For about a year, I worked in 7 World Trade and had a great view from the 46th floor. (We’ve since moved.) Looking slightly southwest, and up, I’d always see this window on the north face of 1 World Trade and could never figure out why it was different. Is it a lightning rod mechanism? Is it from the time window washers got stuck on 1 WTC? (That seemed to be the south face according to NY Times.) Is it a window that can be removed from the inside to evacuate? I’ve been wondering this for ages—any thoughts would be appreciated. —A.

Those are temporary braces for the replacement of a panel of glass, said a rep for the Durst Organization. (The idea, added a rep for the Port Authority, is that the window needs to be held in place while the glue dries.) The braces likely haven’t been removed because the only way to do it is via the window-washing system, which has proved problematic. From the Real Deal in late 2016:

A majority of the windows at One World Trade Center haven’t been washed since 2015, because the system used to suspend the washers isn’t safe, a representative for the Durst Organization told The Real Deal. Typically, a boom at the top of the building lowers a window-washing rig that moves horizontally as the boom moves along a track on the roof. But in early 2016, Durst noticed that welding in the track—where pieces of metal are joined together—was riddled with cracks. The track, built in 2013, also has undersized bolts and suffers from other design flaws, said Jordan Barowitz, a spokesperson for Durst.

And if the floor is unoccupied, then there’s less of a rush to complete the job.

Got a question? Email tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

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