The One World Trade Center is currently the tallest building in the U.S. However, this may change soon with the construction of the Legends Tower, a massive skyscraper planned for Oklahoma City that will stand 1,907 feet tall.
What’s interesting about this upcoming project is that the gigantic skyscraper isn't being built in large cities like New York City or Chicago, where very tall buildings are very common. Instead, developers have chosen Oklahoma City, a smaller urban area with a population of just over 700,000.
Oklahoma to Become Home to the Tallest Skyscraper in the U.S.
Developers at AO Architects and Matteson Capital had initially planned a building tower standing at 1,750 feet. They later decided to increase the height of the Legends Tower to 1,776 feet, which is taller than One World Trade Center.
Recently, the Oklahoma City Planning Commission approved the requested 1,907 foot height, giving the ambitious project—once believed to be impossible—the go-ahead. Well, almost. Developers are still waiting for one final permit, which authorities could issue as early as June 2024.
The Legends Tower will be part of The Boardwalk at Bricktown, a large development that will include two other buildings. According to AO Architects, the complex is intended to transform Oklahoma City and create “a new standard for urban innovation.”
The Boardwalk at Bricktown.
The building will be a mixed-use structure with a large number of residential apartments and a Hyatt hotel. As you can see in the images, renderings show impressive use of LED signage.
However, not everyone likes the building's proposed modern style. One resident told The Oklahoman that billboards and flashing lights are inappropriate for the city, saying: “We're not Las Vegas.”
The Boardwalk at Bricktown.
Oklahoma City’s weather conditions are another cause for concern. In the past, severe storms and tornadoes have resulted in extensive damage, injuries, and deaths.
However, the engineers working on the project are said to have taken these factors into consideration. According to The Wall Street Journal, the tower will have ultra-strong windows and concrete walls between four- to six-feet in thickness, which will surround the elevator shaft.
Oklahoma City in 2017.
Despite the challenges, the project is progressing smoothly. Developers have secured about $1.6 billion in funding for the project. Site preparation could start as early as June, with construction following later on in the year.
Legends Tower is expected to take 24 to 30 months to build. Once finished, it will become the fifth tallest building in the world.
Currently, the world’s tallest skyscrapers are located outside the U.S. The Burj Khalifa (2,722 feet) in the United Arab Emirates is the tallest building on the planet, followed by the Merdeka 118 (2,227 feet) in Malaysia, the Shanghai Tower (2,073 feet) in China, and the Clock Towers (1,972 feet) in Saudi Arabia.
Image | AO Architects | Gerson Repreza