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Subscribe to RSSA 180 degree composite panoramic image taken from the 69th floor of One World Trade Center the week that it rose above the Empire State building to the north.
John Makely / msnbc.com
One World Trade Center is illumated in the early morning hours as the building reaches 100 stories and rose higher than the Empire State Building.
John Makely / msnbc.com
One World Trade Center electrician Victor Rosario takes his lunch break at a window on the 35th floor overlooking the 9/11 Memorial.
John Makely / msnbc.com
Visitors pay their respects at the 9/11 memorial, as seen from the 35th floor of One World Trade Center.
John Makely / msnbc.com
Work continues on One World Trade Center as the building reached 100 stories and approached the height of the Empire State Building.
John Makely / msnbc.com
Work continues on One World Trade Center as the building reached 100 stories and approached the height of the Empire State Building.
One World Trade Center is well on its way to a planned 1,776 feet tall, reaching 100 stories this week. We were given the opportunity to spend some time on the site and Rock Center interviewed several construction workers who work there everyday. While many of us feel a sense of pride watching the massive structure grow on a daily basis, these workers are changing the skyline of New York and honoring those lost with every piece of steel.
Six years since construction began on 1 World Trade Center, the tower will soon surpass the height of the Empire State Building's roof. The iron workers placing and setting each beam in the shadow of the 9/11 attacks say they are building out of a "sense of necessity" and know that the tower, now soaring nearly 1300 feet, will help the nation and the iron workers themselves heal. Many of the workers building the tower helped clean the smoldering debris in the days after the terrorist attack. Harry Smith reports.
Related links:
9/11 firefighter : Pride in his heart, dust in his lungs
An illuminated view of the National 9/11 Memorial
Leave a Comment:
WOW!!!!!! Here's a big salute to the workers...SALUTE. It is great to see how Americans of every walk of life come together to bring back a symbol of FREEDOM to our country. I hope the electorate can come together to do as good a job in the November election to work hard to learn the facts, ignore the monster PAC money, and ignore the trash talk that is sure to come.
Reps and Dems work hard and play fair with each other. You only have to look and listen to the workers to see it can be done.
They would rather carry on like a couple of trans-sexuals fighting over a pimp on the Jerry Springer show than work together and do what is best for America!
Shame that Bin Lauden isn't alive and in custody to see it finished. Then we could take him to the roof and prod him off with a flame thrower. So he could experience what many did on 9/11.
Devil's Son,
You let him off too easy! I always said they should have lit him up with napalm and dropped him from the rear of an aircraft to maximize his suffering. After all, he was responsible for thousands of deaths. If there were fireproof parachutes I would have said strap one of those onto him too so he gets a nice long ride to the ground. Some people's actions rate them no mercy when it comes to punishment.
How quickly will the WTC widows and widowers line up and start whining that they should have offices near the top of the building?
looks nice but should have been tallest in the world!
No evidence bin laden was behind 9/11.... There's a lot of speculation and it was just that. You think that we couldn't find these planes for hours after they were hijacked yet minutes after they hit we "knew" who did it. Don't let yourself be naive.
@Nicolas Edwards
Time to put away your tin hat and join the rest of the world in reality.
@Nicolas Edwards- Gosh, you are a moron.
Nicolas you are deeply confused. Bin Laden was our enemy #1 for years leading up this. The embassy bombings, the USS Cole - the list is long. They were the only ones with the capacity and desire to do this, the warnings were simply ignored by most regular folks. Minutes after they hit we had our suspicions, which were confirmed by numerous terrorists both in custody and later to be captured. We also traced the travels of the hijackers back to Afghanistan. What more do we need?
Why invent a ridiculous narrative to explain an already explained event? People like you are sad in that you cannot accept history even as it happens within your lifetime.
Nah, because then next year there will be a taller building somewhere else. I think that making it 1,776 feet tall was a good design choice. In fact, pretty much everything about this building has a reason. Very skilled architect.
Nicolas Edwards, you have your facts wrong. First Osama and others senior AQ leaders took responsibility for the attacks. When they say "we did it" do you think they are lying? Second the FBI did not identify AQ as responsible until two weeks after the attacks when the FBI began identifying the passengers most likely responsible for the hijacking. Not hours later as you claim.
Please educate yourself on the facts before you spread your naive conspiratorial BS.
Chicago is and will always be the true American history of the skyscraper
NYC will regain the title but only for a bit. We've got a 2000 footer being built.
lol, what suburban rock have you been living under? The Chicago Spire construction site has been dormant for almost 4 years.
Too bad a third world muslim country has the tallest.
I'd hardly call the UAE a third-world country considering they have one of the highest Human Development Indices in the world.
You guys need to go measure penises and compare...who cares?
Rob,
If you didn't notice, the height of this new trade center is symbolic- 1776 feet- and is not intended to be a world record breaker. If NYC had intended it to hold a height record rest assured that it would have been accomlished, even if they had needed to build it on swampland. Go pat yourself on the back over the Sears Tower (been there- done that) and consider it your 15 minutes of fame. In fact, if some Chicagoan decides they want an even bigger building you'd be better off convincing him to simply WASH the city you have now. I've never been in so filthy a city here in the US, with layers of vehicle exhaust crud (and god knows what else) caked onto every building. WASH Chicago before you build again!
Merlin, while I agree that Rob's comment was off topic, I have to just say .... wah???
Chicago is one of the cleanest cities in America, and I surely hope you are not comparing its cleanliness to New York!? That has to be a joke, right?
Chicago is simply beautiful, continuously ranked among the top 3 skylines in the world. Frankly, I've never seen a downtown area cleaner than Chicago ... where the hell were you visiting that was so dirty? You really have the city quite confused my friend, just like the people that think the violence-plagued south side is what defines Chicago as a whole. Chicago is a treasure to America, and few cities stack-up to our history, sports, food, nightlife, people, and the like. Boston is close, but I still give the edge to Chicago.
The only thing that sucks in Chicago is the winter weather, and it brutally sucks (usually). However, with one of our warmest winters on record, this year was pretty great.
Now now, we all know Jacksonville Fl has the best skyline ;) Lol. If Spider-Man had to sling around THIS city he'd fall to his death after two swings.
@Merlin... I find it rich that you think Chicago is so dirty. I've been around the world many a time, various cities. As far as American cities go, Chicago is one of the CLEANEST cities I have ever seen. Cleaner than NYC and LA for sure.
Perhaps Merlin was passing through Gary, Indiana and thought he'd arrived in Chicago.
The most beautiful skyline has to be miami, looking from accross Biscayne Bay.
Miami ... really? The whole of Miami would fit within about 5 city clocks of Chicago.
Cincinnati's skyline is breath taking at night, when you crest the hill on 75/71 in Northern Kentucky coming into Ohio. I agree that Chicago is a clean city.
Should have built it in up state NY the view would be better.
There will be a mosque or two in the building, won't there?
Really dumb comment Blamo.
I agree with Kaci. Was it really necessary to say that Blamo?
not in the building, but they are trying to build a mosque i think about a block or two away !!! i read that not to long ago....
It was a CULTURAL CENTER, not a mosque! There IS a difference.
Wow...talk about a Inside job.....yikes
The cultural center is a replacement for the many mosques that have for years been part of the downtown area - before 2001. And it is not a block or two away. Most of you would need a cab to get between the center and ground zero. There are and have been tens of thousands of muslims living and working in NYC who suffered a hell of a lot more than most of the people on this blog from 911, so don't go throwing them under the bus with stupid racist comments about a cultural center.
And even if there was a place for muslims to pray in the WTC, GOOD! If its a building for the world trade, and we are a country for people of all races, religions, and nationalities, then WHY NOT. Time for America to be what it claims to be.
I hope so . They will never fly a plane into if there is. They will only store bombs and weapons there but hey the tower will be safe. Its all about trade offs.
Ed - there was a mosque in the WTC...for Muslim American workers. The Black Panthers need to be heard from again. A world champion US boxer turned Muslim back in the day. You have to figure Muhammad Ali was tired of being dissed for his colour...might as well go for more from the land of the free where all men are created equal...abused.
If any of you have been to Dubai, or various other Middle Eastern countries, you have seen cities (unlike New York) that have fewer old buildings. By their examples, New York looks kind of dumpy and outdated to me.
Ever been to Rome or Athens?... Now _THAT'S— outdated and dumpy.
Have you ever really looked at the architecture of NYC or Chicago? It's incredible and truly beautiful. Buildings from the early 1900s and 1800s will never be trashy or dumpy nor will they go out of style. All that glass and shine? That may go out of style.
NY and Chicago have been around longer than 50 years. UAE and most of the middle east have just fairly recently started building structures made from something other than mud. They didn't have oil money before 1938. NY had the empire state building by then.
Seriously? You all are arguing over which city has the tallest structure or looks the newest? That has nothing to do with this article or One World Trade Center. This is not a simple building and it, as well as the 9/11 memorial, hold a major significance to our country. This was a dark, dark day for our country that should never be diminished with frivolous ranting of who has the better city.
That's because 50 years ago they were living in tents and wiping there @sses with their hands.
they still wipe their @sses with their hands !!! and still live in tents !!!
Devil and Dennis, your ignorance is showing
Mandy, the ignorant can't help themselves.
I just hope they have surrounded the steel with real concrete this time.
I can see New Jersey from my house.
In Sarah Palin's view, that wouldmake you an expert on interstate affairs!
I've paid my tolls.
This bldg shows us, U might have knocked it down once. But, WE n AMERICA get right back up and build something better. God Bless the USA!
I totally agree JamesntheHeartland. We are never down for the count. Best country in the world. USA!!! Do you think there will be fears of the ones going to work in that building?
Beautiful. Simply beautiful. That brings a tear to my eye.
The new tower will shine as a beacon to the world, and it'll let everyone know; you can knock us down, but NEVER out.
;-)
Every time I am in NYC the tower gets taller. It is taking its place in the skyline, filling in a great empty space that has existed too long. From the ground or across the river it can be seen everywhere. It is really starting to dominate downtown. I flew over it (up the Hudson really, but nearly over) just a week ago on a crystal clear night. It was gorgeous all lit up. Can't wait for the completion.
Me neither, radagast!
I haven't been to NYC in about 3 years, but I'd love to go back just to see the new tower; it looks beautiful. Well worth the trip. Perhaps when it's finished I'll go. I'm overdue for my NYC infusion anyway; I absolutely love New York City and I always will.
It is truly amazing to see this grow and grow. I visit Jersey City often for work and have had the opportunity to see One World Trade Center reach ever closer to the sky. It is very emotional to view this stunning building and remember what happened there and why this is being built. The pride these workers must have in this job has got to be overflowing.
I hope they remembered to include anti-aircraft batteries.
They just need Anti Government Batteries! But nice one!
beautiful
Just once I would like to see people comment on the story and leave any reference to politics out
A strong country builds a foundation with the bricks thrown at it.
How much was paid to the mob in kickbacks, false contracts?
I gotta tell you, those are some GORGEOUS shots....and when this building is finished, the views are going to be absolutely stunning. I wish I could come out there and take a tour.
Definitely worth the billions in taxes taken from us to build it...look at them, look at the sheep 'ouuu...ahhh...they can knock us down but we wont stay down...look at what Americans can accomplish...this is great symbol for those we lost...blah blah blah"...this is the problem with America and Americans and the so-called 99 percent, the top 1% just keep you dumb enough so that you not only carry them but you 'ouuu ahhh' everything they do that puts money in their pocket...
This building has nothing to do with the people who lost their lives in 9/11...it has nothing to do with a symbol of freedom...it has nothing to do with terrorist or terrorism...this building is simply another symbol (and boy do we have plenty) of American greed...it's another symbol of how you can get the sheep to build a very expensive investment for the Sheppard...this has nothing to do with you or me, this has everything to do with a tiny spec of our society salivating at the prospect of profiting from this unnecessary piece of architecture...in the end, you will get a trip to some observation floor which you probably have to pay for...the rich will have offices, the super rich suites...there will be more privilege people in there visiting from the same places that brought down the TT and they will be treated like royalty because they are rich and you are not...stop marveling at every decorative piece of fruit they throw at you, it will not fill your belly so wake the F up...the price of this "Freedom" tower only has further enslaved you, you will now have to put in some extra hours at work to make your ends meet while money is being taken out of your pocket to build @!$%# like this.
Shove it, dude. Your cynicism is transparent and vile. The Twin Towers were a symbol of pride for decades to New Yorkers. Lots of average people worked in those buildings making a living for their families. The companies in those towers brought billions of dollars into the local economy and even beyond those practical concerns they were proud structures in their own right, making people glad to share the island with them. Ever since I was a kid I remember riding in the car over the bridges and I loved the view those towers provided. They told me I was home after a long trip. If all you can see is a money grubbing machine then you have a big empty space in your soul. People like you haven't got pride in anything and I feel sorry for you.
...too bad America lost it's balls and reneged on calling the building the "Freedom Tower" because of pathetic and extreme political correctness imposed on our citizens by the socialist left that currently stinks up the country....
Freedom fries sounded just as goofy.
...it's quite appropriate for the stinky socialist to think the word "freedom" is goofy......thanks....
It is goofy. It is ginned up and over the top. It is as pathetic a response as those cheaply made "These colors don't run" bumper stickers - which faded pale almost immediately. Stupid monickers and labels cannot define what those buildings mean and are completely unnecessary.
radagast.......uh, yeah...ok.....
Um yeah...ok indeed. Do we really need to call everything "freedom this" and "freedom that" while wearing a flag on our lapels "now more than ever!" in order to actually be free? That's corny and suggests a people so out of touch that they desperately grasp at symbols slogans to fill in the gaps of their otherwise empty lives. Flag waving isn't what builds nations and is only a surrogate to real patriotism.
Those towers and the new World Trade Center don't need corny names to stand alone in their own meaning.
.....uh, yeah, calling it the "Freedom Tower", is just so "out" there, right, bub......so corny....oh, brother......how about this for corny, Radagast......."Yes,we can".........is that corny enough for you.....why don't we call the new building the "memorial replacement tower for the thousands of innocent Americans slaughtered by insane Muslim terrorists building".......longer name, but definitely a more accurate description.....
Yes we can is a campaign slogan not the name of a building that will be around long after anyone remembers why it was named. Campaigns are allowed to have a slogan and yes it is corny. Your original point is that you are upset that the tower wasn't named "Freedom Tower" and you insinuated that it was due to political correctness and a lack of "balls." I pointed out that it's not a lack of balls, it's just that it's a corny name. Must we "show the world that we are not afraid" by naming a tower a certain way. What's in a name? The thing stands - isn't that enough? BTW the tower isn't the memorial, but a replacement for the commercial space that was destroyed. Some of us just have an emotional attachment to it. It isn't necessary that it have a memorial name at all. In fact I think calling it the World Trade Center is fitting since that is the name of the previous two towers.
Jeez dude, get over it.
"Freedom Tower" would have been just as lame as calling french fries "freedom fries."
I think it's nice that the namers were more mature than that.
...well if you two guys close your eyes and wish really, really hard, you may be able to convince yourselves that there is no reason for any special name or honor for the building.....you may even convince yourselves that nothing of note happened at all at that site.....you can happily wipe all memory away of anything unpleasant like many want to do.....sorry, but I want everyone to remember what happened there and the horror perpetrated on those poor people by radical Islamists......we must never forget.....
This building has nothing to do with the deaths on 9/11...this is all about greed...useless building...bigger target.
So NYC should have stopped building new buildings altogether and retreated in on itself? Growing tall is what NYC does. You heal your way and let NYC heal its way.
Johny, nycguy and rock n roller all I have is one question for each of you. Does your comment mean that all the memorials that cost thousands and thousands of dollars in graveyards mean nothing? Are they also just about greed? Sometimes I just don't understand people. I read these comments and no matter what the story is about, someone always has to bring politics in it. Or they have some smart a$$ stupid remark to make. It's no wonder the world is like it is today. Instead of finding fault in every thing, how about looking on the bright side of things for once. Just maybe, and I mean MAYBE, you might see things a little more clearly.
wally.....I don't know what your problem is with what I said, but, there is nothing but politics involved with this building.....and I don't think the 2,800 people who died in that building because of Muslim terrorists are in any position to look at the "brightside" of this whole sad experience....
Breathtaking view??? Looks like a bunch of buildings and crap to me. Want a breathtaking view, go to Zion National Park or Blueridge Parkway. I don't be going to no highrise deathtrap...but go ahead if you want to.
bagdadjoe,
When you get out of your trailer park and make it to the big city, you might be impressed. I have one word for the views, wow!!!
It'a a freaking view from a tower, BFD. Let's send the building tab to Bush & Cheney and see how nice the view is then!
Ridiculous article for WOW effect... KMA !!
It is truly a shame that there is overwhelming evidence that our own government took down the towers. It was however something that they actually has to work at. Covering up hiding and eliminating evidence. Silencing persons that had actual footage and actual eyewitness accounts of the actual events that took place. This was one heck of a way to create a reason for war. However most importantly is was a complete extortion to permit government to spy on Americans overlooking overlooking the Constitution of the United States. Before you fire back with derogatory comments. Please do your homework. Your freedoms have been hijacked.
Lol, I knew it was only a matter of time before the conspiracy theorists came out of the woodwork.
"It is truly a shame that there is overwhelming evidence that our own government took down the towers."
There is none other than in your silly paranoid mind. Seek help
Do you really think that, with all the people it would have taken to do that, no one has talked in this day an age? No one in the, so called, conspiracy, felt bad about killing 1000,s of their fellow Americans and spilled the beans? Wake up, take off your tin foil hat and face reality.
Yes yes, and the Loch Ness Monster faked the moon landings with the shooter from the grassy knoll while laying plans with Al Gore to bring about the New World Order with Big Foot as its king!
Uh huh, It's gonna take lots of homework to get to the bottom of this mystery!
Seriously though. Has nothing to do with your stereotypical view of yet another Americans view based on factual documented evidence. Complacency is exactly what they are achieving. Respectfully so, we all are at this point able to respond using that constitutional thing. Oh Yeah "Freedom of Speech. Key word Freedom. Get back to me when that ability and right is removed as well. You may have to send a letter though. Internet responses as this will be censored.
The results of 9-11, i.e. the Patriot act and others, are not the goals of 9-11 perpetrated by some circuitously plotted scheme involving the silencing of the necessary millions of people involved to wag the dog for the purpose of overthrowing the country from within, they are the outcomes of a singular and dedicated enemy's attack and the ensuing securing of the homeland against those enemies that are all too real. And the day they come for my freedom of speech I will stand right beside your tin foil hat wearing self to fight them. I am not at all complacent, I just don't need to invent hidden enemies to blame for all the things I don't have.
C'MON Spiderguy! Let's be Democrats here ... look at the beautiful view ... all those Union jobs and Union workers (okay ... electritions on break right now) ... just think of all the Union dues and VOTES accruing too ... think of all the trips to the White House for the Union bosses that these Union dues will pay for!
And if you look to the West, You can see Russia!