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LOS ANGELES (AP) — 5 p.m.
The tallest building west of the Mississippi River has opened its doors in downtown Los Angeles.
A ribbon-cutting was held Friday for the Wilshire Grand Center. Including a decorative spire, it's 1,100 feet tall.
That's about 80 feet higher than the nearby U.S. Bank Tower, which held the title since 1989.
The $1.2 billion tower is 73 stories of restaurants, hotel, commercial and office space. It's part of a building boom in downtown L.A., where about 20 high-rises are in the works.
The tower also is the first modern high-rise in LA without a flat roof. For decades, the city required emergency helipads, but the builders got permission to use updated fire and escape systems instead.
The tower top is a huge sail-shaped crown that can provide LED light shows.
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