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Construction Of Tallest Skyscraper West Of The Mississippi Nears Completion

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) -- A new skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles has become the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

Construction workers on Saturday placed a 10-ton spire atop the Wilshire Grand Tower. The spire adds 160 feet to the 73-story building. That makes it 1,099 feet high.

READ MORE on CBS L.A.: Final Piece Of Tallest Building West Of Mississippi Put In Place

That's 81 feet higher than nearby U.S. Bank Tower, which held the tallest building record since 1989.

The Wilshire Grand still has some construction work scheduled. The $1 billion hotel and office complex is scheduled to open next March.

© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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