Dive Brief:
- Construction has officially started on the final commercial office tower at the World Trade Center campus in New York City, according to a pair of groundbreaking announcements.
- Turner Construction broke ground July 9 on 2 World World Trade Center, the new, 2 million-square-foot headquarters for American Express, the contractor confirmed with Construction Dive. The New York City-based construction firm expects to complete the tower, which will stand at 1,226 feet tall, in 2031, according to a release from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
- The project will use only union labor to complete core interior construction work, in addition to shell and core activities, according to the governor’s press release. Once complete, the tower will have the capacity to host up to 10,000 people across flexible and modern workspaces.
Dive Insight:
Plans for the building include more than an acre of outdoor space with several greenery-filled terraces and gardens. Project teams will also pursue LEED certification and will incorporate fully electric, energy-efficient systems to the building, according to the governor’s press release.
“Today’s groundbreaking for the final commercial tower at the World Trade Center is an important milestone in fulfilling a promise made 25 years ago to rebuild, to restore and to remember in the aftermath of 9/11,” said Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the Port Authority, in the governor’s release. “A new 2 World Trade Center, overlooking a magnificent memorial and museum and alongside a performing arts center, will strengthen one of our nation’s most important centers for commerce, culture and remembrance.”
American Express tapped Turner in February to build its new global headquarters at the World Trade Center site. Officials did not disclose the total project cost.
