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| Cornerstone for Freedom Tower in Place in New York City |
July 28, 2004 |
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 Over the summer, the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower was put in place in New York City. Plans for the 1,776 foot-tall building are intended as a new soaring icon near the World Trade Center site. The groundbreaking ceremony, fittingly held on the Fourth of July, marked the start of construction on what will be the world`s tallest building. While the overall design has been approved, parts of the design and architecture could change or are still in development, even as the project moves forward.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, left, and Gov. George Pataki at the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower.
The height of the building, 1,776 feet, was chosen to commemorate the year of the founding of our nation. Plans call for 72 floors of office space, about 2.6 million square feet, that will rise 1,150 feet. On top of the occupied floors will be a state of the art, 350-foot-tall wind farm which could generate about 20 percent of the buildings needed power. This will be encased in a "lacy" structure of cables designed to protect the building from the winds which average 21 miles per hour at that height. The final 276 feet will be a spire designed to evoke the Statue of Liberty.
 It will be several months before progress is seen above street level, and five years until the Freedom Tower is completed. Construction of the other four buildings in at the site is estimated to continue until 2015. Crews will spend most of the rest of the year removing some sections for historic preservation.
Also under consideration for the site are plans for a rail hub, a memorial that transforms the twin towers` footprints into reflecting pools, and cultural space, including several small theaters. |
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