Cranes lifted the final steel beam for a new building at the World Trade Center, completing the initial phase of construction on the first new building at the site since the 9/11 attacks.
Construction crews have now completed work on the building's steel skeleton, according to The Associated Press. More work still needs to be done before the 72-story skyscraper will be open for business in the fall of 2013.
The 1.8-million-square-foot skyscraper, designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, marks the first building to go up since the terrorist attack. The building will be located at Four World Trade Center and is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority will use nearly one-third of the building as its new headquarters, with the rest being used for commercial office space. Tisherman Construction is serving as general contractors for the building.
Meanwhile, construction still continues on One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower. This new building will be located on the site where the Twin Towers once stood and is expected to open for business after Four World Trade Center does. At 1,776 feet, the building will be the tallest skyscraper in New York once completed.
R&B singer BeBe Winans sang "God Bless America" as the final support beam was raised to the top of the 977-foot structure. Construction workers lifted their hats to the sky as several hundred people gathered for the ceremony.
"Ten years later, it's pretty remarkable," Sally Rekach, a nurse who tends to construction workers at the site, told the news source. Rekach was present in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, giving aid to rescue workers. "This is a very proud moment; it's full circle."
Construction companies hoping to work on major projects should be sure they have the right equipment to get the job done. The online auction site IronPlanet offers everything from cranes to excavators, often at a much more affordable price than buying new.
