Construction is poised to resume on 2 World Trade Center in Manhattan’s Financial District following a major leasing commitment from American Express, which will serve as anchor tenant for the long-delayed supertall skyscraper.
Designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners and developed by Silverstein Properties, the 55-story tower will rise 1,226 feet and deliver approximately 1.95 million rentable square feet. The site occupies a full city block bounded by Vesey Street, Fulton Street, Church Street, and Greenwich Street within the 16-acre World Trade Center complex.
The project marks the final major component of the rebuilt Trade Center campus.
Fresh renderings reveal a refined iteration of Foster’s design, highlighted by a stepped crown culminating in a flat roof. Earlier concepts included a spire, but that feature has been removed in the latest version.
Street-level perspectives emphasize a transparent base with floor-to-ceiling glass and dense metal screening at mechanical floors and setbacks. A soaring, glass-enclosed lobby along Greenwich Street will echo the openness of neighboring towers 3 and 4 World Trade Center. The façade incorporates metal paneling around perimeter columns and multiple staggered loggia terraces — six in total — that will introduce large-scale greenery and more than one acre of outdoor space.
The tower’s design traces back to 2005, when Foster + Partners unveiled an angular scheme featuring four crystalline columns sloping toward the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, symbolizing a connection between ground and sky.
Substructure work began in 2007 but stalled in 2012, leaving the project frozen at street level for nearly 14 years. The site has since been wrapped in corrugated metal panels, with portions used seasonally as public space.
After multiple redesigns — including a 2015 proposal by Bjarke Ingels Group — the project cycled through various iterations as developers sought an anchor tenant. American Express, previously headquartered at 200 Vesey Street since 1986, formally committed to relocating its global headquarters to the new tower.
The building is designed to accommodate up to 10,000 employees across flexible floor plates and modern workspaces. Plans call for advanced building technology, fully electric and energy-efficient systems, and pursuit of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Developers estimate construction will generate more than 3,200 direct and indirect jobs in New York City and contribute approximately $5.9 billion to the city’s economy and $6.3 billion statewide.
Construction is expected to begin this spring, with completion targeted for 2031.
The restart of 2 World Trade Center represents a symbolic milestone in the decades-long redevelopment of Lower Manhattan. With One World Trade Center serving as the complex’s architectural focal point, the new tower is intended to complement — rather than compete with — the skyline’s tallest structure.
After years of uncertainty, shifting office demand, and evolving architectural concepts, the project’s revival signals renewed confidence in Manhattan’s commercial real estate market and the long-term vitality of the Financial District.
Originally reported by Newyork Yimby.
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