Still No. 1 in our hearts. (ESB)

As of today, as you probably already know, 1 World Trade Center reached the historic height of 1,271 feet, eclipsing the Empire State Building and reclaiming its place as the tallest building in the city. In honor of that achievement, the tower will be lit up red, white and blue tonight. The Observer asked Tony Malkin, owner of the iconic tower, what he thought of being No. 2 again.

“The world's most famous office building, the ancestor of all super-tall towers, welcomes our newer, taller cousin to the skyline," Mr. Malkin responded in an email. "We've watched you grow, and now we salute you." He signed it as "Empire State Building."

It is a fitting tribute, if also unusual, considering Empire State Building staff were told not to discuss its "cousin's" ascent, according to New York magazine.

Meanwhile, Curbed had a rather amusing video of the history-making column rising to the top of 1 World Trade. It underscores both the banality and the eager emotions surrounding this milestone. We have waited so long for that column to be but into place, though it is still just a 26-foot-long piece of structural steel. This is just another construction site, but also the most important one in the world.

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC