US breaks ground on final World Trade Centre tower

Construction has begun on 2 World Trade Center, the final commercial tower in the redevelopment of New York's World Trade Center site, nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks destroyed the original building, reported Global Construction Review.

The 55-storey, 1,226-ft tower will be owned and occupied by American Express and will provide nearly 2 million sq ft of office space for up to 10,000 employees.

The project is being developed by Silverstein Properties, with Bjarke Ingels Group redesigning an earlier scheme by Foster + Partners. Turner Construction is expected to build the tower's base, stated the report.

Building it will create an estimated 2,000 union construction jobs and 3,200 jobs in total during development.

The tower will have an acre of outdoor space, with green terraces and gardens offering views of Manhattan. It aims to achieve LEED certification.

Kathryn Garcia, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said: “As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, starting construction of 2 World Trade Center is not just a significant step forward for Lower Manhattan, but it is also an inspiring demonstration of New York’s strength and resilience in the face of adversity.”

The 2 World Trade Center is due to be completed in 2031. It will go up next to One World Trade Centre, completed in 2013 to replace the destroyed North Tower, satted the GCR report. It’s the tallest building in the Western hemisphere and the sixth-tallest in the world.