One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in New York City — much sooner than expected.
One World Trade Center will become the tallest within the next few days, Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye announced today. In fact, construction is proceeding so quickly at the WTC that the building is expected to soar taller than the Empire State Building as early as Monday, he said.
The Empire State Building is currently New York City’s tallest, at 1,250 feet, and One WTC was only four feet below that earlier this month.
“Within the next several days, weather permitting, perhaps as early as Monday, that One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in Manhattan,” said Foye, speaking at a Crain’s Breakfast forum this morning in Midtown.
When finished, One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It will not, however, be the tallest in the world. That title is held by the 2,723-foot tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
When it is finished, One World Trade Center will be 1,368 feet high from sidewalk to roof. But don’t forget about the antenna: When that is added the tower will stretch to 1,776 feet, a symbolic nod to the year America declared its independence.
Construction started on 1 WTC, formerly nicknamed the Freedom Tower, six years ago. The building reached the 100-floor mark earlier this month. There will be 104 floors when completed.
Just over half of the building is leased, said Foye. One of the main tenants, Conde Nast Publications, will occupy floors 20 through 41.
