Photo © Iwan Baan
Though it’s been a long road back for Lower Manhattan, the past decade and change—and the past three years in particular—have seen a lot of progress. Against all odds, there is a World Trade Center again, and while it’s not quite finished—and some parts are still up in the air—it’s getting closer and closer to completion.
The centerpiece of the new WTC stands 104 stories and 1,776 feet tall (including its somewhat controversial spire, which shines every night) and opened in 2014. Its design is the creation of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s David Childs. At the top of the building is One World Observatory, which opened in May 2015 and has since welcomed more than three million visitors.