Freedom Tower
Freedom Tower is the nickname of the proposed centerpiece of the new World Trade Center site.
The Freedom Tower is a building in Miami that serves as a memorial to Cuban immigration.
Originally completed in 1925 as the headquarters and printing facility of the Miami News & Metropolis newspaper, it is an example of Mediterranean Revival style with design elements borrowed from the Giralda Bell Tower in Seville, Spain. Its cupola on a 255 foot tower contained a decorative beacon.
In the 1950s the newspaper failed and the building was vacant. As refugees from the Castro regime came to Miami, the federal government used the tower to process, record and provide medical and dental services for the immigrants. After the wave of immigration had passed, the government sold the building in the 1970s. Passing through several owners, the building became dilapidated until 1997 when a prominent member of the Cuban-American community, Jorge Mas Canosa purchased the building for $4.1 million USD.
Now the building is a monument to the Cubans who fled to America. It is occupied by a museum, library, meeting hall, and the offices of the Cuban American National Foundation.
