At 1,450 feet in height (or 1,730 feet if you add the antennas), the Sears Tower has been a landmark since the early 1970s.
You can go up to the 103rd flood and see more than 50 miles in any direction on a clear day. Looking southeast you can see Soldiers Field, Lake Michigan and Indiana.
In July of this year (2009) glass ledges were opened so you can step more than 4 feet away from the building. Well, okay, you are standing on glass.
However, this past May the Sears Tower officially became known as the Willis Tower. Willis Group Holdings is based out of London.
But to old timers like me, the Sears Tower will forever be the Sears Tower. Years ago my daughter and I went to the top of the Sears Tower on a Saturday morning. It was just her and me. I will not forget that experience.
The Sears Catalog is now gone and I miss it. .
But, as long as that building looks over the City with Broad Shoulders, it will always be the Sears Tower.
If you ever happen to be in Chicago, be sure to go up to the Sky Deck of the one and only Sears Tower.
Thanks for stopping by.
5 comments:
Merry Christmas Russell! And yes, the Sears catalog was very important in my house, growing up in a town with no department stores - being able to order something and pick it up at the catolog outlet was a big deal. We would cut out pictures of things we wanted for Christmas and make our own "wish books."
Merry Christmas, Russell and Bailey!
Our CN Tower (at 1815 ft) has a glass floor too - though this ledge looks even more crazy to dare set a foot upon. It's an incredibly strange feeling to step out like that and trust that what you know logically is structurally sound but visibly precarious.
Thanks for your comments!
Yes, the CN Tower is actually taller than the Sears Tower (I refuse to call it the Willis Tower - heh!).
There is a debate about buildings versus towers. I noticed the literature is always careful to say the Sears Tower is the tallest "building" in North America, etc.
Yet, the CN Tower has that beautiful restaurant literally suspended in the sky. To me that should count as a "building" I suppose...
Both buildings are miracles of architecture. I hope to visit both of them and step out on those glass observation decks!
wow pretty tall. All we have out here that is tall are Mountains. That glass floor is kinda spooky but I would try it.
Neat post, Russell. MB
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