1 World Trade Center Finally Opens

More than 13 years after the iconic Twin Towers were destroyed, 1 World Trade Center opened in New York City Monday morning. The towering skyscraper, standing at 1,776 feet and 104 stories tall, is now the tallest building in both the United States and the Western Hemisphere. But 1 World Trade Center, with its already famous spire, is more than just its height — the building will come to redefine the New York City skyline, reinvigorating a city that still mourns that ill-fated day in September 2001.

"The New York City skyline is whole again, as 1 World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan," Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, told USA Today.

To commemorate the historic opening of 1 World Trade Center, publishing giant Condé Nast is moving more of its offices and about 170 employees into the building Monday morning — a major gesture to the companies that moved out of lower Manhattan following the terrorist attack. The New York Times reports that Condé Nast will occupy about one-third of the building, taking over 24 floors, by early 2015. A spokesperson for the magazine company added to USA Today that all of the company's 3,400 employees will be moved into the building by January.

The massive skyscraper totals about three million square feet, according to the World Trade Center website. In addition to office space, 1 World Trade Center will feature a three-story observation deck, which is slated to open in 2015. Much like the former Twin Towers, the building will also include numerous restaurants and shops.

All in all, the skyscraper cost nearly $4 billion — double the expected amount — and around eight years to build. Also located on the same complex is the National September 11 Museum, which opened in the spring to some criticism over the unfortunate items sold at its gift shop.

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