Is 1 WTC the tallest building in the Western hemisphere? After years of fraught battle, the verdict is finally out. Yes, yes it is. The controversy stemmed from disagreement over One World Trade Center's 408-foot-tall bulbous spire, which, if it only served as an antenna rather than an architectural element, wouldn't count towards the patriotic-slash-symbolic goal of 1,776. But the Height Committee of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat ("the final arbiter of global building heights," whatta job) ruled today that the spire does count?it must be those undulations, even though it lacks the "decorative cladding made of fiberglass and steel" once intended for it. The decision by this 30-person board make it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, unseating Chicago's Willis Tower. It's got nothing on Dubai's Burg Khalifa, but who's counting?
The official statement, in which the owners blatantly gloat:
The Port Authority of NY & NJ, The Durst Organization, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have long celebrated the height of 1,776 feet as an unwavering principal of One World Trade Center's design. This iconic building represents the resilience of America and today's decision recognizes One World Trade Center's rightful place in history. Just because the dispute is settled in the world of tall buildings doesn't mean the same in the world of public opinion. Commenters, it's time to weigh in.
· Is 1 WTC The Tallest Building in the Western Hemisphere? [Curbed]
· All One World Trade Center coverage [Curbed]
?Photo via Facebook/WTCProgress
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