Brookfield Office Properties celebrates placement of final steel basket column pieces at World Financial Center's pavilion

According to Brookfield Office Properties, the final pieces of World Financial Center's glass pavilion steel basket columns have recently been installed. The final pieces of more than 400 tons of steel tubing will cap off two basket columns that will eventually form the new front entrance to the World Financial Center, a Brookfield Office Property. The columns were constructed in Canada and transported to New York in ten pieces. The glass pavilion will stand 55 feet tall and cover an area of 8,000 s/f. The pavilion will serve as the complex's new front door, welcoming workers, visitors and residents as they emerge from (and enter into) the Fulton St. and World Trade Center Transit Hubs. The pavilion will be the western terminus of the east-west underground pedestrian passageway in Lower Manhattan that spans one-half mile. The new pavilion was conceptualized by architect Rafael Pelli. The original structural engineer, Thornton Tomasetti, and the original mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers Flack + Kurtz are also working on the pavilion project. Plaza Construction is the construction manager. Subcontractors include Urban Foundation Engineering, Permasteelisa, Metropolitan Walters LLC, and Liberty Contracting. The Spector Group is the architect of record on the project and Mueser Rutledge is the geo-technical engineer. This project is part of Brookfield's $250 million redevelopment program of the World Financial Center that aims to meet the needs of the changing Lower Manhattan: a new center for, dining, entertainment, and a workforce beyond financial services, including media, technology, professional services and more. Construction has also started on the World Financial Center's dining terrace with 14 restaurants and a European-style marketplace. The third phase of the project-to kick off later this year-will introduce local and international retailers in the courtyard area of the complex.