Sydney Tower Eye
| Sydney Tower | |
|---|---|
Sydney Tower as of 2009
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| Alternative names | Sydney Tower, AMP Tower, Westfield Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower |
| General information | |
| Type | Observation and communications tower |
| Location | Sydney, Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°52′13.64″S 151°12′32″E / 33.8704556°S 151.20889°ECoordinates: 33°52′13.64″S 151°12′32″E / 33.8704556°S 151.20889°E |
| Construction started | 1970 (office building), 1975 (tower) |
| Completed | 1981 |
| Cost | A$26 million |
| Owner | Westfield, Operated By Trippas White Group and The Merlin Entertainments Group |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 309 m (1,014 ft) |
| Top floor | 268 m (879 ft) for Sydney Tower Skywalk |
| Technical details | |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Donald Crone and Associates |
Sydney Tower is Sydney's tallest structure and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. Auckland's Sky Tower is taller but Sydney Tower's main observation deck is almost 50 m (164 ft) higher than the observation deck on Auckland's Sky Tower. The name Sydney Tower has become common in daily usage, however the tower has been known as the Sydney Tower Eye,AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower or just Centrepoint. The Sydney Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.
The tower stands 309 m (1,014 ft) above the Sydney central business district (CBD), located on Market Street, between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets. It is accessible from the Pitt Street Mall, Market Street or Castlereagh Street and sits above the Westfield Sydney (formerly Centrepoint) shopping centre. The tower is open to the public, and is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the city, being visible from a number of vantage points throughout town and from adjoining suburbs.
While the shopping centre at the base of the tower is run by the Westfield Group, the tower itself is occupied by Trippas White Group, which owns and operates Sydney Tower Dining, and Merlin Entertainments, which owns and operates the Sydney Tower Eye and Oztrek.
Designed by Australian architect Donald Crone the first plans for Sydney Tower were unveiled in March 1968. Construction of the office building commenced in 1970, and tower construction began in 1975. Prior to construction of the tower, the height limit in Sydney had been set at 279 m (915 ft), to allow for safe overflights by flying boats.
Public access to the tower began in August 1981. The total cost of construction was A$36 million. In 1998, the addition of a lightning rod to the top of spire extended the tower's overall height to 309 m (1,014 ft), which is 327 m (1,073 ft) above sea level.
While AMP managed the Centrepoint shopping centre, the tower was officially referred to as "AMP Tower". After the Westfield Group took over ownership of Centrepoint in December 2001, the name was changed to Sydney Tower.
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