NEW YORK — The new World Trade Center has reached a milestone: The skyscraper being built to replace the terror-wrecked twin towers is now 100 stories high – on its way to becoming New York's tallest building.
Another four feet, and it will surpass the Empire State Building. That should happen within weeks, Steven Coleman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Monday.
One World Trade Center is expected to be finished by next year, its 104 floors towering over lower Manhattan.
But feet not stories determine whether a building ranks as the tallest. The twin towers, built in the 1970s, were New York's tallest structures until destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.
The Empire State Building then became the city's tallest building at 1,250 feet.
At 101 floors, One World Trade will reach 1,254 feet above street level. Upon completion, it will be 1,368 feet to its rooftop.
There's a special twist when it comes to counting floors.
One World Trade grew from 93 stories to 100 just since last week. That's because six floors don't actually exist; the numbers were skipped to make up for the building's massive base, plus mechanical equipment taking up space.
Conde Nast has signed a lease to move in by 2014, along with the China Center representing that country's business and cultural links to the United States.
With a mirror-like glass surface, One World Trade stands tall above the 16-acre site where other new buildings also are rising. The rebuilt site includes the National September 11 Memorial & Museum commemorating the acts of terror that took almost 3,000 lives in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pa.
Launch Slideshow
HIDE THUMBNAILS
1 of 7
PLAY ALL
VOTE ON THIS SLIDE
ADVERTISEMENT
[{"entry_id":"3279760","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/15\/chirlane-mccray-bill-de-blasio-mayor-lesbian_n_3279760.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/291372\/slide_291372_2325219_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/291372\/slide_291372_2325219_small.jpg","title":"2013 NYC Mayoral Candidates ","slideshow_id":"291372","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3292499","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/nycs-subway-system-preparing-for-next-big-storm_n_3292499.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/259321\/slide_259321_1743695_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/259321\/slide_259321_1743695_small.jpg","title":"Hurricane Sandy","slideshow_id":"259321","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3294027","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/odyssey-treasure-exhibit-shipwreck-contest_n_3294027.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298188\/slide_298188_2468332_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298188\/slide_298188_2468332_small.jpg","title":"SHIPWRECK! Exhibit Treasure","slideshow_id":"298188","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3299566","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/vito-lopez-resign-ny-assembly-sexual-harassment_n_3299566.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/291252\/slide_291252_2323614_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/291252\/slide_291252_2323614_small.jpg","title":"Politicians Who Wanted A Second Chance","slideshow_id":"291252","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3275060","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/14\/googamooga-ticket-giveaway_n_3275060.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/227658\/slide_227658_1000777_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/227658\/slide_227658_1000777_small.jpg","title":"The Great GoogaMooga 2012","slideshow_id":"227658","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3278322","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/15\/one-world-trade-center-spire-video-workers-manhattan_n_3278322.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/289729\/slide_289729_2292090_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/289729\/slide_289729_2292090_small.jpg","title":"View From Atop One World Trade Center Observatory","slideshow_id":"289729","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3279061","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/15\/ross-finocchio-nyu-professor-peeping-tom_n_3279061.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/232715\/slide_232715_2272688_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/232715\/slide_232715_2272688_small.jpg","title":"Student-Teacher Sex Scandals","slideshow_id":"232715","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3274367","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/14\/caroline-kennedy-chosen-as-juror-nelson-chatman_n_3274367.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/240368\/slide_240368_1266390_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/240368\/slide_240368_1266390_small.jpg","title":"Jackie Kennedy Onassis Style (PHOTOS)","slideshow_id":"240368","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3286940","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/16\/arne-svensons-neighbors-e_n_3286940.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297959\/slide_297959_2460047_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297959\/slide_297959_2460047_small.jpg","title":"Arne Svenson's 'The Neighbors' ","slideshow_id":"297959","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3287484","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/16\/penn-station-overhaul-plans_n_3287484.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/278134\/slide_278134_2050211_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/278134\/slide_278134_2050211_small.jpg","title":"100 Years Of Grand Central","slideshow_id":"278134","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3294011","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/what-new-york-needs_n_3294011.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298013\/slide_298013_2463404_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298013\/slide_298013_2463404_small.jpg","title":"12 Things New York Needs","slideshow_id":"298013","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3298835","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/connecticut-train-crash_n_3298835.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298263\/slide_298263_2469941_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298263\/slide_298263_2469941_small.jpg","title":"Connecticut Train Crash","slideshow_id":"298263","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3292863","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/second-avenue-subway-rockaway-train_n_3292863.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298120\/slide_298120_2467143_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298120\/slide_298120_2467143_small.jpg","title":"Second Avenue Subway, Rockaway Restoration","slideshow_id":"298120","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3274421","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/14\/cops-drivers-license-suspensions-marion-williams_n_3274421.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239589\/slide_239589_2275784_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239589\/slide_239589_2275784_small.jpg","title":"Criminal Masterminds","slideshow_id":"239589","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3291836","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/kevin-and-marina-krim-parents-children-by-nanny-expecting-by-boy_n_3291836.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298075\/slide_298075_2465736_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298075\/slide_298075_2465736_small.jpg","title":"Yoselyn Ortega Pleads Not Guilty To Murder Of Krim Children","slideshow_id":"298075","vertical":"new-york"},{"entry_id":"3278117","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/15\/pedro-hernandez-etan-patz-murder-case-trial_n_3278117.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/228912\/slide_228912_1025113_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/228912\/slide_228912_1025113_small.jpg","title":"Etan Patz Case","slideshow_id":"228912","vertical":"new-york"}]
By VERENA DOBNIK 04/02/12 04:36 PM ET