Mexico is to build the tallest skyscraper in Latin America, the capital city's government announced Monday.
The 70-floor and 300-meter-high building, named "La Torre Bicentenario" (Bicentennial Tower), will surpass Reforma Avenue's Torre Mayor, which was inaugurated in 2003 as Latin America's tallest building at 225 meters and 55 floors.
Construction is expected to begin later this year and the building's inauguration is planned for 2010, the year Mexico celebrates the 200th anniversary of the start of its fight for independence from Spain, said Mercelo Erbrard, the capital's mayor, in a statement posted on the city government's website.
The skyscraper will be built in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, considered a safe zone in the event of earthquakes.
Some 85 percent of the building is designed to be offices, while the remaining 15 percent will house convention centers, restaurants and shopping centers.
The building will cost an estimated 600 million U.S dollars, and Spain's Pontegadea group and Mexico's Danhos group have signed up as investors.
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas designed the tower. He won the Ptitzker 2000 award and his masterpieces include Oporto's Music House in Portugal and the Leeum Samsung Art Museum in Seoul.
Erbrard said this tower is one of Mexico's most important projects intended to place the capital on the international stage.
Source: Xinhua
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