Willis Tower (Chicago)

From Towrs

ALTERNATE NAMES

• Sears Tower (Chicago)
• Willis Plaza (Chicago)

WELL KNOWN FACTS

The Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world from 1973-1998, when it was surpassed by the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Now the "7th Tallest Building in The World" as of March 2009. That's only because the unoccupied ornamental spires of the towers in Kuala Lumpur passed Sears' Roof. Soon in 2000, Sears' west antenna was raised from 1,707 feet, to 1,726 feet. To explain the smaller spires on each side of the Antennas, they are transmitters, so Chicago can have HDTV. The whole building is a Bundled Tube structure.

• Geoffrey Baer says the Sears Tower is a "visual icon and reference point" for the whole city, and thinks "what gives", on the Petronas Towers in Malaysia with the unoccupied ornamental spires surpassed Sears Tower's roof, but "understands that Taipei 101 surpassed both buildings in 'height of roof' and 'height of spires' in 2003".

RECENT NEWS

• March 11, 2009: The Wall Street Journal reported that if insurance giant The Willis Group considers its offices in this building it would be renamed The Willis Tower. This would be the first time in Chicago History to rename one of the tallest buildings in the city. The last time this happened was when the Aon Center (Chicago) used to be known as the Amoco Building in 2003.
• May 1, 2009: Plans are announced to add a glass floored outdoor viewing gallery to the skydeck.
• May 12, 2009: 5 Miami Men were convicted of a crime for plotting to join Al Queda in destroying the Sears Tower, the police arrested them after the Mistrial.
• May 12, 2009: Willis is seeking to get a tax break from the City of Chicago for $3.8 million in subsidy for the 110 Storey Tower.
• July 11, 2009: Willis officially moves into the tower. Having the tower renamed Willis Tower.
• August 5, 2009: United Airlines announced at 8:45 this morning that they will move their operations to the Willis Tower.

SKYDECK PICTURES

Chicago Skyline as seen from the Skydeck, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

311 South Wacker as seen from the Skydeck, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

SEARS TOWER CHICAGO PICTURES

Sears Tower during the Christmas Holiday Season, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower as seen from the El at Lake and Wells, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower as seen from Washington & Franklin at night, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Willis Tower (Chicago) with 111 South Wacker on the right as seen from Monroe and Franklin looking south, 2005. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower as seen looking up southwest at Monroe & Franklin. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower (Chicago)-Willis Tower (Chicago) as seen looking straight up the east facade, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Willis Tower (Chicago) as seen looking south on Franklin near Adams, 2005. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower at Night from in the "Loop". Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower&The Bean 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Willis Tower (Chicago) as seen looking southwest from Monroe near Wells, 2005. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower (Chicago)-Willis Tower (Chicago) as seen from the southwest corner of Wabash and Van Buren, May 2, 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower as seen from Adams and Wabash, 2008. Photograph © Wayne Lorentz. Courtesy of Chicago Architecture Info.

Sears Tower from Ping Tom Park, 2006. Photo By: Brent Kampert

Sears Tower in LEGO Form. Photo By: Brent Kampert

A Drawing I made of the Sears Tower (Chicago) and AT&T Corporate Center (Chicago) at night, 2007. Photo By: Brent Kampert

The Sears Tower (Chicago)-Willis Tower (Chicago) seen from Wabash and Symphony Center Parking Lot, looking west in 2009. Photo By: Brent Kampert

The Sears Tower-Willis Tower from inside of the "Rock 'N' Roll McDonald's" in River North, 2007. Photo By: Brent Kampert

SEARS TOWER PETITION LINK

• Sears Tower Petition Voting
• Aerial Photo of Sears Tower looking southwest from Marina City East Building.