LOWER MANHATTAN — New York City's tallest skyscraper just got even more expensive to build.
The 1,776-foot tall 1 World Trade Center will now cost at least $3.8 billion, up from the most recent public estimate of $3.1 billion, making it the most expensive office building in the world, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
The $700 million bump in the tower's price tag partly comes from an increase in costs related to leasing the 2.6 million square feet of office space, the Journal reported.
Conde Nast has already signed a lease to move its headquarters to more than 1 million square feet at 1 World Trade Center, and law firm Chadbourne & Park is close to inking a deal as well, the New York Times reported last week.
One reason 1 World Trade Center is so expensive to build is that it has unparalleled security measures, including a windowless concrete base and a strengthened core housing its elevators and fire staircases.
The tower is rising at a rate of about a floor per week and is scheduled to open in 2014.
The Port Authority declined to comment Monday.
