2 World Trade Center
2 World Trade Center is a planned supertall office skyscraper within the redeveloped World Trade Center complex at 200 Greenwich Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City.[1] The structure, most recently redesigned by Foster + Partners in 2025, is intended to reach a height of 1,348 feet (411 meters) across 80 stories, yielding about 2.2 million square feet of commercial office space on a full-block site bounded by Vesey, Church, and Albany Streets.[2][3] Site foundation work advanced as far as the slurry wall reinforcement and concrete pours in 2013 under developer Silverstein Properties, but vertical construction has stalled since due to difficulties securing anchor tenants in a subdued post-pandemic office leasing environment.[4] This delay marks a defining challenge in the site's phased redevelopment, originally envisioned to restore the complex's pre-2001 prominence with modern engineering resilient to impacts and fires.[1] The new tower succeeds the original 2 World Trade Center, known as the South Tower, a 110-story structure completed in 1972 that measured 1,362 feet (415 meters) to its roof and housed diverse tenants until its collapse after being struck by United Airlines Flight 175 during the September 11, 2001, attacks.[4][5]
Original Building
Design and Construction
The original 2 World Trade Center, known as the South Tower, was designed by Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki of Minoru Yamasaki Associates, with Emery Roth & Sons serving as associate architects, on behalf of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[6][7] Yamasaki's selection occurred in 1962, following a competitive process emphasizing innovative high-rise design to house global trade functions.[7] The structure featured a square footprint of 208 by 208 feet, chamfered corners for aesthetic appeal, and an internal core of 87 by 135 feet containing 47 steel columns for utilities and elevators.[6] Construction of the World Trade Center site commenced on August 5, 1966, beginning with excavation of 1 million cubic yards of material and installation of a foundational slurry wall—segments of reinforced concrete up to 3 feet thick and 70 feet deep—to seal against groundwater from the adjacent Hudson River on landfill soil reaching bedrock.[5][7] Vertical construction for the towers initiated in 1968, with the South Tower's superstructure advancing from January 1969.[5] The building topped out at 110 stories and 1,362 feet to the roof in July 1971, utilizing over 200,000 tons of structural steel across the twin towers.[5] The towers adopted a pioneering framed tube system, with 59 exterior steel columns per facade arrayed on a 40-inch grid and linked by deep spandrel beams forming vierendeel trusses for lateral load resistance, enabling column-free interior spaces up to 60 feet wide.[6][7] Floor assemblies comprised 4-inch lightweight concrete slabs on corrugated steel decking, supported by prefabricated trusses; the exterior was sheathed in custom silver aluminum alloy panels by Alcoa for a reflective finish.[6][5] Steel erection employed "kangaroo" tower cranes capable of leaping three stories at once, while 10,000 viscoelastic dampers mitigated wind-induced sway up to 3 feet.[7] Elevator systems incorporated sky lobbies at the 44th and 78th floors to optimize vertical transport in three zones, reducing shaft space needs.[6][7] The South Tower, integral to the 16-acre complex costing $900 million, was dedicated alongside the ensemble on April 4, 1973.[6][8]Operations and Tenancy
The original 2 World Trade Center, also known as the South Tower, was owned and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from its completion in 1972 until a 99-year lease of the World Trade Center complex was signed with Silverstein Properties on July 24, 2001.[9] The Port Authority managed daily operations, including maintenance, security, and tenant services across the complex, with the South Tower featuring advanced systems such as high-speed express elevators and a centralized mechanical core to support high-density office use.[9] Tenancy in the South Tower commenced in January 1972, prior to full completion, with the building accommodating a mix of financial, insurance, governmental, and professional service firms across its 110 floors, encompassing approximately 3.8 million square feet of leasable office space.[10] By 2001, occupancy across the World Trade Center complex, including the South Tower, reached approximately 97%, reflecting improved market conditions in Lower Manhattan after earlier periods of lower utilization in the 1970s and 1980s.[9] The Port Authority itself occupied multiple floors (including 3, 14, 19, 24, 28, and 31) with around 3,000 employees site-wide, handling administrative and operational functions for the complex.[10] Major tenants were predominantly in finance and insurance, with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter leasing significant space on floors 43, 46, 56, 59, and 74, employing about 3,700 people in the tower.[10] Other prominent occupants included AON Corporation on floors 92–93 and 99–100 (1,350 employees), Fuji Bank on floors 79 and 82 (625 employees), and Fiduciary Trust Company on floors 90 and 94–97 (645 employees).[10] The tower also hosted the indoor and outdoor observation decks on the 107th floor, which operated as a public attraction managed by the Port Authority, drawing over 1 million visitors annually for panoramic views extending to New Jersey, Brooklyn, and Long Island on clear days.[11]| Major Tenant | Industry | Key Floors | Approximate Employees in Tower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Dean Witter | Investments | 43, 46, 56, 59, 74 | 3,700[10] |
| AON Corporation | Insurance | 92–93, 99–100 | 1,350[10] |
| Fuji Bank | Banking | 79, 82 | 625[10] |
| Fiduciary Trust Company | Banking | 90, 94–97 | 645[10] |
| Port Authority of NY & NJ | Government | Various (e.g., 3, 14, 19) | ~3,000 (complex-wide)[10] |