Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

In-Spire-ing Photos: 1 World Trade Center Starts Getting Spire To Be Tallest Building In U.S.


By

Jen Chung

Published Dec 12, 2012

Modified Dec 12, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

The spire reflected against 1 WTC

 

Gothamist

View all 10


By

Jen Chung

Published Dec 12, 2012

Modified Dec 12, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

After traveling 1,500 nautical miles from Valleyfield, Quebec, the first sections of the spire for One World Trade Center were lifted to the top of the 104-story building this morning. The spire will make One World Trade Center the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere—suck it, Sears Willis Tower.

With the 408-foot spire, 1 WTC will be 1,776 feet tall. The spire is comprised of many pieces, the heaviest weighing nearly 70 tons. WTC construction director Steven Plate told WCBS 880, "Best way to describe it is it's like putting a candle on top of a cake."

The initial pieces of the spire made it from Valleyfield to the Port of Newark over the Thanksgiving holiday; yesterday, those pieces journeyed from the port to the WTC site, with a rest in the streets of lower Manhattan. (According to the AP, the rest of the "$20 million spire are being trucked in from Canada and South Plainfield, N.J., the location of another plant in the co-production.")

Tagged

spire

wtc

world trade center

redevelopment

port authority

1 world trade center

1 WTC


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Nearly 40K and counting: Here’s where ICE arrested immigrants across NY and NJ

The total in the first 18 months of Trump’s second term is more than twice that of the same span under Biden.

By

Arya Sundaram

Published Oct 7, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. ET


Mamdani names re-entry specialist as chair of Rikers oversight board

Christopher Watler will help the department that a federal monitor says remains in crisis.

By

Ryan Kost

News

Mamdani names re-entry specialist as chair of Rikers oversight board

Christopher Watler will help the department that a federal monitor says remains in crisis.

By

Ryan Kost


NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought

By

Rosemary Misdary

Legionella found in Staten Island building's water system after 2 positive cases

By

Catalina Gonella

Legal 'loophole' helps NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bruce Blakeman raise millions

By

Jon Campbell


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .