Located on the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland, the Baltimore World Trade Center is the world's tallest regular pentagonal building. It was designed by the firm of the famous architect I.M. Pei, with the principal architects being Henry Cobb and Pershing Wong. The building was completed in 1977 at a cost of $22 million. The building was positioned so that a corner points out towards the waters of the Inner Harbor, suggesting the prow of a ship. Perched at the Harbor's edge, the building appears to rise out of the water when viewed from certain vantage points. An observation deck on the 27th floor, called "Top of the World," provides a 360-degree view of the city. The observation deck is open to the public during daytime hours. Following the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, for several months additional protection was given to the Baltimore building due to its prominent status on Baltimore's skyline. Hurricane Isabel flooded the Baltimore World Trade Center's basement with 3 million gallons of water in September 2003, destroying electrical, mechanical and telecommunications equipment, serving the entire building, located there. The building remained closed for clean-up for more than a month after the hurricane struck, displacing 60 tenants. The landmark tower houses the headquarters of the Maryland Port Administration and the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.
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