Freedom Tower spire arrives in New York City

Barbizon has been working behind the scenes on a pretty interesting project.  The developers of the Freedom Tower were looking to make the lighting for the building's spire as energy efficient as possible.  The Barbizon New York systems group worked with the building's designers on a plan that lights both the various levels of the spire, but also the rotating beacon at the very top in an energy efficient manner. 

There'll be much more information coming out about this soon, but the excitement at the New York offices are ramping up because there's a story on the NBC Photo Blog about the pieces of the tower finally arriving in NYC.  The following is a repost from:
http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/11/15847647-freedom-tower-spire-arrives-in-new-york-city?lite
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Parts of the spire for the Freedom Tower make their way
on a barge to lower Manhattan on Dec. 11 in New York City.

Freedom Tower spire arrives in New York City
By NBC News and news services

Chris Pedota / Pool via Getty Images

The barge is carrying nine pieces of steel that will eventually top off One World Trade Center at a symbolic 1,776 feet, becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

The pieces that make up the giant spire that will sit atop the World Trade Center's tallest building arrived in New York City on Tuesday.

A barge carried nine pieces of the 408-foot steel spire across New York Harbor from New Jersey's Port Newark.  Meanwhile, workers on the 104-story skyscraper were busy pouring concrete that will hold the spire.

The trade center's director of construction, Steven Plate, said the spire marks a post-9/11 milestone that signifies New York City is "better than ever."

The heaviest piece weighs nearly 70 tons.  The spire is expected to rise into the Manhattan sky by spring.

 An artist's rendering shows the lower Manhattan skyline as proposed after the construction of the future Freedom Tower, left, and other buildings. via Getty Images

Plate says the 1,776-foot high-rise — symbolizing America's freedom — will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. 

The high-rise is one of five new skyscrapers planned for the new World Trade Center. The project will also include a 9/11 memorial and museum, a transportation hub, 550,000 square feet of retail space and a performing arts center.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Here's a story for CBS This Morning about the install.