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For Freedom And Lightning: 1 World Trade Center Will Be Taller Than 1776 Feet
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 9, 2011
Modified Sep 9, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 9, 2011
Modified Sep 9, 2011
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Years and years ago, a number of city and state officials gathered together to figure out what kind of building should be the centerpiece of World Trade Center redevelopment. Freedom Tower, at 1776 feet (including spire and antennae), was unveiled in December 2003, only for the Daniel Libeskind-design to be scrapped for one by Skidmore Owings & Merrill's David Childs. But that revised design remained a patriotic 1776 feet, even if officials say the building should be called "One World Trade Center." Now, it looks like the tower will be actually even more patriotic than previously thought.
The building will have a lightning rod on top: According to the Observer, "A diagram for the 400-foot aerial appendage appeared in Architectural Record last week, and it showed an eight-foot protrusion atop the antenna... 'There is a sense a lighting strike could be huge, so we have to protect against that,' this person said. Indeed, lightning has been an issue for decades at the Empire State Building."
The Observer's source also does some math and says based on the current diagram, the building would measure 1784 feet but "the lightning rod has not even been designed yet. It could be two feet tall or eleven feet, one rod or a dozen." What a headache—we just want to watch the Twin Towers on screen again.
Tagged
1 WTC
1776 feet
freedom tower
lightning
lightning rod
one world trade center
patriotism
wtc
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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