When the first visitors to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum enter the World Trade Center site this month, they will likely focus on the two reflecting pools at the heart of the plaza, defined by the names of the victims of the terrorist attacks. They are unlikely to miss the already towering 1 WTC structure standing on the northwest corner of the site, well on its way to becoming the nation's tallest building at 1,776 feet. But as much of their attention is drawn to the plaza and what used to be called the “Freedom Tower,” they might miss the fact that it is 4 WTC, the other structure rising on the southeast side, that will likely be the first to open with tenants in 2013. At 977 feet, 4 WTC will be the shortest of the site's four towers, but like the smallest child in a big family, it stands in its own right.
About 800 laborers have been working on the 2.3-million-sq-ft tower that broke ground in 2008, averaging about a floor a week since the end of last year. The 72-story structure will have five floors of retail space—two below grade, one at street level and two above grade. The tower below grade, like its neighbors 2 and 3 WTC that are currently completed to grade level, includes a parking facility and direct access to the transportation hub and roadway that runs throughout the 16-acre complex.