Willis Tower May Remain Tallest In U.S.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It appears Chicago's Willis Tower may be holding onto its title of the nation's tallest building.
It was originally thought that the spire on the new World Trade Center in New York would make it that tallest when it's completed. However, a design change to that spire means the trade center may come up short.
A final decision will be made after One World Trade Center is finished next year.
Developer Douglas Durst says the 408-foot-tall needle will no longer be enclosed in a fiberglass and steel enclosure called a radome. Durst says the enclosure was removed from the original design because it was impossible to maintain or repair it.
Without the enclosure, it's unclear whether the needle is an antenna or a spire. That's important in terms of measuring its height.
If the needle is considered an antenna, One World Trade Center would still be smaller than the Willis Tower.
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