One World Trade Center named tallest building in U.S.

One World Trade Center in New York has been named the tallest building in the U.S., displacing the Willis Tower in Chicago. The ruling was announced on Tuesday by the Height Committee of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, an international nonprofit organization.

Set to open next year, One World Trade Center stands a symbolic 1,776 feet tall and is helped in the height department by a spire that gives it a decisive advantage over its competitor. The Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, stands 1,450 feet tall.

The world’s tallest building remains the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 2,717 feet tall.

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One World Trade Center, formerly known as the Freedom Tower, is located in downtown New York near the site of the Twin Towers that were destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The new building was designed by David M. Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

The design of the skyscraper was a contentious process that included an initial plan by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. But the architect left the project following disagreements over the building’s construction.

The 104-story building will feature mostly office space -- a major tenant will be the publishing giant Conde Nast -- as well as an observation deck and restaurant. It is expected to officially open in early 2014

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