The world has come a long way since the Twin Towers came down in New York City on September 11, 2001 but somewhere along the way, we lost our sense of place and history and everything seems to be moving in a very linear fashion.
However, not many people know that The Twin Towers are not actually two separate buildings but rather three connected by a common façade, an architectural term that means they share their appearance visually.
Each tower houses offices for different flights of stairs, elevators and other lifts in addition to its own interior space so we’re talking about some pretty cool interconnectivity here, right?
The Twin Towers Construction
Minoru Yamasaki’s the architect of the Twin Towers, also known as One and Two World Trade Center, included framed tube structures that gave occupants spacious, column-free floor designs served as the centrepieces of the World Trade Center.
In 1966, following the completion of Two World Trade Center’s South Tower, construction began on One World Trade Center’s North Tower. After the Empire State Structure’s 40-year reign, the new 1 World Trade Center was the highest building in the world for two years.
In 1979, a telecommunications antenna or mast measuring 362 feet (110 m) was installed atop the North Tower, which made it 1,368 feet (417 m) tall (upgraded in 1999 to accommodate DTV broadcasts).
With this extension, the North Tower is now 1,730 feet (530 m) in height, which is significantly higher than the 1,450 feet (440 m) at the top of Chicago’s Sears Tower, which was completed in May 1973.
After its completion in 1973, the South Tower was the world’s second-tallest building at 1,362 feet (415 m). It had an outdoor viewing platform that was 1,362 feet (415 metres) in the air and an inside platform that was 1,310 feet (400 metres) in the air. The overall land area of the site was 16 acres (65,000 m2), and each tower was taller than 1,350 feet (410 m).
Prior to the 1973 completion of the Sears Tower, the twin towers held the record for the most number of storeys in a building with 110. This record would not be broken again until the 2010 opening of the Burj Khalifa. About 500,000 tonnes of material went into making each tower.
In 1984, sightseers stood atop the South Tower’s observation deck, facing north toward Midtown Manhattan.
Top Of The World Observation Desk
Top of the World, a public glass-enclosed observation deck on the 107th level of the South Tower, and a public open-air deck with a height of 110 floors were available to the public, even though much of the World Trade Center complex was off-limits.
The viewing deck opened at 9:30 a.m. and was open daily beginning in December 1975 until 11:30 p.m. Time: (June – August) 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. From September to May, customers must pay an admission fee on the second floor and then go through security checks put in place after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
After that, a special express elevator took them to the inside observatory on the 107th level, 1,310 feet (400 metres) up.
A total of 28 inches of window width was gained by narrowing the outside columns. The Port Authority leased the observatory’s management to Ogden Entertainment in 1995, and the company promptly renovated the building. After a lengthy period of repair, the Top of the World tour returned to the public on April 30, 1997.
Attractions added to the observation deck included a theatre presenting a film of a simulated helicopter flight of the city dubbed “Manhattan Magic,” a model of Manhattan with 750 buildings, a Kodak photo booth, and two gift stores.
A food court with a subway theme, complete with a Sbarro Street Station and a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog stand, and a Central Park-style seating area, could be found on the 107th level.
From the 107th-floor observation deck, guests may take two quick escalators up to an outdoor platform 1,377 feet above ground (if the weather permitted) (420 m). Visitors may see for up to 50 kilometres on a clear day (80 km).
The roof features a suicide barrier, while the observation platform is set back and raised above it, necessitating merely a standard railing. Unlike the top of the Empire State Building, this meant there were no obstructions to the view.
North Tower Window On The World
Windows on the World, the restaurant on the North Tower’s 106th and 107th floors, opened in April 1976. It was developed by restaurateur Joe Baum at a cost of more than $17 million.
As well as the main restaurant, two offshoots were located at the top of the North Tower, Hors d’Oeuvrerie (offered a Danish smorgasbord during the day and sushi in the evening) and Cellar in the Sky (a small wine bar).
Windows on the World was forced to close following the 1993 World Trade Center bombing as the explosion damaged receiving areas, storage and parking spots used by the restaurant complex. On May 12, 1994, the Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Company won the contract to run the restaurants after Windows’s former operator, Inhilco, gave up its lease.
After its reopening on June 26, 1996, the Greatest Bar on Earth and Cellar in the Sky (reopened after Labor Day) replaced the original restaurant offshoots. In 1999, Cellar in the Sky was changed into an American steakhouse and renamed as Wild Blue.
In 2000 (its last full year of operation), Windows on the World reported revenues of $37 million, making it the highest-grossing restaurant in the United States. The Skydive Restaurant, which was a 180-seat cafeteria on the 44th floor of 1 WTC conceived for office workers, was also operated by Windows on the World.