Topping The Trump Tower

By Marcus Gilmer in Miscellaneous on Dec 12, 2008 6:55PM

After several delays, it looks like plans are a-go for another attempt to install the spire at the top of Trump Tower downtown. With a permit likely to be issued today, it looks like the only thing that could hold up the installation is foul weather predicted for this weekend, particularly on Sunday.

"The actual permit has been printed but not yet delivered," Andrew Weiss, an executive vice president with the Trump Organization, said Thursday night in a telephone interview from New York. City officials are expected to bring the permit to the site of the 92-story hotel and condominium tower on Friday, he said.

Asked if there are any hurdles that could block the installation, Weiss said: "Not to my knowledge." However, he explained that the helicopter, which is parked at Midway Airport, must be inspected Friday morning. "As of right now," he added, "there's still a few loose ends that don't appear to be a cause for alarm."

If given the green light, the installation would begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning and could continue for two more days. Blair Kamin explains the process of installation like so:

The bottom of the spire already is built and protrudes above the skyscraper's roofline. The remaining sections of the spire were lifted into place by a construction crane and now sit on the roof, "standing like soldiers in a row," Weiss said. The helicopter will pick up the sections, one at a time, and hover over the spire. Construction workers will be sure that the sections are properly aligned and will then bolt them into place.

While only symbolic, it would still signal something of a victory for the beleaguered tower whose owner - The Donald - continues to run into all kinds of problems over the tower.