Educacion

The tower gained notoriety when it withstood the magnitude 7.9 1957 earthquake, thanks to its outstanding design and strength. This feat garnered it recognition in the form of the American Instituteof Steel Construction Award of Merit for "the tallest building ever exposed to a huge seismic force" (as is attested by plaques in the building's lobby and observation deck). However, an even greatertest came, by far, with the magnitude 8.1 September 19, 1985 earthquake, which destroyed many buildings in Mexico City, especially the ones built downtown, in the tower's neighborhood. The TorreLatinoamericana withstood this force without problems, and has thus become a symbol of safety in Mexico City. Today the tower is considered one of the safest buildings in the city despite its potentiallydangerous location.
While it was being built, detractors said that there was no way a building of that size could withstand one of Mexico City's earthquakes. It was indeed the very first really highskyscraper built on a very active seismic zone. It was also the first one built with a fully aluminum and glass (both clear and cobalt-colored) façade.
There is a legend that on the day of the 1957earthquake, Dr. Leonardo Zeevaert was inspecting something or other on the roof of the tower, and that he got to see and feel how his tower withstood the quake while the surrounding buildings collapsed.The truth is that during the September, 1985 earthquake, which took place at 7:19, Adolfo Zeevaert was already inside his office on the 25th floor. From that vantage point he was able to witness thedestruction taking place while several buildings collapsed and the dust cloud that followed, all the while feeling the movement inside the tower. It could arguably be said that it was the first timethat a builder and designer of a tall building witnessed first hand its behavior during a massive earthquake.
Current use

The tower is now co-owned by its original builder La Latinoamericana,...