“It’s been a long difficult journey over many years to achieve this significant milestone,” said Pat Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. “The New York and New Jersey region, and probably the world, has never seen a more complex construction project, not simply from the sheer physical challenges, but also for the emotional significance of the site.”

Describing it as “history repeating itself,” One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building have common bonds, Foye said. More than 82 years ago during the depths of the Great Recession in 1929, a former New York governor and the first Port Authority commissioner, Al Smith, teamed up with developer John Jacob Raskob with one ambitious goal: to create the world’s tallest building. Now, the Port is making history – again.

“Today, our collective perseverance is reflected with this soaring symbol of rebirth, renewal and determination, and good old American ingenuity and hard work,” Foye added.

The timing of the milestone falls on the 91^st anniversary of the Port Authority, which was formed in 1921 when the governors of New York and New Jersey received consent from Congress to form the bi-state agency.

The announcement also comes seven months after the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, marking a noteworthy turning point for the redevelopment of the 16-acre site. “Today, the people of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, in becoming the tallest building in New York, sends a very clear message: they didn’t win,” said Bill Baroni, deputy executive director at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. “What you see here today is this determination to remember what we lost and rebuild even higher.”

Expected to open in early 2014, One World Trade Center is already 55% leased. Getting the ball rolling was Chinese real estate firm Vantone, who inked a deal for 200,000 square feet at the building in 2009. Last year, magazine publisher Conde Nast agreed to anchor the tower, taking over one million square feet on floors 20-44. And after signing a preliminary agreement last summer, the federal General Services Administration is also expected to sign off on 300,000 square feet.

But Baroni said the best is yet to come. “This is a great day, but it will be even greater when this building is teaming with tenants and teaming with people going to work and tourists coming up here to look at the amazing views,” he said. “That’s when we will have completed the mission that the Port Authority took on to rebuild, and remember.”

Check out photos from the event below:

Following the milestone, steel will continue to be erected until the building reaches its 104th floor and tops out this summer. When the tower tops off, it will rise to 1,368 feet, 118 feet above the height of the Empire State Building, which is 1,250 feet above street level.

Before the ceremony, construction officials signed off on one of the 26-foot steel beams that brought the tower to 1,271 feet.

(left) Jody Durst, president of the Durst Organization, shakes hands with Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority.

(left to right) Daniel R. Tishman, chairman of Tishman Construction; Jody Durst, president of the Durst Organization; Scott Rechler, Port Authority vice chairman and CEO of RXR Realty LLC; Port Authority executive director Pat Foye; and Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority.

(left to right) Tara Stacom, vice chairman at Cushman & Wakefield and Erik Horvat, division head of the World Trade Center Redevelopment at the Port Authority.