But we went on the Empire State Building's own website - and their numbers seem to question that claim.
Here are the figures - you be the judge.
One World Trade right now is 1,271 feet high. (Eventually it's going up to 1,776, including its antenna.)
Empire is 1,454, including its spire - which when it was installed made it the tallest building in New York, surpassing the Chrysler Building. If my math is right, One World Trade is still 183 feet short of the Empire State.
It is true that One World Trade is higher than Empire's observation deck, at 1,250 feet - that's the highest the public can go. So in that way, One World Trade is bigger.
Maybe times have changed. Maybe Empire is less competitive now than it was when it and the Chrysler Building were fighting it out for height supremacy. I don't know.
But it's a curious world. I'd ask King Kong, but he's not around anymore.
I'm just sayin'.
In any event, the hoopla is non-stop, and you'll see the time-lapse photography of the construction of One World Trade, tonight at 11. And the symbolism is part of the story - the World Trade Center site once again will have the tallest building in New York.
Also tonight - do you like horse racing? There are many who do, and many who do not. Critics will grow in number after they read today's entry in the New York Times about how the entry of casinos at racetracks are upping the wagering and leading to more drugging of horses - and more dead horses. It's a scathing investigative report - and it comes out before Gov. Cuomo's commission looking into the safety of horse racing has come out.
Also at 11, our investigative reporter Jim Hoffer has been talking to whistleblowers, who say that crimes are being hidden by ignoring victims' complaints or by down -grading felonies. Tonight, we hear from victims who say this is exactly what happened to them. They tell Jim they were victimized twice: first by their attackers and then by the police - who ignore them.
We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Lee Goldberg with his AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports. I hope you can join Sade Baderinwa and me, tonight at 11.
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