It has been almost 25 years since the September 11 attacks forever changed the skyline of Lower Manhattan, and now the rebuilding of the World Trade Center campus is entering its final stretch. The last major commercial tower on the site, 2 World Trade Center, is expected to break ground in spring 2026 and wrap up construction by 2031. American Express has committed to making the building its new corporate headquarters.
Getting to this point hasn’t been simple. British firm Foster + Partners was originally hired to design the tower, only to be replaced by Bjarke Ingels Group, which put forward a striking terraced concept. That plan was eventually scrapped, and Foster + Partners was brought back to start fresh. The result, based on recently released renderings, is a broad rectangular tower sheathed in glass, with three open-air terraces and six landscaped corner gardens woven into the facade to bring some greenery to an otherwise sleek profile.
Designer: Foster + Partners
The tower will rise to 1,226 feet, comfortably placing it in the supertall category and making it roughly the 11th-tallest building in the United States. It won’t overtake its famous neighbor, though. One World Trade Center still holds the title of the country’s tallest at a symbolically chosen 1,776 feet. Inside, the building will offer close to two million square feet of usable space across 55 stories, with the bulk of that dedicated to offices. When fully occupied, it could house around 10,000 workers.
Specifics are still thin at this early stage, but American Express has said the tower will incorporate smart building technology and energy-efficient systems. The project is also targeting LEED certification, which has become something of a baseline expectation for major commercial developments in recent years.
Kevin O’Toole, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, called the project a meaningful milestone, both for the campus and for the surrounding region. He pointed to the tower’s role in reinforcing the World Trade Center as one of the country’s most important centers of commerce and transportation, and acknowledged just how much sustained effort it takes to deliver projects on this scale.
Silverstein Properties, the development firm that has overseen much of the site’s post 9/11 transformation, is once again at the helm. When the building finally opens its doors in 2031, it will effectively close the book on one of the most ambitious and emotionally significant urban rebuilding efforts in modern history. More than anything, it will stand as a reminder of what New York City is capable of when it commits to moving forward.
