First piece of WTC spire put in place

NEW YORK, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- The first of several pieces to the spire that will sit atop Freedom Tower in New York City was lifted 104 stories into place Wednesday.

The 16-foot barrel-shaped piece, which weighs about 70 tons, was lifted by crane from ground level to the top of what will be the tallest building in the Western hemisphere at 1,776 feet when it is completed.

It was the first of 18 pieces to the spire to be lifted into place. The hoist took about 45 minutes, the New York Daily News said.

The building is scheduled for completion in Lower Manhattan in the first quarter of 2013, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.