Who will forget the September 11, 2001 attacks in the World Trade Center, particularly its twin towers? The attack also killed thousands of people, which includes hijackers.
Fast forward twelve years after, United States shared an emotional moment as the 408-foot tall spire was fully installed to the top of New York’s One World Trade Center. This serves as a landmark structure with its symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541m), the year America signed the Declaration of Independence. The new building lies north of the original towers, which is known today as the Ground Zero.
According to CNBC, Port Authority Vice- Chair Scott Rechler told TODAY’s Matt Lauer, “This really is a symbolic moment because this building really represents the resiliency of this country. These people, the thousand men and women who have worked here tirelessly, really as a tribute for the people that perished on 9/11 right on this site.” Matt Lauer, a New York native said it was an “incredibly emotional” moment for him. Lauer said, “There’s a certain sense of personal pride that goes along with it.”
It was Lauer who sounded the horn, which motioned construction crews to lift the 758-ton spire. It took about 20 minutes to the top. As reported by CNBC, the spire bears a beacon of 288 50-watt LED lights. These lights are visible up to 50 miles away on a clear day. When this operates, the spire will also be utilized as a world-class broadcast antenna.
Rose Ellen Dowdell, whose husband’s remain was never recovered from the 9/11 attack, see the place as his husband’s resting place. For her, “the building is a symbol of a coming back.”
The symbolic height of the new tower makes it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, exceeding the Willis Tower in Chicago which is 1,729-foot or 442.26-meter high not including its antennas. The Chicago-based organization, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat explained that an antenna is something simply added to the top of a tower and may be removed. On the other hand, a spire is already a part of the architectural design of a building.
The tower has already leased the 55 percent to the tenants such as the US General Services Administration, Beijing-based Vantone China Center, and Conde Nast. The tower will be open for business on 2014.







