About The Tallest Building In America
Built on the same grounds where the Twin Towers once stood
One World Trade Center (also known as The Freedom Tower) is located in lower Manhattan, NY. Standing as a shining beacon for the new Downtown, and a bold addition to the skyline, One World Trade Center is safe, sustainable, and artistically dynamic.
Soaring to a symbolic 1,776 feet — it is both America's tallest building and the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building. The construction of below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the new building began on April 27, 2006.
The Council On Tall Buildings And Urban Habitat (CTBUH), recognized as the world authority on building heights, acknowledges One World Trade Center as the tallest building in America. This structure was built on the same grounds where the 9/11/01 attack happened which resulted in the destruction of the previous Twin Towers.
Some interesting building facts include the following, open date of October 2014, tallest of the new World Trade Center Complex, 104 stories, 1776 feet high, 3 million rentable square feet of space, 55 foot high office lobby, 54 High-speed destination dispatch passenger elevators.
Life-safety systems far exceed NYC building code. With entrances on all 4 sides of the building, One WTC has been designed to smoothly integrate traffic of visitors & office tenants.
The cubic base has a footprint identical to the original Twin Towers. The surface of the base is clad in more than 2,000 pieces of shimmering prismatic glass. One World Trade Center is a mixed-use building, with office space, retail space, and a 9/11 Memorial Museum. The building is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Condé Nast, EY, and Salesforce.
The retail space includes a food court, a bookstore, and a number of other shops. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is located in the basement of the building and tells the story of the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks.
The tower ascends 69 stories — its edges chamfered back to form 8 isosceles triangles, a perfect octagon at center. It culminates in a square, glass parapet at the crown, its crystalline form creating a vibrant effect, as light refracts like a kaleidoscope, changing throughout the day.
The “One World Observatory” is an enclosed observation deck rising 1,250 ft. above street level. The crown of One WTC is a 408-foot spire — consisting of a mast and a communication platform ring. At night, a beacon at the top sends out a horizontal light beam, which can be seen from miles away.
The building's architect is David Childs, whose firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) also designed the Burj Khalifa and the Willis Tower. One World Trade Center was designed as a memorable architectural landmark — a symbol of the American spirit, with a simplicity and clarity of form that will remain fresh and timeless.
The Freedom Tower, officially known as One World Trade Center, features observation decks offering panoramic views of New York City. It has become an iconic symbol of resilience and determination in the face of tragedy.
This tallest building in the United States serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of unity and perseverance in the wake of adversity. Today it offers tickets to an all inclusive experience that includes entry to the observatory, priority entry, a digital skyline guide and flexible arrival times.