Posted July 1, 200915 yr Lofty 'green' renovation for Sears Tower Going Green | Skyscraper work to cost $350 mil., new hotel planned By David Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times June 25, 2009 Sears Tower is "going green" while keeping its attire of basic black. The tower's owners are planning a rooftop-to-plaza renovation to conserve energy and power up its financial performance. The makeover detailed Wednesday calls for giving the tower a new neighbor, a 50-story hotel that the Sears owners said would feature "net zero" use of energy. They said changes to the tower itself will cut its appetite for electricity by 80 percent. The work on the 110 -story tower should cost about $350 million, said John Huston, principal with American Landmark Properties Ltd. Read more at http://www.suntimes.com/business/1636981,sears-tower-green-hotel-062409.article
July 1, 200915 yr Author Lofty 'green' renovation for Sears Tower Skyscraper work to cost $350 mil., new hotel planned This architectural rendering is a view of the 66th floor roof of the Sears Tower with proposed solar panels (left) and wind turbines. This architectural rendering shows the Sears Tower with plans to install green roofs on the 50th, 66th and 90th floors. Plans also include construction of a 50-story, 500-room luxury hotel (left) next door.
July 1, 200915 yr Author Sears Tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies CHICAGO — Visitors to the Sears Tower's new glass balconies all seem to agree: The first step is the hardest. "It's like walking on ice," said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, Calif., who said her heart was still pounding even after stepping away from the balcony. "That first step you take — 'am I going down?"' Kemp was among the visitors who got a sneak preview of the balconies Wednesday. "The Ledge," as the balconies have been nicknamed, opens to the public Thursday. Children stand on "The Ledge," a five-sided glass box on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower. A view of Wacker Drive as seen through the floor of a new glass balcony on Chicago's Sears Tower that juts out 1,353 feet above ground level.
July 1, 200915 yr Author Sears Tower set to open ‘Ledge’ to thrill seekers Glass platform suspended from 103rd floor Skydeck, can hold 5 tons The above link contains a video from this morning's Today Show. Warning: Don't watch the video if you suffer from vertigo!
July 1, 200915 yr Man I wanna walk out on the ledge when I head to Chicago sometime next month. Good to see they want to green the Sears Tower.
July 2, 200915 yr WHOA. EDIT: More photos of the Glass Balconies: http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Chicago/photo//090701/480/9ffd3328812f4de8a2b4e00e351417d9//s:/ap_travel/us_sears_tower_ledge
July 10, 200915 yr Those glass box death traps are scary! I couldn't take it. Its secure, just not for b*tch like me.
July 11, 200915 yr The glass on it actually looks thinner than the one in the CN Tower. I think they said it was 4 inches thick (in Toronto)
July 11, 200915 yr My brother would be the kind of joker who would walk out onto this thing and start jumping up and down and say something like.. "Ha!.. Let's test this thing and see how strong it really is!" Afterall, it is supposed to be strong enough to hold how many tons?
July 16, 200915 yr The change of name from "Sears Tower" to "Willis Tower" is an insult to the building and it's history. It's almost as taboo as changing the name of th Chrysler Building or Empire State Building. While the company, Willis Holdings, is a great move for Chicago, there is no reason for a name change. Please visit the following link and sign the petition to keep it Sears Tower if you support keeping it. http://www.itsthesearstower.com/
July 16, 200915 yr The change of name from "Sears Tower" to "Willis Tower" is an insult to the building and it's history. It's almost as taboo as changing the name of th Chrysler Building or Empire State Building. While the company, Willis Holdings, is a great move for Chicago, there is no reason for a name change. Please visit the following link and sign the petition to keep it Sears Tower if you support keeping it. http://www.itsthesearstower.com/ How do you know this? If the building didn't need the money, they would not have offered naming rights.
July 16, 200915 yr The petition is a waste of time, IMO. There's much more serious losses Chicagoans have had to deal with....You know LaSalle Bank, Wards and Marshall Fields. I'd take Willis Tower over Empty Tower, which is exactly what this skyscraper was on its way to being. What part of history does Sears deserve? They bailed on their city for the suburbs and aren't exactly a first rate department store. Why not honor the loss of the stockyard or the steel industry, the true builders of Chicago.
July 16, 200915 yr Author Willis who? Sears Tower gets new name Some in Chicago refuse to accept 'Willis Tower' as name for iconic building
November 18, 200915 yr Author Waves of creativity: Aqua, the world's tallest building designed by a woman-owned firm, is one of Chicago boldest--and best--new skyscrapers Chicago Tribune - Blair Kamin Aqua, the spectacular new Chicago skyscraper with the sensuous, undulating balconies, is the pearl of the long-running, now-ending Chicago building boom, a design that is as fresh conceptually as it is visually. Located just north of Millennium Park at 225 N. Columbus Drive, the 82-story tower is still in the finishing stages, so it is impossible to fully assess whether its function is as successful as its form. Nonetheless, it can be said that Aqua is remarkable on several counts. It is the tallest building designed by a woman-owned architectural firm and the first skyscraper from Chicago’s Jeanne Gang, of Studio Gang Architects, who is just 45 years old. Aqua also is a real estate miracle: Its financing documents were signed in late August 2007 — just before the credit crunch hit it. Had the tower been delayed by 60 to 90 days, says the building’s architect-of-record and co-developer, Jim Loewenberg, it might never have been built. None of this would matter without Gang’s singular design, whose three chief components are hotel space on floors 4 through 18, apartments on floors 19 through 52 and condominiums from floors 53 to 81. There are also shops, parking and townhouses facing an adjoining park. More at http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/11/waves-of-creativity-aqua-the-worlds-tallest-building-designed-by-a-woman-is-one-of-chicago-boldestan.html
November 18, 200915 yr Author I'm not usually into the "blob-itecture" style of design. But I thought the Aqua was noteworthy. Using those projecting balconies to create a sculptural rippling form over a standard boxy skyscraper was a very clever design trick.
November 18, 200915 yr I don't like this building. I can see it from my office. The railings on the balcony are so cheap and the "balcony'" are approximately 5'5" wide at the entry point. Its very mediocre
November 18, 200915 yr I don't like this building. I can see it from my office. The railings on the balcony are so cheap and the "balcony'" are only 5.5: wide at the entry point. Its very mediocre But an 81st floor penthouse would be high enough for you! If I owned one of those I don't know that I'd be able to use the balcony....
November 18, 200915 yr I don't like this building. I can see it from my office. The railings on the balcony are so cheap and the "balcony'" are only 5.5: wide at the entry point. Its very mediocre But an 81st floor penthouse would be high enough for you! If I owned one of those I don't know that I'd be able to use the balcony.... Boo, you know I like OLD preware buildings. That new fangled glass crap is so tired to me. They're everywhere and all the units look alike.
November 18, 200915 yr I don't like this building. I can see it from my office. The railings on the balcony are so cheap and the "balcony'" are only 5.5: wide at the entry point. Its very mediocre But an 81st floor penthouse would be high enough for you! If I owned one of those I don't know that I'd be able to use the balcony.... Boo, you know I like OLD preware buildings. That new fangled glass crap is so tired to me. They're everywhere and all the units look alike. Yeah.... I was curious what the interiors looked like, so I found some pictures of the rental units online. They pretty much look like the 668 Euclid interiors..... just a whole lot more expensive!
November 18, 200915 yr ^^I think I would have issues with that balconey railing very high up as well. I certainly wouldn't allow any kids outside.
November 18, 200915 yr If I owned one of those I don't know that I'd be able to use the balcony.... That's what I was thinking. But maybe I'd get used to it. I experimented with highrise living recently and liked it much more than I thought I would. Views can be totally mesmerizing. Whether or not I'd want to live there, those balconies really are pretty sweet when viewed from the ground. So much better than a blank box or the typical uniform lines of balconies. Helps break up the glare of the glass too.
November 18, 200915 yr If I owned one of those I don't know that I'd be able to use the balcony.... That's what I was thinking. But maybe I'd get used to it. I experimented with highrise living recently and liked it much more than I thought I would. Views can be totally mesmerizing. Whether or not I'd want to live there, those balconies really are pretty sweet when viewed from the ground. So much better than a blank box or the typical uniform lines of balconies. Helps break up the glare of the glass too. the railings are skinny iron railings. For all the money they couldn't come up with a better and more architecturally pleasing rail?
November 18, 200915 yr I'm not terribly afraid of heights but I would be paranoid about dropping something and it rolling under the rail and plummeting to lord knows what below.
November 18, 200915 yr I'm not terribly afraid of heights but I would be paranoid about dropping something and it rolling under the rail and plummeting to lord knows what below. Actually, I do want to know what happens. I've dropped a penny here and there. >:D
December 22, 200915 yr I find the building very interesting. I'm not into the every building needs to be a statement thing, but this is interesting.
December 22, 200915 yr I have to agree with UncleRando. While I think it's hideous, at least it brings something new to the table, err cityscape.
December 22, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg
December 22, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy.
December 22, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy. That's just crazy or photoshop!
December 22, 200915 yr Good god my palms sweat just looking at that photo. Well that will come in handy for .... nevermind. >:D :P
December 22, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy. That's just crazy or photoshop! Heh, I'm acquainted with the guys in the photo, crazy is the right word to describe them.
December 22, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy. That's just crazy or photoshop! Heh, I'm acquainted with the guys in the photo, crazy is the right word to describe them. You need better acquaintances!
December 22, 200915 yr i like this building. at least from a distance it looks cool. well i guess it would seem to be a better fit for the florida coast than chicago. the ratner's gehry beekman going up in downtown manhattan is doing a similar wavy thing, except with stainless steel. say does anyone know if they bumped up the height here chicago-style (ie., by packing car parking into it)?
December 22, 200915 yr i like this building. at least from a distance it looks cool. well i guess it would seem to be a better fit for the florida coast than chicago. the ratner's gehry beekman going up in downtown manhattan is doing a similar wavy thing, except with stainless steel. say does anyone know if they bumped up the height here chicago-style (ie., by packing car parking into it)? IIRC, the parking is below ground.
December 23, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy. That's just crazy or photoshop! It's not photoshop, they climbed up the fire escape of our building. We thought the photos were cool, but they were caught on surveillance camera pointed out one of the fire escape windows. It takes far less time than photoshop and is easier to get onto a lot of Chicago roofs than most people think, if no effort at all. I don't know if Aqua was staged, but the other Chicago buildings are legit in person visits.
December 23, 200915 yr It's an interesting facade treatment that isn't very expensive. As for you balcony haters, stop being such wimps! see: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3855256580_dca234f4dc_o.jpg ^That just made me dizzy. Oy. That's just crazy or photoshop! It's not photoshop, they climbed up the fire escape of our building. We thought the photos were cool, but they were caught on surveillance camera pointed out one of the fire escape windows. It takes far less time than photoshop and is easier to get onto a lot of Chicago roofs than most people think, if no effort at all. I don't know if Aqua was staged, but the other Chicago buildings are legit in person visits. Honey, those bitches are crazy to sit out on a ledge!
December 24, 200915 yr Not really unless you are the type to pass out when exposed to heights when daily the average person typically experiences far worst risks.
December 26, 200915 yr pssst about balcony width: Balconies extend as much as 12 feet from the tower's perimeter, and are concentrated outside of living rooms so that bedroom windows have more open views. http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=aqua-chicago-il-usa
March 22, 201015 yr I've noticed they've begun to remove the horrific concrete panels on the exterior of Wrigley Field. Found more info in this blog http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2010/3/15/1373171/wrigley-field-offseason-rehab-work For now, it's chain link, but there's alot of redevelopment plans for the stadium and surrounding businesses as well as a possible reclad of the stadium to something more historic looking and tasteful. Some areas across from Wrigley would also be demolished (hardly a loss) and replaced by a mixed use development. Many residents didn't like the height, so the building was lowered a couple floors. Now another mixed used building is proposed right up against the stadium that may be up to 6 floors. I'll try to get some pics of the exterior after work Monday.
March 25, 201015 yr are there any aerial renderings of how the new mixed-use development will look like?
March 25, 201015 yr Author Thanks for the Wrigley Field info. That's a real improvement to its exterior. As great as Wrigley is on the inside, it was kind of dull on the outside. The new glass panels really lighten its appearance and open it up. Please feel free to post any Wrigleyville developments here as well. They sound promising.
March 25, 201015 yr Author are there any aerial renderings of how the new mixed-use development will look like? Found this at the Chicago Cubs website: "The Chicago Cubs have released new illustrations of proposed Wrigley Field bleacher improvements and a new building planned for the parking lot west of the Friendly Confines. The team and the City of Chicago have reached agreement on these designs, which reflect four years of input from community residents and City officials." MORE RENDERINGS: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/ballpark/expansion.jsp
March 25, 201015 yr Looks great! I am in the process of trying to move to one of those rectangles just outside of the center field/left field area. I've heard parking is a nightmare so the deck is hopefully going to improve that.
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