Freedom Tower
5002871
225841584
2008-07-15T17:27:35Z
99.145.19.231
/* Construction gallery */
{{Building under construction|article}}
{{otheruses4|the skyscraper in New York City|the building in Miami, Florida|Freedom Tower (Miami)|the building in Tehran, Iran of the same translated name|Azadi Tower}}
{{Infobox Skyscraper
|building_name=1 World Trade Center<BR>''Freedom Tower''
|image=[[Image:Freedom Tower.jpg]]
|caption=Artist's rendering of the Freedom Tower with [[Midtown Manhattan]] and the [[Empire State Building]] in the background.
|use=[[Office]], [[Dining]], [[Observation]], [[Retail]]
|location=[[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], [[New York]], [[United States]]
|roof= {{convert|1368|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}
|top_floor= {{convert|1362|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}
|antenna_spire= {{convert|1776|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|floor_count= 108 floors (82 designated for occupied space) <!-- 102 is top floor, 82 for designated space. Keep it like this unless the facts change. -->
|groundbreaking=[[April 27]] [[2006]]
|status=
|est_completion= 2011(est.)<ref name="nypost-ap1">{{cite news | title = Report: WTC Faces Up To 3-Year Delay | url = http://www.nypost.com/seven/06302008/news/regionalnews/report__wtc_faces_up_to_3_year_delay_117912.htm | work = Associated Press via ''[[New York Post]]''. | location = [[New York City|New York, New York]] | date = 2008-06-30 | accessdate = 2008-07-05 }}</ref>
|opening=2013(est.)
|floor_area= {{convert|2600000|sqft|m2|-3|abbr=on}}
|architect= [[David Childs]] ([[Skidmore, Owings and Merrill|Skidmore, Owings & Merrill]])
|developer=[[Silverstein Properties|Silverstein Properties, Inc.]]
|builder=[[Tishman Construction]]
|engineer=[[WSP Group|WSP Cantor Seinuk]]
|skyscraperpage_id=7788
|}}
{{New World Trade Center}}
'''1 World Trade Center''',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtc.com/about/freedom-tower|title=Freedom Tower: About the Building|accessdate=2008-01-21|publisher=Silverstein Properties}}</ref> or the '''Freedom Tower''', is the main building of the new [[World Trade Center]] complex currently under construction in [[Lower Manhattan]] in [[New York City]]. The tower will be located in the northwest corner of the 16-[[acre]] (65,000 m²) [[World Trade Center site]], bound by Vesey, West, Washington and [[Fulton Street (Manhattan)|Fulton]] streets.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wtc.com/inner_page.aspx?id=7 |title= Building Features |work= [http://www.wtc.com wtc.com] |accessdate= 2007-03-19 |date= 2007}}</ref> Construction on below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the {{convert|1776|ft|m|0|lk=on|adj=on}} Freedom Tower began on [[April 27]] [[2006]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/09/05/september11/timeline1969436_0_main.shtml |title= Progress and Setbacks |publisher= [[CBS]] News}}</ref> On [[December 19]], [[2006]], the first steel columns were installed in the building's foundation. Three other high-rise office buildings plus a residential tower are planned for the site along Greenwich Street, and they will surround the [[World Trade Center Memorial]], which is currently under construction. The area will also be home to a museum, highlighting many of the different aspects of the past and future World Trade Centers. The Freedom Tower is expected to be completed in 2013.<ref name="nypost-ap1" /> When completed it will be the second tallest building in the [[United States]], after the [[Chicago Spire]].
==History==
Following the destruction of the [[World Trade Center]] towers in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], there was much debate regarding the future of the [[World Trade Center site]]. Proposals began almost immediately, and by 2002, the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]], which owns the right to develop the site, organized a competition through the newly created [[Lower Manhattan Development Corporation]] to determine how to use the land. Public rejection of the first round of designs, the "Preliminary Design Concepts," led to a second, more open competition in December 2002, the "Innovative Design Study," in which a design by [[Daniel Libeskind]] was selected. This design went through many revisions,<ref>[[New York Times]]: "[http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/01/03/opinion/20060103_TOWERS_GRAPHIC.html Freedom Tower's Evolution]"</ref> largely because of disagreements with developer [[Larry Silverstein]], who held the lease to the World Trade Center site on [[September 11]], [[2001]].
A final design for the tower was formally unveiled on [[June 28]] [[2006]]. To satisfy security issues raised by the [[New York City Police Department]] a 187-foot (57 m) concrete base was added in April of that year. The final design included plans to clad the base in glass prisms to address criticism that the base looked like a "concrete bunker." Contrasting with Libeskind's plan, the final design tapers the corners of the base outward as they rise. Its designers stated that the tower will be a "monolithic glass structure reflecting the sky and topped by a sculpted antenna." In terms of a completion date, Larry Silverstein stated "By 2012 we should have a completely rebuilt World Trade Center more magnificent, more spectacular than it ever was."<ref>{{cite news | caca url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/reuters/2006/06/29/world/architects-in-new-york-unveil-new-freedom-tower.html | title=Architects in New York unveil new Freedom Tower | publisher=[[Reuters]] | date=[[June 29]] [[2006]]}}</ref> On [[April 26]], [[2006]], the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] approved a conceptual framework that enabled foundation construction to begin while a formal agreement was drafted on the following day, the 75th anniversary of the opening of the [[Empire State Building]]. Construction began with a formal ceremony that took place when the construction team arrived.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/412525p-348812c.html | title=Trucks roll to begin Freedom Tower construction | publisher=[[New York Daily News]] | date=[[April 27]] [[2006]]}}</ref> It is projected that steel for the building will be visible above ground in 2008, with a [[topping out]] in 2011. The building is projected to be ready for occupancy at some point in 2013.<ref name="nypost-ap1" />
==Architecture==
Many remaining vestiges of the concepts drawn from the 2002 competition have since been discarded. Freedom Tower will now consist of simple symmetries and a more traditional design intended to bear comparison with selected elements of the existing New York skyline. There will now be a central spire drawing from precedents such as the [[Empire State Building]] and the [[Chrysler Building]] (and also visually reminiscent of Tower 1 of the old [[World Trade Center]]) rather than an off-center spire intended to echo the Statue of Liberty.
"Freedom Tower will be a symbol of the entire project, as well as marking the memorial, and it occupies a very important piece of New York City property: the sky.
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 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."<ref>[http://www.projectrebirth.org/rebuild/architecture/davidC_pt2.html Interview with David Childs (cont'd)] Accessed [[October 12]], [[2007]]</ref>
===Current design===
The Freedom Tower's program includes 2.6 million square feet (241,000 square meters) of office space, as well as an observation deck, world-class restaurants, parking, and broadcast and antennae facilities, all supported by both above and below-ground mechanical infrastructure for the building and its adjacent public spaces. Below-ground tenant parking and storage, shopping and access to the [[Port Authority Trans-Hudson|PATH]] and subway trains and the World Financial Center are also provided.
An 80-foot-high (24 m) public lobby topped by a series of [[mechanical floors]] form a 200-foot-high (61 m) building base. 69 tenant floors rise above the base to 1,120 feet (341 m) elevation. Mechanical floors, two floors to be occupied by the Metropolitan Television Alliance, restaurants and observation decks culminate in an observation deck and glass [[parapet]] that mark 1,362 feet (415 m) and 1,368 feet (417 m) respectively — the heights of the original Twin Towers. A shrouded antenna structure supported by cables, engineered by [[Schlaich Bergermann & Partner]] rises to a final height of '''1,776''' feet (541 m), which is symbolic of the year the Declaration of Independence was signed ([[Independence Day (United States)|July 4, 1776]]).
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:NYC Future 2011 skyline panorama.jpeg|thumb|400px|left|The Lower Manhattan skyline as it may look after the completion of the World Trade Center complex.]] -->
The tower rises from a cubic base whose square plan—200 feet by 200 feet—(61 m by 61 m) is almost as wide as the 208 foot (63 m) Twin Towers. The base is clad in more than 2,000 pieces of prismatic glass; each measures 4 feet by 13 feet 4 inches (1.21 m by 4.06 m) with varying depths. It has been designed to draw upon the themes of motion and light; a shimmering glass surface drapes the tower's base and imparts a dynamic fluidity of form whose appearance will reflect its surroundings. Just as the rest of the building, the base will serve as a glowing beacon. Cable-net facades on all four sides of the buildings, again designed by [[Schlaich Bergermann & Partner|Schlaich Bergermann]], measure 60 feet (18 m) high and range in width from 30 feet (9 m) on the east and west sides (for access to the restaurant and observation deck, respectively) to 50 feet (15 m) on the north side and 70 feet (21 m) on the south for primary tenant access, activate the building at street level.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
As the tower itself rises from this cubic base, its square edges are chamfered back, transforming the square into eight tall isosceles triangles in elevation, or an elongated [[square antiprism]]. At its middle, the tower forms a perfect octagon in plan and then culminates in a glass parapet (elevation 1,362 feet (415 m) and 1,368 feet (417 m)) whose plan is a square, rotated 45 degrees from the base. A mast containing an antenna for television broadcasters—designed by a collaboration between [[Skidmore, Owings and Merrill|SOM]], artist [[Kenneth Snelson]] (who invented the [[tensegrity]] structure), lighting designers and engineers—and secured by a system of cables, rises from a circular support ring, similar to the Statue of Liberty's torch, to a height of 1,776 feet (541 m). The spire will be an intense beam of light that will be lit at night and will likely be visible over a thousand feet (305 m) into the air above the tower. New York City is a suitable place to set such a light pointing towards the sky without complaints of [[light pollution]] by astronomers, as the night sky in locations near New York City is already far too bright for serious astronomical observers.<ref> http://www.space.com/spacewatch/light_pollution_030321.html | Space.com - "Disappearing Stars" | </ref>
Other new safety features will include 3-foot (90 cm) thick walls for all stairwells, elevator shafts, risers, and sprinkler systems; extremely wide "emergency stairs"; a dedicated set of stairwells exclusively for the use of firefighters; and biological and chemical filters throughout its ventilation system. The building will no longer be 25 feet (7.6 m) away from West Street—with the redesign and smaller base (the same width and length now as each of the previous towers), Freedom Tower will average 90 feet (27 m) away from the street.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.renewnyc.com/content/pdfs/freedom_tower_fact_sheet.pdf | title=SOM Freedom Tower Fact Sheet | publisher=Lower Manhattan Development Corporation |date=June 2005}}</ref> At its closest point, West Street will be 65 feet (20 m) away. The windows on the side of the building facing in this direction will be equipped with specially tempered blast-resistant plastic, which will look nearly the same as the glass used in the other sides of the building.
"Ultra-clear" glass, as opposed to reflective or tinted glass, is proposed for the tower's windows. This will benefit internal daylight propagation; however, at this stage it is unclear how the corresponding issue of [[solar heat gain]] will be addressed. Although the roof area of any tower is comparatively limited, the building will implement a greywater recycling scheme involving rainwater collection. The robust, redundant steel moment frame, consisting of beams and columns connected by a combination of welding and bolting, resists lateral loads through bending of the frame elements. 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.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Like all of the new facilities at the World Trade Center site, the Freedom Tower will be heated by steam instead of oil or natural gas.<ref name="nyt-dunlapQ&A">{{cite news | first=David W. | last=Dunlap | url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/answers-about-ground-zero-rebuilding/ | title=Answers About Ground Zero Rebuilding | work=New York Times | publisher=[[New York Times Co.]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[9 July]] [[2008]] | accessdate=2008-07-09}}</ref>
====Height====
The World Trade Center's North Tower featured an occupied floor at 1,355 feet (413 m). Though not occupied by office space, Freedom Tower's observation deck is set to be higher, at about 1,362 feet (415 m).{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Currently, only the [[Sears Tower]] and [[Taipei 101]] have occupied floors higher than Freedom Tower. [[International Commerce Center]], [[Shanghai World Financial Center]], [[Chicago Spire]], and the [[Burj Dubai]] will have roofs and floors higher than Freedom Tower's highest roofs and floors.
If the spire and antenna height (the criteria of two categories of the [[Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat]]) are included, Freedom Tower will stand at 1,776 feet (541 m) (marking [[1776|the year]] of the signing of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|American Declaration of Independence]]). Freedom Tower was originally planned to be the tallest building in the world, but will no longer obtain this title, as the [[Burj Dubai]] has already broken the record for the tallest building at {{Convert|2087|ft|m|0}}, and it is expected to exceed 2,684 ft (818 m) by the time of its completion in 2009.
The [[Chicago Spire]], currently under construction in [[Chicago]], is set to be completed in 2010. It could also be taller than the Freedom Tower. At 150 floors, its roof will top out at 2,000 feet (610 m).<ref name=120706PressRelease>Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. ([[2006]] [[December 7]]). ''[http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/pdfs/400%20North%20Lake%20Shore%20Chicago.pdf Shelbourne Development Files New Design of The Chicago Spire with the City of Chicago]''. Press release.</ref><ref name=011507ChicagoTribune>Maxwell, T. (2007, January 15). Tallest tower will be built, developer pledges. ''Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved [[2007-01-18]], from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-070115spire,1,1024654.story</ref> The height of Freedom Tower will probably not be increased before completion, due to the symbolism of having an exact height of 1,776 feet (541 m).
When completed in 2013, the Freedom Tower will be the third tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, after the [[Chicago Spire]] (610 m (2000 ft)) and the [[CN Tower]] in [[Toronto]], [[Canada]] (553.33 m (1,815.39 ft). It will be the world's ninth tallest free-standing structure, after the [[Burj Dubai]] (818 m (2,684 ft), [[Russia Tower]] (612.2 m (2008.53 ft), [[Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower]] (610 m (2001.31 ft), [[Incheon Tower]] (610 m (2001.31 ft) [[Chicago Spire]] (609.6 m (2000 ft)), [[The Port Tower]] (593 m (1,945.53 ft), [[Jakarta Tower]] (558 m (1,830.70 ft), and the [[CN Tower]] in [[Toronto]], [[Canada]] (553.33 m (1,815.39 ft).{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
Even though several buildings throughout the world will be taller than the Freedom Tower, the tower will still most likely obtain the record for tallest office building in the world; no taller all-office buildings are currently proposed, approved, or under construction.{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
====Space allotment====
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:New-wtc.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The newest version of the future World Trade Center complex, unveiled on [[September 7]] [[2006]]:<br> 1. [[Freedom Tower]]<br> 2. [[200 Greenwich Street]]<br> 3. [[175 Greenwich Street]]<br> 4. [[150 Greenwich Street]]]] -->
As revealed on [[June 28]] [[2006]], Freedom Tower will have a top floor denoted as 102, though the total number of floors is 82 (possibly with some uncounted floors). This is because the first office floor of the building atop the tall base will be designated as Floor 20. There are 69 office floors atop the base, ending at Floor 88, above which would be broadcasting space on the 89th and 90th floors. Three stories of mechanical space take up a floor count of 9. Finally, a restaurant will take up Floors 100 and 101, and the observation deck is at Floor 102. Six additional floors of mechanical space exist above to Floor 108.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/28/nyregion/28cnd-freedom.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5094&en=43f0767f75b25082&hp&ex=1151553600&partner=homepage | title=Revised design for Freedom Tower unveiled | publisher=[[New York Times]] | date=[[June 28]] [[2006]]}}</ref>Additionally, roughly 55,000 square feet of retail space will exist below-grade, part of an overall 500,000 square feet of retail space to be spread throughout the site both in the below-grade concourses and on the lower floors of Towers 2, 3, and 4.<ref>http://wtc.com/about/freedom-tower</ref>
=====Floor breakdown=====
*Basement levels 1-6 - Garage/Retail/Transportation
*Ground floor - Main lobby
*1st-19th floors (base) - Podium (not occupied on the base except for lobby)
*20th-63rd floors - offices
*64th floor - [[sky lobby]]
*65th-88th floors - offices
*89th-90th floors - transmission equipment
*91st-100th floors - Mechanical
*100th-101st floors - [[Restaurant]]
*102nd floor - [[observation deck]]
*103rd-108th floors - mechanical (unoccupied)
*Top of the building - observation deck two (proposed){{Fact|date=September 2007}}
Including basement floors, 1 World Trade Center will have a total of 114 floors.
=====Tenants=====
The State of New York has agreed to a 15 year lease of 415,000 square feet (38,550 square meter) of space in the Freedom Tower, with an option to extend the term of the lease and occupy up to 1,000,000 square feet (92,900 square meter).<ref name="usstates">{{cite news |title=Gov. Pataki, Governor Corzine, Mayor Bloomberg Announce Agreements to Occupy Freedom Tower |publisher=US States News |date=[[September 17]] [[2006]]}}</ref> The [[General Services Administration]] (GSA) has agreed to lease approximately 645,000 square feet (59,900 square meters) of space,<ref name="usstates"/><ref name="nyt-dunlapQ&A"/> New York State's [[Office of General Services]] (OGS) plans to lease aproximately 412,000 square feet (38,275 square meters) of space and the China Center expects to lease approximately 190,000 square feet (17,650 square meters) in the tower<ref name="nyt-dunlapQ&A"/>. In [[April]] [[2008]], the Port Authority announced that it was seeking a bidder to operate an 18,000 square foot observation deck on the tower's 102nd floor.<ref name="obsvdeck">{{cite news | first=Douglas | last=Feiden | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/04/10/2008-04-10_freedom_tower_to_open_observation_deck_o.html | title=Freedom Tower to open observation deck on 102nd floor | work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] | publisher=[[Mortimer Zuckerman]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[10 April]] [[2008]]}}</ref>
==Construction history==
===2004 to 2006===
The symbolic cornerstone of Freedom Tower was laid down in a ceremony on [[July 4]], [[2004]]<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/04/july4_04.htm | title=Governor Pataki, Governor McGreevey, Mayor Bloomberg Lay Cornerstone for Freedom Tower | date=[[July 4]] [[2004]] | publisher=Office of the Governor of New York State}}</ref> and further construction of the tower was stalled until 2006. The cornerstone was temporarily removed from the site on [[June 23]] [[2006]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/25/ap/national/mainD8IF1PB80.shtml|title=Cornerstone of Freedom Tower removed|date=[[2006-06-25]]|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> The project had been delayed due to acrimonious disputes over money, security and design but the last major issues were resolved on [[April 26]] [[2006]] with a deal between developer Larry Silverstein and the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]]. During the summer of 2006, test explosives were detonated at the Freedom Tower construction site, testing the use of charges to clear bedrock for the Freedom Tower’s foundation. Three to four controlled explosions per day followed on alternating weekdays for approximately two months after.
===2006 to 2007===
[[Image:Freedom Tower August 7th 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Freedom Tower Construction as of [[August 7]], [[2007]].]]
On [[November 18]] [[2006]], 400 cubic yards (306 cubic meters) of concrete were poured on to the foundation of the Freedom Tower carried by as many as 40 trucks. On [[December 17]], [[2006]], a ceremony was held in [[Battery Park City]], with the public invited to sign a 30 foot (9 m) steel beam.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/18/nyregion/18zero.html?ref=nyregion |title=Messages of Love and Hope on a Freedom Tower Beam |date=[[December 18]] [[2006]] |author=Chan, Sewell |publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> This beam, the first to be installed, was welded on to the Freedom Tower's base on [[December 19]] [[2006]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_353063928.html |title=First Freedom Tower Beam Rises At Ground Zero |publisher=WCBS-TVV |date=[[December 19]] [[2006]]}}</ref>
On [[January 9]] [[2007]] a second set of beams was welded to the top of the first set.
February 2007 estimates put the cost for construction of The Freedom Tower at $3 billion, or $1,150 per square foot ($12,380 per square meter).<ref name="nordenson">{{cite news |title=Freedom From Fear |publisher=The New York Times |date=2007-02-16 |author=Nordenson, Guy}}</ref> Approximately $1 billion of insurance money recuperated by Silverstein is slated for construction of the Freedom Tower.<ref name="nordenson"/> The State of New York is expected to provide $250 million towards construction costs, and the Port Authority would finance another $1 billion for the Freedom Tower, through [[bonds]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Spitzer, in Reversal, Is Expected to Approve Freedom Tower, Officials Say |publisher=The New York Times |date=2007-02-13 |author=Bagli, Charles V.}}</ref>
In 2007, Tishman Construction Corporation of New York completed a row of steel columns at the perimeter of the construction site. Two tower crane bases were erected, each base containing a functioning [[tower crane|luffing-jib tower crane]]. By the end of 2007, the tower’s footings and foundations were nearly complete.<ref name="panynj-bathtub">{{cite press release | url=http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=1019 | title=Statement by Port Authority Regarding Preparation of Towers 3 and 4 Bathtub at WTC Site to Allow Silverstein Properties to Begin Construction in January | date=[[December 31]] [[2007]] | publisher=Port Authority of New York & New Jersey}}</ref>
===Current progress in 2008===
[[Image:Freedom Tower Ground Zero.JPG|thumb|right|Freedom Tower Site on [[March 8]], [[2008]].]]
In January 2008, two construction cranes were placed at the construction site of the Freedom Tower. The tower's concrete core began the same year on the basement floors, but began rising in the first months of 2008. <ref name="panynj-bathtub" /> By [[February 22]], [[2008]], 9,400 tons of the nearly 50,000 tons of steel necessary for the Freedom Tower had been ordered.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hu1ZV2zG2M86JZHEeqtRAc-qvXhgD8UVGEL01 | title=Long Journey of Freedom Tower Steel | publisher=[[Associated Press]] | author=Westfeldt, Amy | date=[[February 22]] [[2008]]}}</ref> By March 13, 2008, the steel for the tower had reached {{convert|70|ft|m}} high, {{convert|10|ft|m}} below street level.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.globest.com/news/1113_1113/newyork/169019-1.html | title=Silverstein: WTC Still on Track for 2012 Finish | publisher=[[GlobeSt.com]] | author=Ritter, Ian | date=[[March 13]] [[2008]]}}</ref><ref name="wtcrising">{{cite web|url=http://www.wtc.com/news/rising-from-the-pit|title=Rising from the Pit|publisher=WTC.com|date=[[March 17]] [[2008]]}}</ref> From late March through early April, a 40 foot (12 meter) tall mockup of a section of the tower's wall with 24 windows was tested by Construction Consulting Laboratory West in [[Ontario, California]]. The two weeks of testing were done to make sure the all-glass exterior of the tower will be able to withstand earthquakes and extreme weather conditions.<ref name="wtcweathertesting">{{cite news | first=Tom | last=Topousis | url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012008/news/regionalnews/freedom_rattled_104483.htm | title='FREEDOM' RATTLED | work=New York Post | publisher=[[News Corporation]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[1 April]] [[2008]]}}</ref> Testing also took place on another full-scale mockup in a rural area south of [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]]. Both mockups passed the tests.<ref name="wtcweathertesting2">{{cite news | first=David W. | last=Dunlap | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/nyregion/09freedom.html?ex=1365480000&en=17d1a74af4e5ca17&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | title=Replicas of New Tower Endure Nature’s Fury and a Test Blast | work=New York Times | publisher=[[New York Times Co.]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[9 April]] [[2008]]}}</ref> In the middle of April, a batch of concrete had to be replaced after it failed a stress test April 15.<ref name="wtcweakconcrete">{{cite news | url=http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=8&aid=80570 | title=Weak Concrete Foundation Removed From Freedom Tower | work=NY1 | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=2008-04-16 | accessdate=2008-04-19 }}</ref>
On [[May 17]], [[2008]], a Saturday, the tower's steel breached street level when new sections were bolted to two of the 24 jumbo steel columns marking the building's footprint. The new column sections brought the height of the structure up to 15 feet above street level.<ref name="nytimes-streetlevel">{{cite news | first=David W. | last=Dunlap | url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/not-yet-on-the-skyline-but-above-street-level/ | title=Not Yet on the Skyline, but Above Street Level | work=[[New York Times]] | publisher=[[New York Times Co.]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[19 May]] [[2008]]}}</ref> In June, the chamfered steel skeleton of the tower's concrete base had begun to take shape.<ref name="nytimes-chamferedbase1">{{cite news | first=David W. | last=Dunlap | url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/chamfer-anyone-cutting-corners-on-a-large-scale/ | title=Chamfer, Anyone? Cutting Corners on a Large Scale | work=[[New York Times]] | publisher=[[New York Times Co.]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[19 June]] [[2008]] | accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> By the end of the month, the concrete had been poured for the floor of the tower's basement level B3.<ref name="nytimes-concretefloor1">{{cite news | first=David W. | last=Dunlap | url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/the-choreography-quickly-of-concrete/ | title=The Choreography (Quickly!) of Concrete | work=[[New York Times]] | publisher=[[New York Times Co.]] | location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | date=[[3 July]] [[2008]] | accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> In his [[June 30]], [[2008]] World Trade Center Rebuilding Assessment to [[Governor of New York|New York Governor]] [[David Paterson]], Port Authority executive director Chris Ward noted that "approximately 90 percent of the Freedom Tower contracts have been bid or are
ready to award."<ref name="panynj-ward1">{{cite report |title=World Trade Center Site Update |last=Ward |first=Chris |year=2008 |publisher=Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |pages=13 |url=http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/pdf/WTC_Assessment_Book_FFF.pdf |accessdate=2008-06-30 }}</ref>
===Future progress===
The Freedom Tower had been expected to reach rooftop level by the end of 2010 with topping out expected by 2011. The opening of the skyscraper is currently still scheduled to occur sometime in 2011 (the 10th anniversary year of the attacks),<ref name="wtcrising"/> however in the aftermath of Ward's grim assessment the media began reporting that delays would push the opening back until 2013 at the earliest.<ref name="nypost-ap1" /> On the day the report came out, the headline for the ''[[New York Post]]'''s web page was "QUAGMIRE".{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
===Construction gallery===
<center><gallery>
Image:Freedomtower_jan2006.jpg|Site for the Freedom Tower, as of [[January 15]], [[2006]]
Image:Freedomtower_oct2006.jpg|Concrete construction, as of [[October 7]], [[2006]]
Image:Freedom_tower_2007-mar26.jpg|Steel Installation, as of [[March 26]], [[2007]]
Image:Wtcsite-2007oct7.jpg|Foundation Construction, as of [[October 7]], [[2007]]
Image:freedom tower construction.jpg|Construction progress as of [[January 21]], [[2008]]
Image:Wtcsite-20080420a.jpg|Concrete foundation as of [[April 20]], [[2008]]
Image:Freedomtower Jun2008.jpg|Construction progress as of [[June 15]], [[2008]]
</gallery></center>
==Controversy==
{{Further|[[Controversy surrounding the rebuilding of the World Trade Center]]}}
The design of Freedom Tower has generated some controversy due to the limited number of floors in the previous design (82) that were designated for office space and other amenities. The floor limit was imposed by Silverstein, who expressed concern that higher floors would be a liability in a major accident or terrorist attack. In a subsequent redesign, the highest occupiable space became comparable to the World Trade Center.
Soon after the destruction of WTC Towers 1 and 2 there was a persistent public demand<ref>{{cite news | url=http://twintowersalliance.com | title=Thousands Sign Petition To Rebuild}}</ref> to rebuild the previous twin towers instead of building a single tower. [[Ian Simpson]] Architects designed twin towers but the final Freedom Tower design was more favored by officials. Developer [[Donald Trump]] also unveiled a twin design, but he was not affiliated with the official project.
Former [[Governor of New York|New York Governor]] [[George Pataki]] faced accusations of [[cronyism]] for supposedly using his influence to get the winning architect's bid picked as a personal favor for a close friend.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6902610/#050217a | title=America's Freedom Tower? | publisher=[[MSNBC]] | date=[[February 17]] [[2005]]}}</ref> The chosen name of the "Freedom Tower," attributed to Pataki, has been criticized as [[Orwellian]] by a critic for ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/arts/design/20free.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=07802b6c33c15ca6&ex=1274241600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | title=A Temple of Contemplation and Conflict | publisher=[[The New York Times]] | date=[[May 20]] [[2005]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3805&Itemid=206 | title=Lockdown at Ground Zero | publisher= New York Arts | date=November/December 2005}}</ref>
The first steel column of the tower's foundation, installed on [[December 19]] [[2006]], featured a large decal of the American flag displayed vertically. Several members of the public noticed that the blue field within the flag was on the upper right side, while the [[United States Flag Code]] requires that the blue field must always be presented on the left side of the viewer. The decal was quickly removed and replaced on [[December 23]], with a properly oriented flag.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/21/national/main2288245.shtml | title=Freedom Tower Flag Faced Wrong Way | publisher= CBS News |date=December 2006}}</ref>
The base of the tower (fortified because of security concerns) has also been a source of controversy. A number of critics (notably Derek Murdoch in the ''[[National Review]]'') have suggested that it is alienating and dull, and reflects a sense of fear rather than freedom, leading them to dub the project "the Fear Tower."<ref>[http://www.triroc.com/wtc/media/freedomtower/timesletters.htm New York Times letters to the editor: Taking the Measure of the New Freedom Tower<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock200503111045.asp Deroy Murdock on World Trade Center on National Review Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Nicolai Ouroussoff, the architecture critic for the New York Times, calls the tower base decorations a "grotesque attempt to disguise its underlying paranoia"<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/weekinreview/04ouroussoff.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin Design Strikes a Defensive Posture - The Green Zone - Freedom Tower - Caltrans District 7 - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
On [[April 18]], [[2008]], a homeless man revealed that he found important [[blueprint]]s about the Freedom Tower in a New York City trash can. The Port Authority called it "a serious security lapse" and has opened an investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NY tower plans found in rubbish |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7355139.stm |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=2008-04-18 |accessdate=2008-07-07}}</ref>
==Key people==
===Larry Silverstein===
{{main|Larry Silverstein}}
Larry Silverstein of Silverstein Properties, the leaseholder and developer of the complex, will retain control of the surrounding buildings, while the Port Authority gets full control of the tower itself.
Silverstein signed a 99-year lease for the World Trade Center site in July 2001. Silverstein's insurance payout has been a subject of public discourse, as he maintained that the two planes constituted two separate attacks and sued for an extra $3.5 billion. Silverstein has pledged to support the reconstruction and remains actively involved in most aspects of the redevelopment process.
===David Childs===
{{main|David Childs}}
One of the developers and World Trade Center leaseholder Larry Silverstein's favorite architects, Childs initially came on board thanks to Silverstein's insistence, and developed a proposal for Freedom Tower in collaboration with Daniel Libeskind, a design which was revised in May 2005 to address security concerns. He is currently the project architect of the new Freedom Tower, and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day design development from rough inception to final completion.
===Daniel Libeskind===
{{main|Daniel Libeskind}}<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Larry Silverstein.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A image of Larry Silverstein designer of the Freedom Tower.]] -->
Libeskind won the invitational competition to develop a master plan for the World Trade Center's redevelopment in 2002. He included an initial proposal for the design of Freedom Tower, a building with aerial gardens and windmills with an off center spire. It was also Libeskind who denied a request to place the tower in a more rentable location next to the PATH station and instead placed it a block west because in profile it would line up and resemble the Statue of Liberty. Although these designs have since been changed, his contributions continue to shape the design and development at [[The Pile|Ground Zero]], as they are revised to meet economic and security realities.
===Dan Tishman===
[[Dan Tishman]], along with his father John Tishman, builder of the original World Trade Center, is leading the construction management effort for [[Tishman Realty & Construction]], the selected builder for Freedom Tower.
==See also==
*[[Buildings and architecture of New York City]]
*[[List of tallest buildings in the world]]
*[[Tallest buildings in the United States]]
*[[Tallest buildings in New York City]]
*[[World's tallest structures]]
*[[Freedom Tower Silver Dollar]]
*[[Memory Foundations]]
*[[Controversy surrounding the rebuilding of the World Trade Center|Alternative Plans]]
*[[World Trade Center]]
*[[World Trade Center Memorial]]
*[[World Trade Center site]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.wtc.com/ World Trade Center] Official site for new World Trade Center complex.
*[http://www.wtcrising.com/ WorldTradeCenterRising]
*[http://www.wtc.com/media/videos/Freedom%20Tower%20=col=%20Construction%20Commencement Freedom Tower Construction Commencement] Video
*[http://www.rebuildgroundzero.org RebuildGroundZero.org, a community project based on Ground Zero's rebuilding.]
*[http://www.lowermanhattan.info/ LowerManhattan.Info] Official site for Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center.
*[http://www.nyc-tower.com Freedom Tower Infosite] Unofficial Freedom Tower information site.
*[http://www.renewnyc.com/ Lower Manhattan Development Corporation]
*[http://freedomtower.som.com/ Skidmore, Owings & Merrill] News about Freedom Tower.
*[http://glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/439.php Glass, Steel and Stone] History of Freedom Tower designs.
*[http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2004b/pc070404-freedomtower300k.asx Video of cornerstone laying ceremony for the Freedom Tower on July 4, 2004]
*[http://www.panynj.gov/ Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]
*[http://www.projectrebirth.org/ Project Rebirth] Documentation of the reconstruction of Ground Zero.
*[http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/freedom-tower-ny/ Freedom Tower (Overview)] Information on the design concept of the Freedom Tower.
*[http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlfile661/New-Freedom-Tower-and-WTC.htm Google Earth Hacks] Freedom Tower plug-in for Google Earth.
*[http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=201521 Emporis] Summarised Freedom Tower information.
*[http://www.twintowersalliance.com Twin Towers Alliance] Rebuild the Twin Towers
*[http://www.rebuild-the-towers.org Rebuild the Twin Towers]
{{Future New York City Skyscrapers}}
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[[Category:2011 architecture]]
[[Category:Building projects]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Manhattan]]
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[[Category:World Trade Center]]
[[Category:Daniel Libeskind buildings]]
[[Category:Skyscrapers over 350 meters]]
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