"We wanted it to be unique to New York--it could not be located in any other city," said David M. Childs, consulting design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill/New York. Childs detailed plans for the structure, which will have 2.6 million sf of office space on 60 stories. The plan calls for a similar construction model that was employed in making the Brooklyn Bridge. The base will be concrete and a structure of tension cables will brace the building. Childs pinpointed a number of key elements the design team took into account including making the structure part of the city's grid as well as making the building safe and ergonomically efficient. The tower will rise to 1,500 feet and be toped by a 276-sf spire.

"It's going to work, it will work," said Silverstein, who dubbed the Freedom Tower, "the new icon of the New York skyline." Silverstein said, as per New York State Gov. George Pataki's request, the cornerstone will be laid before the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. While the governor would like to see the top out of the steel by the fifth anniversary of the attacks, Silverstein said he hoped Pataki would consider that to be a "soft commitment." Tishman Construction Corp., which is building 7 World Trade Center, will also build on the Freedom Tower. Silverstein added that he "expects and hopes" for a second office on the site in 2010 and one each year until five are completed by 2013.