NYC's WTC soars ever higher

New York City's fifth-tallest building opened Monday. ?

The 80-story, 2.5 million-square-foot office tower 3 World Trade Center became the second-to-last tower to open on the 16-acre site of the new World Trade Center. 3 WTC will welcome more than 6,000 new employees to Lower Manhattan this year, from tenants GroupM, McKinsey and IEX.

"This is a moment of enormous pride for me and for everyone in the Silverstein organization, and for the thousands of women and men who had a hand in creating this amazing building," said Larry Silverstein, chairman of Silverstein Properties, a real estate development, investment and management firm.

"Starting with 7 WTC and the rest of the towers that followed, we sought to create modern, environmentally-conscious and technologically-advanced offices — places that foster creativity where young people would want to work and collaborate," he said.?

"That meant great architecture and sustainable design, but also improved transportation, a more vibrant streetscape, new shops and restaurants, great public spaces, and exciting and fun public space art," he added.

3 WTC was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architectural firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.? The building has floor-to-ceiling glass windows and column-free floor plates, creating panoramic views of New York City.?Like 7 and 4 WTC, it will be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified Gold office tower for sustainable design and energy efficiency.

Richard Rogers, founding partner of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, said it had been a great privilege to design one of the new buildings on this key site in New York.?

"This was a complex and challenging project, but one which has helped to contribute to the revitalization of New York City and one which will help to inspire a new hope for the city's future," Rogers said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo called 3 WTC "a soaring symbol" of the revitalization of downtown New York City and a testament to the enduring spirit of New Yorkers after 9/11.

He said it will be a hub of commercial activity and growth for the city and support the state's efforts to ensure New York remains the economic capital of the world.

"The continued resurgence of Lower Manhattan is a powerful demonstration of the resilience of New York City. We rose from tragedy bigger, bolder, stronger and still open to the world.? 3WTC is the next chapter in that story," said?Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole said Monday marked a pivotal moment in the site's ongoing evolution from construction site to a living campus welcoming millions of annual visitors and tens of thousands of workers every day. "The remarkable renaissance it represents is a fitting tribute to all of those who were lost on September 11 and the countless others who were impacted," he said.

The construction of 3 WTC involved the work of more than 4,000 union construction workers over the course of millions of hours.?The building is expected to employ about 100 permanent and temporary workers to operate and maintain.