The new World Trade Center’s claim to be the tallest building in the United States at 1,776 feet could turn out to be a tall tale.
Says who? The chief architect of 1 World Trade, David Childs.
Childs blasted the decision by the Port Authority and developer The Durst Organization to remove a design treatment at the top of the tower that could prevent the 408-foot spire from being counted toward the skyscraper’s official height.
That would make 1 World Trade shorter than Chicago’s Willis Tower, now the nation’s tallest.
“Eliminating this integral part of the building’s design and leaving an exposed antenna and equipment is unfortunate,” Childs said in a statement.
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which independently certifies the height of skyscrapers, said it will reconsider the height of 1 WTC in light of the design changes.
An antenna would not count toward the height of a building.
But Durst spokesman Jordan Barowitz insisted that 1 World Trade will still be considered America’s tallest structure — even with the changes. He said the spire is more than just an antenna and is part of the tower.
A final decision will be made after the tower is finished next year.