World Trade Center Reopens For Business, 13 Years After The September 11 Attacks

Thirteen years after the devastating attack on U.S. that destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and took the lives of over 2,700 people, the rebuilt One World Trade Center tower has finally opened for business. The first tenants of the new One World Trade Center tower have started moving in to the newly finished building starting today, reports The New York Times.

Conde Nast, the mass media giant, is among the first tenants of the new One World Trade Center tower. The firm will take over five floors of the building, in which over 3,000 people are expected to start work by early 2015. As of today, only 170 odd employees have started working there. According to Fox News, 60 percent of the One World Trade Center tower has already been leased out to various firms.

Construction on what has now become the tallest skyscraper in the western hemisphere began eight years ago on April 27, 2006. Over 100 stories and nearly $3.9 billion later, it has now become the centerpiece of the 16-acre site where the old World Trade Center towers once stood.

On the occasion of the re-opening of the One World Trade Center, Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that owns both the building and the World Trade Center site, had this to say about the occasion.

“The New York City skyline is whole again, as One World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan. The World Trade Center sets new standards of design, construction, prestige and sustainability; the opening of this iconic building is a major milestone in the transformation of Lower Manhattan into a thriving 24/7 neighborhood.”

Construction fences that long kept people away from the structure have now been removed, and according to Conde Nast CRO Chuck Townsend, the new World Trade Center tower is still the “most secure office building in America.”

The One World Trade Center Tower overlooks the sprawling National September 11 Memorial and Museum which forms a major part of the complex. As in the case of the old World Trade Center tower, there will be an observation deck on the new tower as well. It is not yet open to the general public.

The One World Trade Center has also reclaimed the title of being the tallest building in New York aside from the Empire State Building, which reclaimed its spot after the twin towers were destroyed in 2001. As of today, The Empire State Building is the third tallest in New York. The One World Trade Center stands 1776 feet (541.3 meters) tall, signifying the year of Independence of the U.S.

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons]