400: A roof height of 1,254 feet (382 m) and a 96-foot (29 m) tripod spire for a total of 1,350 feet (410 m). 3 WTC, at 175 Greenwich Street, was to have a roof height of 1,155 feet (352 m) and a spire height reaching 1,255 feet (383 m). 4 WTC, at 150 Greenwich Street, would have an overall height of 946 feet (288 m). The new 7 World Trade Center opened on May 23, 2006,
4656-525: A second, more open competition took place in December 2002, in which a design by Daniel Libeskind was selected as the winner in February 2003. Other designs were submitted by Richard Meier , Peter Eisenman , Charles Gwathmey , and Steven Holl ; William Pedersen ; and Foster and Partners . This design underwent many revisions, mainly because of disagreements with developer Larry Silverstein , who held
4850-648: A small New York architecture firm, had been enlisted by the LMDC earlier that summer as a consultant, and was invited to participate as the seventh semifinalist. The seven semifinalists presented their entries to the public on December 18, 2002, at the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center . Due to large public interest, NY1 broadcast the presentations on live TV. In the following weeks, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill withdrew its entry from
5044-416: A temporary display containing information about the attacks and listing the names of the dead, opened to the public. The same year, then–New York Governor George Pataki faced accusations of cronyism for supposedly using his influence to get the winning architect's design picked as a personal favor for his friend and campaign contributor, Ronald Lauder . When the public rejected the first round of designs,
5238-610: Is 1,268 feet (386 m), making it the highest vantage point in New York City. Similar to the Empire State Building , visitors to the observation deck and tenants have their own separate entrances; one entrance is on the West Street side of the building, and the other is from within the shopping mall, descending down to a below-ground security screening area. On the observation deck, the actual viewing space
5432-479: Is 1,368 feet (417 m) above ground level, along with a 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m) parapet ; this is identical to the roof height of the original One World Trade Center. The tower's spire brings it to a pinnacle height of 1,776 feet (541 m), a figure intended to symbolize the year 1776, when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. When the spire is included in
5626-480: Is a sky lobby on floor 64; designed by Gensler , the sky lobby covers 25,000 square feet (2,300 m). The space has seating areas, a game room, a meeting room with capacity for 180 people, a cafe, and yoga and fitness classes. Seven oil on canvas paintings by artist Greg Goldberg are displayed in the 64th floor sky lobby, and Bryan Hunt created a sculpture named Prana , which means "life force" in Sanskrit , on
5820-678: Is a World Trade Center again", it was not finished: 3 WTC had yet to open; 2 and 5 WTC did not have definite completion dates; and the St. Nicholas Church and Performing Arts Center were still under construction. At the time, 3 WTC was slated to open in early 2018, while the church was expected to open in November 2018. 3 WTC opened on June 11, 2018, becoming the fourth skyscraper at the site to be completed. The WTC Cortlandt subway station at Greenwich and Cortlandt Streets reopened on September 8, 2018, after being closed for nearly seventeen years following
6014-477: Is a complex of buildings in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood area of New York City , replacing the original seven buildings on the same site that were destroyed during the September 11 attacks of 2001. The site is being redeveloped with up to six brand new skyscrapers, four of which have been finished as of 2024 ; a memorial and museum to those killed of the attacks; the elevated Liberty Park adjacent to
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6208-406: Is built upon a 185-foot (56 m) tall windowless concrete base, designed to protect it from truck bombs and other ground-level attacks. From the 20th floor upwards, the square edges of the tower's cubic base are chamfered back, shaping the building into eight tall isosceles triangles , or an elongated square antiprism . Near its middle, the tower forms a perfect octagon, and then culminates in
6402-532: Is designed around a strong, redundant steel moment frame consisting of beams and columns connected by a combination of welding and bolting. Paired with a concrete-core shear wall, the moment frame lends substantial rigidity and redundancy to the overall building structure while providing column-free interior spans for maximum flexibility." In addition to safety design, new security measures were implemented. All vehicles will be screened for radioactive materials and other potentially dangerous objects before they enter
6596-521: Is located where the Twin Towers stood. Immediately to the east is World Trade Center Transportation Hub and the new Two World Trade Center site. To the north is 7 World Trade Center , and to the west is Brookfield Place . The building occupies a 200-foot (61 m) square, with an area of 40,000 square feet (3,700 m), nearly identical to the footprints of the original Twin Towers. The tower
6790-535: Is on the 100th floor, but there is a food court on the 101st floor and a space for events for the 102nd floor. The observation deck is operated by Legends Hospitality , partially owned by the New York Yankees . To show visitors the city, and give them information and stories about New York, an interactive tool called City Pulse is used by Tour Ambassadors. The admission fee is $ 32 per person, but admission discounts are available for children and seniors, and
6984-517: Is projected vertically from the spire and shines over 1,000 feet (300 m) above the tower. David Childs of SOM, the architect of One World Trade Center, said the following regarding the tower's design: We really wanted our design to be grounded in something that was very real, not just in sculptural sketches. We explored the infrastructural challenges because the proper solution would have to be compelling, not just beautiful. The design does have great sculptural implications, and we fully understand
7178-673: Is the second-tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere , as the CN Tower in Toronto exceeds One World Trade Center's pinnacle height by approximately 40 ft (12.2 m). The Chicago Spire , with a planned height of 2,000 feet (610 m), was expected to exceed the height of One World Trade Center, but its construction was canceled due to financial difficulties in 2009. World Trade Center (2001%E2%80%93present) The current World Trade Center ( WTC )
7372-622: The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building . It also visually resembles the original Twin Towers, rather than being an off-center spire similar to the Statue of Liberty . One World Trade Center is considered the first major building whose construction is based upon a three-dimensional Building Information Model . Just south of the new One World Trade Center is the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , which
7566-646: The Hudson River in the west and was an integral part of Libeskind's proposal, remains exposed. Walker and Arad were selected from more than 5,000 entrants in the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition in January 2004. On October 12, 2004, the LMDC announced that Gehry Partners LLP and Snøhetta , an architectural firm from Norway, would design the site's performing arts and museum complexes, respectively, in
7760-437: The Hudson River . The cost for the transportation hub is estimated at $ 3.44 billion, a statistic that has seen much controversy given its greatly inflated cost. The hub formally opened on March 3, 2016, several years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. The World Trade Center's Performing Arts Center was announced in 2004, with the building to be designed by Gehry Partners LLP and Snøhetta . Construction
7954-630: The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation had organized a competition to determine how to use the site. The proposals were part of a larger plan to memorialize the September 11 attacks and rebuild the complex. Already the site was becoming a tourist attraction; in the year following the attacks the Ground Zero site became the most visited place in the United States. On September 10, 2002, the Viewing Wall,
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8148-613: The New York Academy of Sciences . Silverstein Properties also had offices and the Silver Suites executive office suites at 7 World Trade Center. Architectural and engineering firms working on 1 World Trade Center , 150 Greenwich Street , 175 Greenwich Street , and 200 Greenwich Street also set up offices in the building. Two-thirds of the building's office space had been leased by April 2007. After ABN AMRO
8342-481: The cornerstone took place at Liberty Park in October 2014, with construction expected to be completed within two years. One WTC opened on November 3, 2014, and the first 170 employees of anchor tenant Condé Nast began their work there. In June 2015, the designers of 3 WTC scrapped plans for the rooftop spire in order to standardize the roofs with 2 and 4 WTC. The spire planned for 2 WTC was also canceled as part of
8536-519: The "Freedom Tower" by Governor Pataki) is the centerpiece of Daniel Libeskind's design. The building rises to 1,368 feet (417 m), the height of the original 1 World Trade Center (The North Tower), and its spire rises to the symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m). This height refers to 1776, the year in which the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. The tower was a collaboration between Studio Daniel Libeskind and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architect David Childs . Childs acted as
8730-597: The "Interim Operating Period", which was expected to end on December 31, 2013. Screening did not fully end until the official dedication and opening of the museum on May 21, 2014, after which visitors were allowed to use the plaza without needing passes. The original design went through significant changes after The Durst Organization joined the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as the project's co-developer in 2010. The 185-foot (56 m) tall base corners were originally designed to gently slope upward and have prismatic glass. The corners were later squared. In addition,
8924-409: The 1,250-foot (380 m) roof height of the Empire State Building . President Barack Obama visited the construction site two months later and wrote, on a steel beam that would be hoisted to the top of the tower, the sentence "We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger!" That same month, with the tower's structure nearing completion, the owners of the building began a public marketing campaign for
9118-403: The 1970s, four other low-level buildings were built as part of the World Trade Center complex. A seventh building was built in the mid-1980s. The entire complex of seven buildings had a combined total of 13,400,000 square feet (1,240,000 m) of office space. At 8:46 a.m. ( EDT ) on September 11, 2001 , five hijackers affiliated with al-Qaeda crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into
9312-502: The 2001 attacks, was originally supposed to be relocated from the site, and on July 23, 2008, the Port Authority reached a deal with the leaders of the church for the Port Authority to acquire the 1,200-square-foot (110 m ) lot that the church occupied for $ 20 million, and relocate the church. Officials reneged in 2009, leading the Greek Orthodox Diocese of America to sue the Port Authority for failing to rebuild
9506-551: The 90-foot (27 m) mural ONE: Union of the Senses by American artist José Parlá . The lobby also contains two paintings by Donald Martiny , called Lenape and Unami ; two paintings by Fritz Bultman , Gravity of Nightfall and Blue Triptych – Intrusion Into the Blue ; and two paintings by Doug Argue, Randomly Placed Exact Percentages and Isotropic . The office floors begin at floor 20 and go up to floor 90. There
9700-461: The 94th story (labeled as floor 100) and 1,240 feet (380 m) by the end of the month. The tower's estimated cost had risen to $ 3.9 billion by April 2012, making it the most expensive building in the world at the time. The tower's construction was partly funded by approximately $ 1 billion of insurance money that Silverstein received for his losses in the September 11 attacks. The State of New York provided an additional $ 250 million, and
9894-411: The Greek Orthodox Diocese of America to sue the Port Authority for failing to rebuild the church. On October 14, 2011, an agreement for the reconstruction of the church was signed that ended all legal action. The ground blessing ceremony and symbolic laying of the cornerstone took place in October 2014, with construction expected to be completed within two years. However, in December 2017, construction
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#173276496128010088-446: The LMDC sent out requests for proposals to redesign the World Trade Center site to 24 Manhattan architecture firms, but then soon withdrew them. The following month, the LMDC selected Beyer Blinder Belle as planner for the redesign of the World Trade Center site. The new 7 World Trade Center, which was not part of the new plan, began construction on May 7, 2002. On July 16, 2002, Beyer Blinder Belle unveiled six concepts for redesigning
10282-476: The LMDC. The LMDC coordinated federal assistance in the rebuilding process and was tasked with working with the Port Authority , Larry Silverstein, and whoever was selected as the site's architects. The corporation also handled communication with the local community, businesses, the city of New York , and relatives of victims of the September 11 attacks. A 16-member board of directors, half appointed by
10476-465: The Museum opened on May 21, 2014. One World Trade Center was opened on November 3, 2014. The World Trade Center Transportation Hub opened to the public on March 4, 2016, and 3 World Trade Center opened on June 11, 2018. 2 World Trade Center's full construction was placed on hold in 2009. The original World Trade Center contained the Twin Towers ( 1 WTC and 2 WTC ), which were the tallest buildings in
10670-606: The New York Liberty Development Corporation announced that it would refinance 1 WTC with a $ 700 million bond issue. The money from this bond issue would be used to retire the debt from the building's last refinancing in 2012. By March 2022, the building was 95 percent leased, a higher percentage than before the COVID-19 pandemic. One WTC's vacancy rate was half that of the city as a whole; its high occupancy rate contrasted with that of
10864-495: The North Tower began in August 1966; extensive use of prefabricated components sped up the construction process. The first tenants moved into the North Tower in October 1971. At the time, the original One World Trade Center became the tallest building in the world, at 1,368 feet (417 m) tall. After a 360-foot (110 m)-tall antenna was installed in 1978, the highest point of the North Tower reached 1,728 ft (527 m). In
11058-477: The North Tower collapsed, after burning for 102 minutes. The attacks on the World Trade Center killed 2,753 people. The resulting collapse caused structural failure in many of the surrounding buildings as well, and the entire complex was soon destroyed. The process of cleaning up and recovery at the World Trade Center site continued 24 hours a day over a period of eight months. Debris
11252-877: The Oculus, also houses a large amount of retail space. Santiago Calatrava designed the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (its main asset being the PATH station) to replace the old World Trade Center station . The Transport Hub connects the PATH station to the WTC Cortlandt station ( 1 train), the Battery Park City Ferry Terminal , the Brookfield Place , and One World Trade Center on
11446-501: The Port Authority agreed to give $ 1 billion, which would be obtained through the sale of bonds . The Port Authority raised prices for bridge and tunnel tolls to raise funds, with a 56 percent toll increase scheduled between 2011 and 2015; however, the proceeds of these increases were not used to pay for the tower's construction. The still-incomplete tower became New York City's tallest building by roof height in April 2012, passing
11640-428: The Port Authority and The Durst Organization states that The Durst Organization will receive a $ 15 million fee and a percentage of "base building changes that result in net economic benefit to the project". The specifics of the signed contract give Durst 75% of the savings (up to $ 24 million) with further returns going down to 50%; 25%; and 15% as the savings increase. The top floor of One World Trade Center
11834-441: The Port Authority and Larry Silverstein reached an agreement in which Silverstein ceded rights to develop Towers One and Five in exchange for financing with Liberty Bonds for Towers Two , Three , and Four . On April 27 , 2006, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Freedom Tower. The building was designed to be 1,368 feet (417 m) tall, the height of the original World Trade Center north tower, and its spire rises to
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#173276496128012028-400: The Port Authority changed the official name of the building from "Freedom Tower" to "One World Trade Center", stating that this name was the "easiest for people to identify with". The "Freedom Tower" name had also been subject to ridicule on programs like Saturday Night Live . The name change also served a practical purpose: real estate agents believed that it would be easier to lease space in
12222-437: The Port Authority scrapped plans to rebuild these WTC attractions, which has outraged some observers. An episode of CBS 's 60 Minutes in 2010 focused on the lack of progress at Ground Zero, particularly on the lack of completion dates for a majority of the buildings, the main tower, One World Trade Center's having undergone three different designs, and the delays and monetary expense involved. Investor Larry Silverstein said
12416-504: The Port Authority took over One World Trade Center 's ownership from Silverstein Properties. The project's developer Tishman Construction Corporation was the construction manager at the time. On March 13, 2006, workers arrived at the World Trade Center site to remove remaining debris and start surveying work. This marked the official start of construction of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , though not without controversy and concerns from some family members. In April 2006 ,
12610-461: The Port Authority's estimated completion date for the entire site was 2037, thirty-five years after work started. Although billions of dollars had already been spent on the project, he said Ground Zero "is still a hole in the ground". During an interview for the episode, Larry Silverstein said: "I am the most frustrated person in the world....I'm seventy-eight years of age; I want to see this thing done in my lifetime". One World Trade Center itself
12804-545: The September 11 attacks. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Perelman Performing Arts Center was hosted on September 13, 2023. Six buildings, the 9/11 memorial and museum, a mall, a transportation hub, a parking lot, a park, a church, and a performing arts venue are to eventually occupy the new World Trade Center. As of January 2022, progress on the construction of the redesigned site was as follows: One World Trade Center (previously coined
12998-480: The South Tower. Each tower was over 1,350 feet (410 m) high, and occupied about 1 acre (0.40 ha) of the total 16 acres (6.5 ha) of the site 's land. Of the 110 stories in each tower, 8 were set aside as mechanical floors . All the remaining floors were open for tenants. Each floor of the tower had 40,000 square feet (3,700 m) of available space. The North and South tower had 3,800,000 square feet (350,000 m) of total office space. Construction of
13192-574: The THINK design before hearing the final presentations. Governor Pataki, who had originally commissioned the LMDC, intervened and overruled the LMDC's decision. On February 27, 2003, Studio Daniel Libeskind officially won the competition to be the master planner for the World Trade Center redesign. Libeskind's original proposal, titled Memory Foundations , underwent extensive revisions during collaboration with Larry Silverstein as well as from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, whom Silverstein hired. The plan
13386-480: The Twin Towers Alliance. Others did not want anything built there at all or wanted the entire site to become a memorial. Finally, a master plan was agreed upon, which would feature a memorial and museum where the original Twin Towers stood and six new skyscrapers surrounding it. The North Tower of the old World Trade Center featured a complex of venues on the 106th and 107th floors called Windows on
13580-457: The Twin Towers and filling a metaphorical gap in New York City's skyline,. David Childs of SOM, the main architect of One World Trade Center, designed a symmetrical tower that tapered on upper floors. Childs's design contrasted with Libeskind's plans for an asymmetrical tower with an antenna at its western end; disagreements over the designs threatened to delay the project. After Childs and Libeskind had worked out their disagreements, they announced
13774-400: The Twin Towers, which opened in 1973 and were the tallest buildings in the world at the time of their completion. They were destroyed on the morning of September 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda members hijacked two Boeing 767 jets and flew them into the complex in a coordinated act of terrorism , killing 2,753 people. The resulting collapse of the World Trade Center caused structural failure in
13968-536: The United States , declaring that the mast on top of the building is a spire since it is a permanent part of the building's architecture. The building was also the tallest in the Western Hemisphere. A report in September 2013 revealed that, at the time of the report, the World Trade Center Association (WTCA) was negotiating with regard to the "World Trade Center" name, as the WTCA had purchased
14162-482: The Vehicle Security Center was completed. The Port Authority allotted about $ 50 million to the park's construction in December 2013. The September 11 Museum opened to victims' families on April 15, 2014, and to the general public six days later. Temporary fences were removed around the memorial. At the same time, the September 11 Memorial discontinued the requirement for tickets in order to enter
14356-518: The World ; these were tourist attractions in their own right, and a social gathering spot for people who worked in the towers. This restaurant also housed one of the most prestigious wine schools in the United States, called "Windows on the World Wine School", run by wine personality Kevin Zraly . Despite numerous assurances that these local landmarks and global attractions would be rebuilt,
14550-594: The World Trade Center site. The roughly 5,000 New Yorkers that submitted feedback deemed all six designs to be "poor", so the LDMC announced a new international, open-design study. In an August 2002 press release, the LMDC announced a design study for the World Trade Center site. The following month, the LMDC, along with New York New Visions—a coalition of 21 architecture, engineering, planning, landscape architecture and design organizations—announced seven semifinalists. These architecture firms were then invited to compete to be
14744-477: The World Trade Center. Disagreement and controversy regarding who owned the property and what would be built there hindered construction at the site for several years. Many wanted the World Trade Center to be rebuilt as it was before 9/11 according to a poll by Marist College . A project called Twin Towers II , which was to rebuild the original towers at a taller height, was led by an informal organization called
14938-524: The above-ground levels was delayed indefinitely, with plans for only 7 stories. Meanwhile, One World Trade Center topped out in August 2012, and its spire was then shipped from Quebec to New York, with the first section of the spire being hoisted to the top of the tower on December 12, 2012. The September 11 Museum was supposed to open that year. However, construction was halted in December 2011 to September 2012 due to cost disputes, and further delays were caused when Hurricane Sandy significantly damaged
15132-478: The attacks unless he rebuilt all the office space that had been destroyed. George Pataki , the then- Governor of New York , controlled the Port Authority alongside the Governor of New Jersey and so was entitled to make the final decision regarding the site. He wished to balance the desires of people like Giuliani, who did not want any future development on the site, with those of people like Silverstein, who wanted
15326-446: The bank WestLB . Following this, Silverstein announced in 2012 that he would refinance the building with a $ 452.8 million Liberty bond issue and a $ 125 million commercial mortgage-backed security loan. At the time, the building was valued at $ 940 million, in large part because it was fully occupied. FXDD subleased its space to engineering company Permasteelisa in 2015 and artificial intelligence firm IPsoft in 2016. The building
15520-423: The base's walls are covered in 4,000 vertical glass fins. Each fin measures 13-foot (4.0 m) tall and is placed upon a grid of horizontal stainless steel strips measuring 8 inches (20 cm) wide. The spire was originally to be enclosed with a protective radome , described as a "sculptural sheath of interlocking fiberglass panels". The radome-enclosed spire was then changed to a plain antenna. Douglas Durst ,
15714-457: The building consists of recycled steel. Rainwater is collected and used for irrigation of the park and to cool the building. Along with other sustainable design features, the building is designed to allow in plenty of natural light, power is metered to tenants to encourage them to conserve energy, the heating steam is reused to generate some power for the building, and recycled materials are used for insulation and interior materials. The building
15908-413: The building for classroom use. During the September 11 attacks in 2001, Fiterman Hall's structure was severely damaged by debris from the collapse of 7 World Trade Center. The renovation was never completed, and the building was condemned and demolished in 2008. After a series of delays, a new building designed by the architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners broke ground in December 2009 and
16102-480: The building might have looked uninviting and resembled a "concrete bunker". However, the prisms were later found to be unworkable, as preliminary testing revealed that the prismatic glass easily shattered into large and dangerous shards. As a result, it was replaced by a simpler facade consisting of stainless steel panels and blast-resistant glass. Contrasting with Libeskind's original plan, the tower's final design tapered octagonally as it rose. Its designers stated that
16296-448: The building of the new tower. The building opened on November 3, 2014, and Condé Nast employees moved into 24 floors. Condé Nast occupied floors 20 to 44, having completed its move in early 2015. It was expected that the company would attract new tenants to occupy the remaining 40% of unleased space in the tower, as Condé Nast had revitalized Times Square after moving there in 1999. Only about 170 of 3,400 total employees moved into One WTC on
16490-535: The building was 97 percent occupied. Shortly afterward, Silverstein Properties refinanced the property with a $ 458 million loan from Goldman Sachs . The new 7 World Trade Center has 52 stories and is 741 ft (226 m) tall. The building has 42 floors of leasable space, starting at the 11th floor, and a total of 1.7 million sq ft (160,000 m ) of office space. The first ten floors house an electrical substation which provides power to much of Lower Manhattan. The office tower has
16684-426: The building would be officially known by its legal name of "One World Trade Center", rather than its colloquial name of "Freedom Tower". The building has 94 stories, with the top floor numbered 104. The new World Trade Center complex will eventually include five high-rise office buildings built along Greenwich Street , the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , located just south of One World Trade Center where
16878-406: The building's base. To enclose the power substation and improve its aesthetics, the base of the building has a curtain wall with stainless steel louvers that provide ventilation for the machinery. The transformers each weigh 168 short tons (150 long tons; 152 t) and are 20 feet (6.1 m) tall. There are also radiators with vertical cooling blades facing the street, which in turn cool down
17072-560: The building's height, as stated by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), One World Trade Center surpasses the height of Taipei 101 (1,671-foot (509 m)), is the world's tallest all-office building, and the seventh-tallest skyscraper in the world as of May 2023, behind the Burj Khalifa , Merdeka 118 , Shanghai Tower , Abraj Al Bait , Ping An Finance Centre and Lotte World Tower . One World Trade Center
17266-528: The building's structure and interior is built from recycled materials, including gypsum boards and ceiling tiles; around 80 percent of the tower's waste products are recycled. Although the roof area of any tower is limited, the building implements a rainwater collection and recycling scheme for its cooling systems. The building's PureCell phosphoric acid fuel cells generate 4.8 megawatts (MW) of power, and its waste steam generates electricity. The New York Power Authority selected UTC Power to provide
17460-612: The building, designed by Schlaich Bergermann Partner . The curtain wall was manufactured and assembled by Benson Industries in Portland, Oregon , using glass made in Minnesota by Viracon. Each of the curtain wall's panels measures 13.33 feet (4 m) tall. The panels are thicker than typical curtain-wall panels, which raised the building's construction cost. WSP Group was the lead structural engineer; Jaros, Baum & Bolles (JBB) provided MEP engineering; and Tishman Construction
17654-404: The building, seeking to attract visitors and tenants. One World Trade Center's steel structure topped out at the 94th physical story (numbered as floor 104), with a total height of the roof top at 1,368 feet (417 m), in August 2012. The tower's spire was then shipped from Quebec to New York in November 2012, following a series of delays. The first section of the spire was hoisted to the top of
17848-480: The center itself expected to be built between 2018 and 2020. The same month, the Port Authority installed the iconic sculpture The Sphere within the park, overlooking its original location in the old World Trade Center. Previously, the damaged sculpture by Fritz Koenig had been located in Battery Park . On the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a writer for Curbed New York said that although "there
18042-449: The center, and on September 8, 2016, a design was revealed for the new center. 3 WTC was topped out in October 2016. On November 29, 2016, the St. Nicholas Church was ceremoniously topped out with a temporary cross. On March 27, 2017, it was announced that construction on the Perelman Performing Arts Center would be delayed due to ongoing funding disputes. Construction on the center's underground parking garage began in August 2017, with
18236-473: The chairman of The Durst Organization , stated that the design change would save $ 20 million. SOM strongly criticized the change, and Childs said: "Eliminating this integral part of the building's design and leaving an exposed antenna and equipment is unfortunate ... We stand ready to work with the Port on an alternate design." After joining the project in 2010, The Durst Organization had suggested eliminating
18430-466: The church's foot. The original Fiterman Hall opened as an office building in 1959 and occupied a block bounded by Greenwich Street, Barclay Street, West Broadway, and Park Place. It was donated to BMCC in 1993 by Miles and Shirley Fiterman, for whom the building was subsequently named. In 2000, the State of New York Dormitory Authority, which owned the building, began a massive renovation to better adapt
18624-478: The church. On October 14, 2011, an agreement for the reconstruction of the church was signed that ended all legal action. By August 2011, One World Trade Center was at 80 stories with glass up to the 54th floor, Tower Four was up around 38 stories with glass up to the 15th floor, and the former Deutsche Bank Building had been completely dismantled, and the Port Authority was working on their Vehicle Security Center . The memorial officially opened to relatives of
18818-399: The company changed its plans and relocated its headquarters to 383 Madison Avenue. Groundbreaking for 3 WTC occurred in fall 2008, and in May 2009, the Port Authority proposed reducing the tower to four stories. Work continued on One WTC, but digging the foundation and installing tower-foundation steel columns, concrete, and rebar for that tower took twice as long as it normally would due to
19012-429: The competition. Days before the announcement of the two finalists in February 2003, Larry Silverstein wrote to LMDC Chair John Whitehead to express his disapproval of all of the semifinalists' designs. As the Twin Towers' insurance money recipient, Silverstein claimed that he had the sole right to decide what would be built. He announced that he had already picked Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as his master planner for
19206-488: The construction of the entire complex by two years. The new plans for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub , which involved doubling the number of support columns, pushed back the construction timeline. In the original plan, the construction of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum would have begun after the Transportation Hub had been completed because the roof of the Transportation Hub provided
19400-490: The deceased on September 11, 2011, and to the general public on September 12. Construction on 5 WTC's foundation also began in September 2011. By December 2011, 2 WTC's foundations were finished and assembly of the frame was started. Because numerous American and Chinese companies were "very interested" in leasing space at the complex, 2 WTC was likely to be finished earlier than expected. In January 2012, with Silverstein still unable to find tenants for 4 WTC, construction on
19594-466: The deck is free for 9/11 responders and families of 9/11 victims. When it opened, the deck was expected to have about 3.5 million visitors per year. Tickets went on sale starting on April 8, 2015. The Manhattan District Attorney investigated whether Legends Hospitality had received the contract for the observation deck's operation based on inappropriate political dealings. It officially opened on May 28, 2015, one day ahead of schedule. A plan to build
19788-508: The design architect and project manager for the tower, and Daniel Libeskind collaborated on the concept and schematic design. The building opened on November 3, 2014. 2 World Trade Center , also known as 200 Greenwich Street, was designed by British architect Norman Foster . Construction of everything up to street level was completed in mid-2013, but the rest of the building has yet to be built until tenants for 2 WTC can be found. 3 World Trade Center , located at 175 Greenwich Street,
19982-787: The east side of the 64th floor sky lobby. Above floor 90 are several mechanical floors , as well as restaurants and observation spaces on floors 100–103. Floor numbers 94 through 99 are skipped. The tenants have access to below-ground parking, storage, and shopping; access to PATH , New York City Subway trains, and the World Financial Center is also provided at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub ; Fulton Street / Fulton Center ; and Chambers Street–World Trade Center/Park Place/Cortlandt Street stations. The building allows direct access to West Street, Vesey Street, and Fulton Street at ground level. The building has an approximate underground footprint of 42,000 square feet (3,900 m). The tower has an observation deck on floors 100–102. Its height
20176-417: The east. The construction of below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the new building began on April 27, 2006. One World Trade Center became the tallest structure in New York City on April 30, 2012, when it surpassed the height of the Empire State Building . The tower's steel structure was topped out on August 30, 2012. On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper's spire
20370-413: The existence of the subway line under West Broadway nearby. The One WTC building reached grade level by 2010. From there, it progressed at a pace of one floor a week, Publisher Condé Nast agreed to move its headquarters to One World Trade Center in 2010, and with this shift, many more tenants were expected to move to the building. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church , which was destroyed during
20564-544: The exterior elevator shaft was removed; the podium glass, interior decorations, and other finishes were being installed; and installation of concrete flooring and steel fittings was completed. On November 12, 2013, the Height Committee of the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) made the controversial announcement that One World Trade Center was the tallest building in
20758-485: The final design, his design and the public support it garnered solidified the principle that the original footprints of the Twin Towers should be turned into a memorial and not be used for commercial purposes. As a result, Silverstein’s lawyers at the New York firm of Wachtell Lipton embarked on the multi-year negotiation process to frame a master plan for the rebuilding. The first step in this process, completed in 2003,
20952-500: The first day. At the time, future tenants included Kids Creative, Legends Hospitality , the BMB Group , Servcorp , and GQ . On November 12, 2014, shortly after the building opened supporting wire rope cables of a suspended working platform slacked, trapping a two-man window washing team. During the late 2010s, The Durst Organization leased most of the remaining vacant space. The tower reached 92 percent occupancy just before
21146-489: The first tower in the complex to reopen. This had been considered a priority since restoring Con Edison 's electrical substation in the building's lower floors was necessary to meet power demands of Lower Manhattan. On June 22 , 2007, the Port Authority announced that JPMorgan Chase would build 5 WTC, a 42-story building that was occupied by the Deutsche Bank Building at the time. Kohn Pedersen Fox
21340-432: The foundation on which the memorial and the walls of the museum rested. Due to the two-year delay and pressure by the victims' families to have the memorial completed by the 10-year anniversary, it was decided to concentrate on building the memorial and holding off construction of the transportation hub, which increased costs to an estimated $ 3.4 billion. A performing arts center was also announced that year. In 2006,
21534-445: The governor and half by the mayor of New York, governed the LMDC. The LMDC had questionable legal status regarding the restoration of the World Trade Center site, because the Port Authority owned most of the property and Larry Silverstein had the legal right to redevelop the World Trade Center. However, the LMDC, in an April 2002 articulation of its principles for action, asserted its role in revitalizing lower Manhattan. In April 2002,
21728-452: The highest occupiable floor became comparable to the original World Trade Center, and the open-air lattice was removed from the plans. A final design for the "Freedom Tower" was formally unveiled on June 28, 2005. To address security issues raised by the NYPD, a 187-foot (57 m) concrete base was added to the design in April of that year. The design originally included plans to clad the base in glass prisms in order to address criticism that
21922-471: The iconic importance of the tower, but it also has to be a highly efficient building. The discourse about Freedom Tower has often been limited to the symbolic, formal and aesthetic aspects but we recognize that if this building doesn't function well, if people don't want to work and visit there, then we will have failed as architects. Originally, the base was to be covered in 2,000 panes of decorative prismatic glass, but these plans were scrapped in 2011 because
22116-410: The issues involved, the many stakeholders, and the difficulty of reaching consensus. A key factor in enabling rebuilding to proceed was the effective formation of a public-private partnership between Silverstein and the Port Authority, which aligned incentives and allocated responsibility among the stakeholders. There was much debate regarding the future of Ground Zero following the destruction of
22310-426: The landowner, the Port Authority , before he could rebuild the tower. Construction of the power substation was completed in October 2003, and the substation went into service in May 2004. Work next proceeded on the office tower itself. An unusual approach was used in constructing the building; erecting the steel frame before adding the concrete core. This approach allowed the construction schedule to be shortened by
22504-570: The largest shopping mall in Manhattan. Although the new mall is only spread over roughly one-half of the original mall's footprint (due to the new space required for the below-grade National September 11 Memorial & Museum), the mall is double-level, whereas the original mall was a single level. Three additional levels will exist above grade on the lower floors of 2 and 3 World Trade Center, while 4 World Trade Center currently houses four above-grade levels. The World Trade Center station's headhouse,
22698-457: The lease to the World Trade Center site at that time. Peter Walker and Michael Arad 's "Reflecting Absence" proposal was selected as the site's 9/11 Memorial in January 2004. The architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) subsequently replaced Libeskind as the new One World Trade Center's primary designer. SOM partner Ken Lewis recalled that the new building had to provide office space for various types of tenants while alluding to
22892-400: The legal right to operate the complex and site for 99 years. At the time, the World Trade Center only had a few notable tenants, and Silverstein wanted to improve the complex to make it more attractive to potential tenants. These plans for improvement were never realized. On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda -affiliated hijackers flew two Boeing 767 jets into the Twin Towers in
23086-450: The main structure has not yet (as of 2021) commenced. 7 World Trade Center stands off of Port Authority property. David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the tower. The building is 52 stories tall (plus one underground floor), making it the 28th tallest in New York. It opened on May 23, 2006, achieving LEED gold status and being the first tower in the complex to reopen. A memorial called Reflecting Absence honors
23280-561: The master plan architect for the World Trade Center: Foster and Partners ( Norman Foster ); Studio Daniel Libeskind ( Daniel Libeskind ); Meier Eisenman Gwathmey Holl ( Peter Eisenman , Richard Meier , Charles Gwathmey and Steven Holl ), sometimes known as "The Dream Team"; Peterson Littenberg ; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill ; THINK Team ( Shigeru Ban , Frederic Schwartz , Ken Smith , Rafael Viñoly ); and United Architects Peterson Littenberg,
23474-541: The memorial was completed by early 2011. The memorial opened on September 11, 2011, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The museum was initially scheduled to open on September 11, 2012, but was delayed due to financial disputes and again when Hurricane Sandy significantly damaged the site. The museum was opened in May 2014. Westfield World Trade Center opened with its first group of stores on August 16, 2016. It has roughly 365,000 square feet (33,900 m ) of retail space, which once again makes it
23668-630: The memorial, not only providing pedestrian access to the future towers, but also a path through the site to the Memorial Plaza and surrounding streets. 3 WTC's construction resumed in August 2014, with projected completion by 2018. In September 2014, it was announced that the original plans for the Performing Arts Center had been canceled; construction had been slated to start in December 2014. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church's ground blessing ceremony and symbolic laying of
23862-400: The new 7 World Trade Center began in 2002 and was completed on May 23, 2006. The building is 52 stories tall (plus one underground floor), making it the 64th-tallest in New York . It is built on a smaller footprint than the original; a small park across Greenwich Street occupies space that was part of the original building's footprint. The current building's design emphasizes safety, with
24056-547: The new 7 World Trade Center began on May 7, 2002, with the installation of a fence around the construction site. Restoring the Consolidated Edison substation was an urgent priority to meet power demands of Lower Manhattan; the utility stated that it needed to replace four of the ten destroyed transformers by 2003. Because 7 World Trade Center is separate from the main 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site , Larry Silverstein required approval only from
24250-518: The new 7 World Trade Center was designed so Greenwich Street, which had been blocked by the original 7 World Trade Center, could be continuous through the new complex. A temporary PATH station at the World Trade Center opened in November 2003 , pending replacement by a permanent station designed by Santiago Calatrava . In the months following the attacks, architects and urban planning experts held meetings and forums to discuss ideas for rebuilding
24444-405: The new facilities at the World Trade Center site, One World Trade Center is heated by steam , with limited oil or natural gas utilities on-site. One World Trade Center received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, making it one of the most environmentally sustainable skyscrapers in the world. Along with the protection provided by the reinforced concrete base,
24638-400: The north of the main World Trade Center site. Since it was not part of the site master plan, the rebuilding of 7 World Trade Center was allowed to proceed without delay, but Silverstein and Con Edison recognized that the rebuilding of the tower would have to be consistent with the master plan anyway. It called for reopening several streets that had been eliminated in the original complex, so
24832-531: The northern facade of the North Tower. After burning for 102 minutes, the North Tower collapsed due to structural failure at 10:28 a.m. ( EDT ). When the North Tower collapsed, debris fell on the nearby 7 World Trade Center , which caught fire and collapsed at 5:21 p.m. ( EDT ). Together with a simultaneous attack on the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia , and a passenger revolt that resulted in
25026-525: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City in 2020. By August 2020, Condé Nast indicated it wanted to leave One World Trade Center. This led Advance Publications , parent company of Conde Nast, to start withholding rent payments in January 2021. By March 2021, Condé Nast had filed plans to reduce the amount of office space that it leased. After a prolonged impasse, Condé Nast agreed in late 2021 to pay almost $ 10 million in back rent. In December 2021,
25220-399: The original Twin Towers stood, and the World Trade Center Transportation Hub to its east. The construction of the new building is part of an effort to memorialize and rebuild following the destruction of the original World Trade Center complex. The construction of the original World Trade Center was conceived as an urban renewal project and spearheaded by David Rockefeller . The project
25414-476: The original Twin Towers, which had never reached full occupancy until just before the September 11 attacks. Many of Daniel Libeskind 's original concepts from the 2002 competition were discarded from the tower's final design. One World Trade Center's final design consisted of simple symmetries and a more traditional profile, intended to compare with selected elements of the contemporary New York skyline. The tower's central spire draws from previous buildings, such as
25608-495: The park; egresses include three stairways, the pedestrian bridge, and a straight ramp down to Greenwich Street . Of these exits, a wide staircase is located parallel to Greenwich Street and directly behind the church. There are wood benches and a small amphitheater -like elevated space at the West Street end of the park. Finally, there is an observation balcony along much of Liberty Street and another slightly curved balcony at
25802-428: The prismatic glass was too expensive to mass-produce and were vulnerable to breaking. A simpler glass-and-steel facade was adopted when the prisms proved unworkable. The current base cladding consists of angled glass fins protruding from stainless steel panels, similar to those on 7 World Trade Center . LED lights behind the panels illuminate the base at night. There are cable-net glass facade panels on all elevations of
25996-507: The public were invited to sign the first 30-foot (9.1 m) steel beam installed onto the building's base. It was welded onto the building's base on December 19, 2006. Foundation and steel installation began shortly afterward, so the tower's footings and foundation were nearly complete within a year. An estimate in February 2007 placed the initial construction cost of One World Trade Center at about $ 3 billion, or $ 1,150 per square foot ($ 12,400/m). In January 2008, two cranes were moved onto
26190-400: The radome to reduce costs, but the proposal was rejected by the Port Authority's then-executive director, Christopher O. Ward . Ward was replaced by Patrick Foye in September 2011. Foye changed the Port Authority's position, and the radome was removed from the plans. In 2012, Douglas Durst gave a statement regarding the final decision: "(the antenna) is going to be mounted on the building over
26384-450: The rights to the name in 1986. The WTCA sought $ 500,000 worth of free office space in the tower in exchange for the use of "World Trade Center" in the tower's name and associated souvenirs. On November 1, 2014, moving trucks started moving items for Condé Nast. The New York Times noted that the area around the World Trade Center had transitioned from a financial area to one with technology firms, residences, and luxury shops, coincident with
26578-490: The same area as the memorial. The Snøhetta-designed museum will act as a memorial museum and visitors' center, after family members of 9/11 victims objected to the building's original occupant, the International Freedom Center . The Ground Zero Museum Workshop is a privately run 501(c) nonprofit museum that is not connected to the official Ground Zero Memorial or Gehry's museum. Construction of
26772-489: The same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center , which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 . The new skyscraper stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site , on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center . It is bounded by West Street to the west, Vesey Street to the north, Fulton Street to the south, and Washington Street to
26966-456: The selected floor; the elevator cabs do not contain buttons. The elevator system is integrated with the lobby key-card system, which can identify the floor on which an employee works, then automatically call an elevator for that floor. WSP Cantor Seinuk served as structural engineer on the project, while Jaros, Baum & Bolles was the MEP engineer. Nearly 30 percent of structural steel used in
27160-421: The site in November 2012. Several of the towers reached significant milestones in 2013: for instance, One WTC's spire was installed from January 15 to May 10, 2013. Construction of 2 WTC up to street level was completed in mid-2013, with work on the rest of the building delayed until tenants for 2 WTC could be found. Work also progressed on 3 WTC's below-grade foundations and the ground-level podium, which
27354-455: The site through the underground road. Four hundred closed-circuit surveillance cameras will be placed in and around the site, with live camera feeds being continuously monitored by the NYPD. A computer system will use video-analytic computer software , designed to detect potential threats, such as unattended bags, and retrieve images based on descriptions of terrorists or other criminal suspects. New York City and Port Authority police will patrol
27548-725: The site, containing the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and the Vehicular Security Center ; the Perelman Performing Arts Center ; and a transportation hub . The 104-story One World Trade Center , being the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere , is the lead building for the new complex. The buildings are among many created by the World Trade Centers Association . The original World Trade Center included
27742-423: The site. Before the World Trade Center site was fully completed, the plaza was not completely opened to the public, as the original World Trade Center plaza was. The initial stage of the opening process began on Thursday, May 15, 2014, when the "Interim Operating Period" of the National September 11 Memorial ended. During this period, all visitors were required to undergo airport style security screening as part of
27936-496: The site. On February 1, 2003, the LMDC selected two finalists, the THINK Team and Studio Daniel Libeskind, and planned on picking a single winner by the end of the month. Rafael Viñoly of the THINK Team and Studio Daniel Libeskind presented their designs to the LMDC, which selected the former design. Earlier the same day, however, Roland Betts , a member of the LMDC, had called a meeting and the corporation had agreed to vote for
28130-418: The site. Outgoing Mayor Giuliani advocated for a "soaring memorial" to be the only thing at the World Trade Center site during his final speech as mayor. Meanwhile, Larry Silverstein wanted to construct a new World Trade Center as soon as possible: the insurance documents for his lease on the old World Trade Center had not been finalized at the time of the attacks, so he could not receive insurance benefits from
28324-541: The site. Construction began in 2013 when the Vehicular Security Center was completed. About $ 50 million was allocated to the park's construction by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in December 2013. The park opened on June 29, 2016. On August 16, 2017, the Port Authority installed the iconic sculpture The Sphere within the park, overlooking its original location in the old World Trade Center. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
28518-428: The site. Construction of the tower's concrete core, which began after the cranes arrived, reached street level by May 17. The base was not finished until two years later, after which construction of the office floors began and the first glass windows were installed; during 2010, floors were constructed at a rate of about one per week. An advanced "cocoon" scaffolding system was installed to protect workers from falling, and
28712-530: The sky. The window panes on the upper floors are 13.6 feet (4.1 m) high and are made of white glass with low concentrations of iron. Stainless steel used in the facade is molybdenum -containing Type 316, which provides improved resistance to corrosion. The new 7 World Trade Center was built above the Con Edison substation. When the current building was constructed, the transformer vaults were rearranged into an 80-foot-tall (24 m) shell at
28906-583: The street. The curtain wall around the lobby uses heavily laminated, heat-strengthened glass that meets high standards for blast resistance. At night, a large cube of light above the lobby also emanates blue light, while during the day it provides white light to the lobby, and at dusk, it transitions to violet and back to blue. Inside the main lobby, artist Jenny Holzer created an LED installation with glowing text moving across wide plastic panels. The wall measures 65 ft (20 m) wide and 14 ft (4.3 m) tall. Holzer worked with Klara Silverstein,
29100-410: The summer. There's no way to do anything at this point." The large triangular plaza on the west side of One World Trade Center was originally planned to have stainless steel steps descending to West Street, but the steps were changed to a terrace in the final design. The terrace can be accessed through a staircase on Vesey Street. The terrace is paved in granite, and has 12 sweetgum trees, in addition to
29294-639: The surrounding buildings as well. The process of cleaning up and recovery at the World Trade Center site took eight months, after which rebuilding of the site was commenced. After years of delay and controversy, reconstruction at the World Trade Center site started in 2006. The new complex includes One World Trade Center (until 2009, nicknamed the Freedom Tower), 3 World Trade Center , 4 World Trade Center , 7 World Trade Center , and one other high-rise office building being planned at 2 World Trade Center . The new World Trade Center complex also includes
29488-550: The surrounding neighborhoods, and others wanted to provide input. In November 2001, Governor Pataki established the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) as an official commission to oversee the rebuilding process. In order to bypass the approval of the New York State Assembly , Pataki left out Sheldon Silver , the State Assemblyman for the area, from the decision-making process regarding
29682-400: The symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m), a reference to the year in which the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. In May 2006, architects Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki were announced as the architects for 3 and 4 WTC, respectively. The final designs for 2, 3, and 4 WTC were unveiled on September 7 , 2006. Tower Two, or 200 Greenwich Street, was slated to have
29876-405: The third floor has three theaters with between 99 and 450 seats. All three theaters are designed so that the walls will be able to rotate and expand to provide extra space for a single theater if needed. The theaters can fit approximately 1,200 people combined. Liberty Park, a new elevated park, was built on top of a parking complex named the Vehicular Security Center at the southwest corner of
30070-402: The total office space of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex would have been reduced by more than 3,000,000 square feet (280,000 m) in comparison with the original complex. The floor limit was imposed by Silverstein, who expressed concern that higher floors would be a liability in the event of a future terrorist attack or other incident. Much of the building's height would have consisted of
30264-425: The tower on December 12, 2012, and was installed on January 15, 2013. By March 2013, two sections of the spire had been installed. Bad weather delayed the delivery of the final pieces. On May 10, 2013, the final piece of the spire was lifted to the top of One WTC, bringing the tower to its full height of 1,776 feet (541 m), and making it the fourth-tallest building in the world at the time. In subsequent months,
30458-450: The tower was specially illuminated on several occasions. For example, it was lit in red, white, and blue for Independence Day and the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and it was illuminated in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month . The tower's loading dock could not be finished in time to move equipment into the completed building, so five temporary loading bays were added at a cost of millions of dollars. The temporary PATH station
30652-451: The tower would be a "monolithic glass structure reflecting the sky and topped by a sculpted antenna". In 2006, Larry Silverstein commented on a planned completion date: "By 2012 we should have a completely rebuilt World Trade Center, more magnificent, more spectacular than it ever was." On April 26, 2006, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved a conceptual framework that allowed foundation construction to begin. A formal agreement
30846-406: The tower's fuel cell system, which was one of the largest fuel cell installations in the world once completed. The tower also makes use of off-site hydroelectric and wind power . The windows are made of an ultra-clear glass, which allows maximum sunlight to pass through; the interior lighting is equipped with dimmers that automatically dim the lights on sunny days, reducing energy costs. Like all of
31040-494: The transformers. There is a cable-net glass wall on the eastern elevation of the facade, just above the Greenwich Street entrance. This cable-net wall measures 50 by 110 feet (15 by 34 m) across. During the day, the curtain wall reflects light, while at night it is illuminated by blue and white LED lights. The curtain wall has 220,000 LEDs; at night, the prisms on the facade reflect light from each LED onto
31234-450: The use of firefighters, and biological and chemical filters throughout the ventilation system. In comparison, the original Twin Towers used a purely steel central core to house utility functions, protected only by lightweight drywall panels. The building is no longer 25 feet (8 m) away from West Street , as the Twin Towers were; at its closest point, West Street is 65 feet (20 m) away. The Port Authority has stated: "Its structure
31428-404: The victims of the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing . The memorial, designed by Peter Walker and Israeli-American architect Michael Arad , consists of a field of trees interrupted by the footprints of the twin towers. Pools of water fill the footprints, underneath which sits a memorial space whose walls bear the names of the victims. The slurry wall , which holds back
31622-471: The west; and the 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , A , C , E , J , N , R , W , and Z trains through the Fulton Center on the east. The new station, as well as the September 11 Memorial and Museum, is air-cooled via a heat exchanger fed by four pipes carrying water from
31816-466: The wife of Larry Silverstein, to select poetry for the art installation. The wall of the lobby is structurally fortified as a security measure. On the upper stories, some tenants customized the design of their spaces. The space occupied by Mansueto Ventures was designed to maximize natural light exposure and has an open floor plan. The 40th-floor space used by the New York Academy of Sciences
32010-550: The world after they opened on April 4, 1973. The other buildings in the complex included the Marriott World Trade Center ( 3 WTC ), as well as 4 WTC , 5 WTC , 6 WTC , and 7 WTC . Despite high financial expectations for the original complex, it did not become profitable until the 1980s. On July 24, 2001, the Port Authority finalized an agreement that leased the complex to Larry Silverstein , who already owned 7 WTC. For $ 3.2 billion, Silverstein received
32204-416: Was 10 percent leased by August 2006. Several of the unoccupied upper floors were used for events such as charity lunches, fashion shows, and black-tie galas. Silverstein Properties allowed space in the new building to be used for these events as a means to draw people to see the building. From September 8 to October 7, 2006, the work of photographer Jonathan Hyman was displayed in "An American Landscape",
32398-638: Was 94.8 percent occupied by 2017. By then, roughly three-quarters of the space was occupied by four tenants, including Moody's , the Royal Bank of Scotland, and WilmerHale. Wedding planning company Zola and the building's own architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill both leased space at 7 WTC in early 2019. This was followed in July 2019 by luxury drink brand Moët Hennessy and media company AccuWeather . After Mansueto Ventures and three other firms leased space at 7 WTC in April 2022,
32592-439: Was a 47-story skyscraper with a red granite facade. It opened in 1987 as part of the original World Trade Center building complex. The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks caused the collapse of the World Trade Center ; falling debris from the collapsing 110-story Twin Towers destroyed or severely damaged nearby buildings, including 7 World Trade Center , which collapsed shortly thereafter. The construction phase of
32786-495: Was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland , forex services provider FXDD subleased some of the Royal Bank of Scotland's space in 2009. The law firm WilmerHale signed 200,000 square feet (19,000 m ) at the building in April 2011. The building became fully leased that September after MSCI agreed to occupy 125,000 square feet (11,600 m ) on the top floor; other tenants at the time included FXDD, WilmerHale, and
32980-514: Was anchored by the 1,776-foot (541 m) One World Trade Center and featured a memorial and a number of other office towers. Out of the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition , a design by Michael Arad and Peter Walker titled Reflecting Absence was selected in January 2004 . Though Libeskind designed the site, the individual buildings have been designed by different architects. While not all of Libeskind's ideas were incorporated into
33174-406: Was completed by October 2013. 4 WTC, meanwhile, opened in November 2013, making it the second tower on the site to open behind 7 World Trade Center, as well as the first building on the Port Authority property. The first tenants to move into 4 WTC were two government agencies. The foundation of 5 WTC was also completed by November 2013, although construction on the main structure stalled because of
33368-587: Was completed in 2006 at a cost of $ 700 million. Though Silverstein received $ 861 million from insurance on the old building, he owed more than $ 400 million on its mortgage. Costs to rebuild were covered by $ 475 million in Liberty Bonds , which provide tax-exempt financing to help stimulate rebuilding in Lower Manhattan and insurance money that remained after other expenses. A 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m ) triangular park
33562-403: Was completed in 2012. Seven World Trade Center 7 World Trade Center ( 7 WTC , WTC-7 , or Tower 7 ) is an office building constructed as part of the new World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan , New York City . The tower is located on a city block bounded by Greenwich, Vesey , Washington , and Barclay Streets on the east, south, west, and north, respectively. 7 World Trade Center
33756-448: Was created between the extended Greenwich Street and West Broadway by David Childs with Ken Smith and his colleague, Annie Weinmayr, of Ken Smith Landscape Architect. The park comprises an open central plaza with a fountain and flanking groves of sweetgum trees and boxwood shrubs. At the center of the fountain, sculptor Jeff Koons created a 9-foot-tall (2.7 m) stainless steel sculpture called Balloon Flower (Red) . The building
33950-493: Was designed by Maki and Associates . The building opened in November 2013, making it the second tower on the site to open behind 7 World Trade Center, as well as the first building on the Port Authority property. 5 World Trade Center , which is to stand on the site of the Deutsche Bank Building , was originally designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox . Although the foundation was completed in 2013, construction on
34144-478: Was designed by Richard Rogers Partnership . It stands across Greenwich Street from the Memorial's two reflecting pools. The below-grade foundations and the ground-level podium was completed by October 2013. After a two-year stoppage in above-ground construction, the tower project itself started in August 2014, and the building opened on June 11, 2018. 4 World Trade Center , also known as 150 Greenwich Street,
34338-430: Was designed by H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture and includes a reception lobby with an openwork screen; a 296-seat event room; and a horizontal 72-foot-long (22 m) mural. 7 World Trade Center is equipped with Otis destination elevators to reduce dwell times and travel times. After pressing their destination floor number on a keypad in the lobby, passengers are directed to specific elevators that will stop at
34532-416: Was developed by Larry Silverstein , who holds a ground lease for the site from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill . The building was constructed to replace the original structure on the site , part of the original World Trade Center . The previous structure, completed in 1987, was destroyed in the September 11 attacks in 2001. Construction of
34726-531: Was drafted the following day, the 75th anniversary of the 1931 opening of the Empire State Building . Construction began in May; a formal groundbreaking ceremony took place when the first construction team arrived. The symbolic cornerstone of One World Trade Center was laid in a ceremony on July 4, 2004. The stone had an inscription supposedly written by Arthur J. Finkelstein . Construction was delayed until 2006 due to disputes over money, security, and design. The last major issues were resolved on April 26, 2006, when
34920-534: Was halted due to unpaid expenses. Work restarted in August 2020. The church fully opened for regular services on December 6, 2022, the Feast of Saint Nicholas . The 1-acre (0.4 ha) park, measuring 300 feet (91 m) long and located at a height of 20 feet (6.1 m), has a capacity of 750 people. A green wall is located on the Liberty Street facade. A walkway from the pedestrian bridge curves along
35114-484: Was installed, making the building, including its spire, reach a total height of 1,776 feet (541 m). Its height in feet is a deliberate reference to the year when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. The building opened on November 3, 2014; the One World Observatory opened on May 29, 2015. On March 26, 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) confirmed that
35308-400: Was intended to help revitalize Lower Manhattan . The project was planned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , which hired architect Minoru Yamasaki . The twin towers at 1 and 2 World Trade Center were designed as framed tube structures , giving tenants open floor plans, unobstructed by columns or walls. One World Trade Center was the North Tower, and Two World Trade Center was
35502-513: Was met with criticism early in its planning and construction stages. The original design, which was asymmetrical, significantly shorter, and called for an off-center spire, was met with much disapproval, causing a new one to be devised. A key feature of the final design, the fortified, windowless base, was also denounced as looking dreary and unwelcoming. To alleviate this problem, the designers decided to clad it with prismatic glass panels. The name change from Freedom Tower to One World Trade Center
35696-450: Was met with some criticism. The then- Governor of New York , George Pataki , stated in 2003 that "[t]he Freedom Tower isn't going to be One World Trade Center, it's going to be the Freedom Tower." The design for the World Trade Center was finalized in 2005, but was revised extensively after the NYPD raised security concerns regarding various sites in the complex, which delayed the start of
35890-422: Was not to be removed until its official replacement, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub , was completed, blocking access to the planned loading area. Chadbourne & Parke , a Midtown Manhattan -based law firm, was supposed to lease 300,000 square feet (30,000 m) in January 2012, but the deal was abruptly canceled that March. By March 2012, One WTC's steel structure had reached 93 stories, growing to
36084-513: Was officially opened on May 23, 2006. The opening was marked by a free concert featuring Suzanne Vega , Citizen Cope , Bill Ware Vibes, Brazilian Girls , Ollabelle , Pharaoh's Daughter , Ronan Tynan (of the Irish Tenors ), and special guest Lou Reed . Prior to its opening, in March 2006, the new building was used as a filming location for the movie Perfect Stranger . The building
36278-470: Was originally supposed to be relocated, but the most recent plans call for the church to be built in Liberty Park. On July 23, 2008, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reached a deal with the leaders of the church for the Port Authority to acquire the 1,200-square-foot (110 m ) lot that the church occupied for $ 20 million, and relocate the church. Officials reneged in 2009, leading
36472-452: Was promoted as one of the safest skyscrapers in the U.S. upon its completion According to Silverstein Properties, it "incorporate[s] a host of life-safety enhancements that will become the prototype for new high-rise construction." The building has 2-foot-thick (0.61 m) reinforced-concrete and fireproofed elevator and stairway access shafts. The original building used only drywall to line these shafts. The stairways are wider than in
36666-578: Was selected as the architect for the building. Four renowned architects—including Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava , who designed the transit hub; One WTC designer David Childs of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill ; and the British architect Norman Foster of Foster and Partners , who designed Tower Two and masterminded the diamond design—would greatly enhance the street-level atmosphere of the rebuilt site. However, JPMorgan's March 2008 acquisition of Bear Stearns caused construction on 5 WTC to stagnate, as
36860-400: Was the "swap" in which Silverstein gave up his rights to the footprints of the Twin Towers so that they could become a memorial, and in exchange received the right to build five new office towers around the memorial. The "swap" and the ensuing negotiations, which lasted for many years, have been referred to as the most complex real estate transaction in human history because of the complexity of
37054-407: Was the first such safety system installed on a steel structure in the city. The tower reached 52 floors and was over 600 feet (180 m) tall by December 2010. The tower's steel frame was halfway complete by then, but grew to 80 floors by the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, at which time its concrete flooring had reached 68 floors and the glass cladding had reached 54 floors. In 2009,
37248-516: Was the main contractor. World Trade Center's website describes One World Trade Center's top floor as floor 104, though the tower only contains 94 actual stories according to the Skyscraper Center . The building has 86 usable above-ground floors, of which 78 are intended for office purposes (approximately 2,600,000 square feet (240,000 m)). The base consists of floors 1–19, including a 65-foot-high (20 m) public lobby that features
37442-430: Was to begin in December 2014 when the removal of the temporary PATH station commenced. However, the original plans were shelved in September 2014. After a design was chosen in 2015, it was announced that Joshua Prince-Ramus was awarded the contract to design the building. In June 2016, the center was renamed after billionaire businessman Ronald Perelman , who donated $ 75 million to the center, and on September 8, 2016,
37636-403: Was transported from the World Trade Center site to Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island , where it was further sifted. Mayor Rudy Giuliani was tasked with coordinating the cleanup and recovery effort . On May 30 , 2002, a ceremony was held to officially mark the end of the cleanup efforts. In 2002, ground was broken on construction of a new 7 World Trade Center building located just to
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