Construction workers on the site of Apple's soon-to-open retail location right at the heart of Midtown Manhattan have taken the wraps off the 32-foot glass cube that marks the store's entranceway. The "unveiling" revealed a dangling, backlit Apple logo that creates the illusion that it is floating inside the cube.

The informal unveiling began at around 7:50pm ET, Wednesday night when workers raised a scissor-lift to the sides of the cube. They then slowly began to peel sheets of the black plastic material concealing its design.

It seems that the logo is milky-white, measuring around 12 inches thick; it creates the "floating illusion" inside the cube when it is actually suspended from the top of the cube by a substantial stainless steel pole.

Inside the cube is a spiral glass staircase and a glass-enclosed cylindrical elevator that will transport future consumers from the plaza outside the GM building to the 20,000 sq.ft. Apple retail haven.

At about 3:30am ET, Thursday, the "floating" Apple logo beamed for the first time so some company executives could see its effect. It was turned off immediately, until after 45 minutes when the lights of the logo came back on permanently. The official opening of the much-talked about Apple Retail Store would be today, May 19, 2006 at 6:00pm ET. In a way, the official opening commemorates  the opening of the first Apple retail store 5 years ago.