The first tenants are expected to begin moving in to 1 WTC in late 2013

Destined to be the country’s tallest skyscraper, 1 World Trade Center is on track to top out at 104 stories (1,368 feet) this spring. The tower’s steel frame now stands at 92 stories, and already has marked the downtown skyline, with its twin tower cranes visible from miles away. Contractor Tishman Construction is proceeding with the erection of the final dozen stories, which are being built as mechanical-equipment floors, rather than regular office floors, therefore requiring more time to complete. An observation deck will serve as the tower’s highest story.

The glass façade also is rapidly enclosing the structure, with panels reaching the 70th floor this month. The façade glass of 1 WTC uses a new form of high-performance, low-emittance (low-E) glass-coating technology, maximizing sunlight and minimizing heat gain inside the building. The coating also is reflective, creating a shimmering effect on the building’s surface.

This month, crews also will begin installing vertical glass panels around the building’s 186-foot-tall base, also called the podium. More than 4,000 frosted glass fins, each measuring 13 feet 4 inches-by-two feet, are being specially created by the contractor Permasteelisa. The glass fins will attach to the exterior of the podium wall at varying angles to create a series of v-shaped wing effects along the building surface. The wall also will use concealed energy-efficient LEDs to create a soft exterior glow. In addition to the illuminating the podium, the v-shaped glass cladding pattern will provide ventilation for the mechanical systems within, including a 1.2-megawatt, next-generation fuel-cell plant housed above the lobby.

One the steel structure tops out later this year, the Port Authority will spend approximately three months erecting the 400-foot-tall spire that will ultimately bring 1 WTC’s total height to 1,776 feet. The spire also will serve as a broadcast antenna, replacing the one lost on the original WTC’s north tower.

The first tenants are expected to begin moving in to 1 WTC in late 2013.

Related Links