CHICAGO: Chicago Spire (1600'/2000'/124 floors) (Part Two) [Archive]

spyguy

March 8th, 2006, 11:28 PM

This is a continuation of the original thread started back in July which surpassed 530 posts.

Fordham Spire
Chicago
Roof: 1570' (~479 m)
With water tank: 1600' (~488 m)
With Spire (official height): 2000' (~610 m)
Designed by Santiago Calatrava for the Fordham Company

These are the official renderings:
The latest
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6637/44381315pa.jpg
http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/9195/4625589sy.jpg

Older
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/5084/fordhamhighres2dr.jpg
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/5961/spire37005vz.jpg
Comparison:
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/7973/26towergraphic0yg.gif

Model by STR that is accurate:
http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/5134/fsx0zs9yv.th.jpg (http://img360.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fsx0zs9yv.jpg)

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8076/f19hu.png
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9413/f23kj.png
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/1595/f30ur.png

---------------

Now the latest news from yesterday's SOAR meeting (reported mainly by BVictor):

The meeting was surprisingly well. For the most part most in attendance were in favor of the tower. There were only a few exceptions. One lady who just thought that it was just too dense. And there were the continued questions about traffic, but it was said repeatedly that there will be less traffic than what could be if there were two towers.

Soar was impressed by the logistics and the architecture. They've met several times with the developer to address concerns and they were grateful to him for that.

THIS PROJECT WILL COME BEFORE THE PLAN COMMISSION ON THURSDAY MARCH 16, 2006

There have been a few changes like the seperation of parking from the tower. The tower will now decend uninterupted to the ground, and you will be able to walk all the way around the base.

Deliveries will be made VIA lower Lake Shore Drive. That's where the truck bays will be as well as entrance and exits for the parking. Residents will also be able to enter the parking structure VIA East North Water Street, but they will emphasize using lower LSD. The tower will be covered in all glass-clear. The parking structure will be covered in a lattice work of woven stainless steel.

2PruRocks pointed this out to me cause I hadn't noticed. The roof height has changed. An architect from DeStefano mentioned that there would be 124 rotations, and this was confirmed later on. THE BUILDING IS NOW 124
FLOORS AND THE ROOF HEIGHT IS NOW 1,570'---1,600' TO THE TOP OF THE WATER TANK.

Alderman Natarus was there and he said that he approved of the project and that he would do so at the plan commission meeting. He said that building this tower would put Chicago on the map. i.e. not that it already isn't. He's also done everything possible to keep the traffic on N. Water Street light.

It was mentioned by the developer that there will possible be a restaurant towards the top of the building. There will be baclonies from floor 50 on down. He also mentioned that he hoped to announce the hotel company and some tenative financing sometime in April and hopes to break ground within the next 10-12 months.

Also 2PRUROCKS! mentioned night lighting:
The structrure of the tower will continue below grade and be visible for two levels below from the base. I couldn't completely visualize this but it sounds spectacular. At this time the spire/antenna will not be illuminated at night (although Carely wants it to be) because Natarus is afraid it would then be an easier terroist target. That is why he wont let the Palmolive building becaon be lit up. I also suspect this is why Trump won't be lit up. This made no since to me...Chicago has tons of buildings lit up, are they targets? if so why don't they have to urn off their lights? Trump and FS are almost certainly going to be required to have some sort of becaons for planes to avoid them, so wouldn't theses same lights guide evildoer planes to them? Chicago is already so lit up that theses buildings will still be visible?

On another note the is no agreement in place for the antennea but Carley thinks there will be a need for it. Carely said he was approached just today by the Beitler/LR group and potential broadcasters about the possibility of joing with Carely to use the Fordham Spire atennea I guess instead of their tower. This however is in the very early stages.

And from a week or two ago from BVictor:
Okay, I've just come from the sales center, and this is what I have so far...

They began taking reservations on Saturday for VIP's, not the people who've just signed up online. These are people who immediately wanted to plop down money. So far there are 13 reservations, 1 for a $7million penthouse. In order to reserve you must put down a $20,000 deposit to hold your unit from 30-60 days. After that if you want it you must place a 10% down payment towards the unit and you can use the deposit towards it. They will probably be dealing with the VIP's for the next few weeks then begin dealing with others. Right now only about 130 of the 250 units are being shown because floorplan layouts aren't complete and there's a good chance that they'll change.

The smallest unit of 705 sq feet cost between $805,000-$825,000

A full floor penthouse on floors 90-99 cost between $7,400,000-$8,300,000

Duplexes on floors 100-104 will set you back only $15,500,000-$20,000,000

That is the latest on this project and sorry for taking so long to create a "part two."

Jules

March 8th, 2006, 11:52 PM

This is gonna be one slick tower. :D

Dale

March 8th, 2006, 11:57 PM

Only 13 reservations to date ? Seriously ? I thought they'd gotten that the first day.

Urban Dave

March 8th, 2006, 11:57 PM

:master::master: This is a hot one!

spyguy

March 9th, 2006, 12:03 AM

Only 13 reservations to date ? Seriously ? I thought they'd gotten that the first day.

Well this is the number BVictor reporteda while ago. And this of only some VIPs (whatever that means) and not even all the people interested in the tower. It is also a little risky putting down a reservation on something that hasn't even been approved by the city.

Azn_chi_boi

March 9th, 2006, 12:10 AM

Only one of STR's model work... that you posted...

This building better be built!!!

Bikes

March 9th, 2006, 12:30 AM

I love this tower...

pottebaum

March 9th, 2006, 12:38 AM

That comparison thing isn't accurate anymore, though--The Fordham Spire is now quite a bit taller than the Sears.

And it looks like this thing has a really great chance of being approved! :D

wjfox

March 9th, 2006, 01:07 AM

neilio

March 9th, 2006, 01:29 AM

I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this on here, but I'm not really a fan of this proposal. I don't think it suits Chicago.

Compared to all the boxes around it, it just seems too 'skinny' and delicate somehow, and the spiral effect makes it look rather out of place in my opinion. I think it would look better in somewhere like Dubai, or Shanghai.

Love the height, love the tower...but i agree with you, it just doesnt seem to fit chicago...it would look more in place in Dubai...if it were wider and boxier it would fit chicago's skyline more.

spyguy

March 9th, 2006, 01:34 AM

I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this on here, but I'm not really a fan of this proposal. I don't think it suits Chicago.

Compared to all the boxes around it, it just seems too 'skinny' and delicate somehow, and the spiral effect makes it look rather out of place in my opinion. I think it would look better in somewhere like Dubai, or Shanghai.

Not to go too off-topic, but isn't this the kind of thing Londoners would hate to hear? Replace Fordham Spire with LBT or Bishopgate Tower or even SwissRe and "boxes" with low-rise and perhaps you get the same effect.

STR

March 9th, 2006, 01:50 AM

I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this on here, but I'm not really a fan of this proposal. I don't think it suits Chicago.

Compared to all the boxes around it, it just seems too 'skinny' and delicate somehow, and the spiral effect makes it look rather out of place in my opinion. I think it would look better in somewhere like Dubai, or Shanghai.

Well, those pictures depict the original design, which has since been changed twice. The newer versions fit in much better and are more thought-out in general than the early version above.

ChiLooper

March 9th, 2006, 02:11 AM

I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this on here, but I'm not really a fan of this proposal. I don't think it suits Chicago.

Compared to all the boxes around it, it just seems too 'skinny' and delicate somehow, and the spiral effect makes it look rather out of place in my opinion. I think it would look better in somewhere like Dubai, or Shanghai.

That's actually one of the reasons I love it. It's different, yet beautiful. To have a great skyline, you need more than "boxes and square buildings". This is exactly what Chicago needs.

malec

March 9th, 2006, 02:21 AM

124 floors now, I love it :D

Jules

March 9th, 2006, 03:24 AM

I love how different it is. Let's see if it can't start a revolution of out of place architecture here in Chicago.

STR

March 9th, 2006, 06:15 AM

Here's my latest 3D renderings. The first 5 are pano's of the entire Chicago Skyline as it will appear in 2010. The last 8 are focused solely on Fordham Spire. THe model is based on the latest information and is the most accurate render available to the public.

New Pano's
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7766/p72.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p72.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/9994/p71.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p71.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/426/p74.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p74.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3668/p76.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p76.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2315/p73.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p73.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3358/p75.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p75.jpg)

Fordham Spire version 1.3:
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/452/f78.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f78.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2733/f72.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f72.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2744/f74.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f74.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7193/f71.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f71.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7361/f73.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f73.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6082/f76.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f76.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/1633/f77.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f77.jpg) http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/1829/f75.th.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f75.jpg)

wjfox

March 9th, 2006, 08:54 AM

Not to go too off-topic, but isn't this the kind of thing Londoners would hate to hear? Replace Fordham Spire with LBT or Bishopgate Tower or even SwissRe and "boxes" with low-rise and perhaps you get the same effect.
Not to go too off-topic, but in my opinion LBT suits London far better than Fordham Spire suits Chicago. LBT is designed to imitate the historic Wren church spires of the 17th century and is perfect for London.

Wezza

March 9th, 2006, 09:09 AM

^^
Can't say i agree with you there. Fordham Spire suits Chicago as much as LBT suits London as far as i'm concerned. Actually, i think Fordham Spire probably suits Chicago more because at least it's got plenty of brothers & sisters around it. ;)

themongrel

March 9th, 2006, 05:14 PM

i like the shape of the building and i think, if built, it will become the new centre piece of chicago. but i don't like that spire, spires are cheating a bit anyway, but that one almost looks an after thought. i do hope they build it though.

can anyone do some proper nighttime renderings, showing it with its lights on.

STR

March 9th, 2006, 07:01 PM

I absolutely, unequivocally., 100% disagree that the spire is an after thought. It is very integrated with the design and removing it would ruin the roof and profile. This isn't CITIC Plaza, where it's a box with two simple sticks pointing out, don't treat it as such. The very fact that they're planning on such an elaborate and complicated spire is proof that it is important.

Besides, there's going to be antenna installed anyway, why not spruce it up a bit?

Jules

March 10th, 2006, 12:20 AM

I love the new spire. They definitely improved upon it when they made the changes.

-anti-alias-

March 10th, 2006, 01:09 AM

Alex man

March 10th, 2006, 04:57 AM

To all the doubters and skeptics that people will feel that Fordy does'nt fit in Chicago.
Let it get built and you'll see that Chicagoans will embrace this tower as part of their majestic architecture. Those who grunt now will eventually accept it.
To the euros, us yanks has got us a deep relationship with the skyscraper, we know a good one when we see it. You guys are just beginning to become acquainted.

By the way, that last rendering with the golden sunset is absolutely stunning.

pedang

March 10th, 2006, 06:29 AM

chicago really booming ;)

STR

March 11th, 2006, 08:12 AM

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/2136/pnn5ji.th.jpg (http://img124.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pnn5ji.jpg)

Fragmentor

March 11th, 2006, 10:13 AM

I think its a cool tower, I really do have a problem though with seeing this where it is, yes its right on the river front, but massive towers should always be in the middle in my opinion, this should be much closer to Sears

-anti-alias-

March 11th, 2006, 06:06 PM

To the euros, us yanks has got us a deep relationship with the skyscraper, we know a good one when we see it. You guys are just beginning to become acquainted.

Nonsense comment, specially considering that the architect is european...
:sleepy:

Skyman

March 11th, 2006, 07:35 PM

That's right

TGSwimFly

March 12th, 2006, 06:35 PM

I had read that the floors would rotate a total of 270 degrees from bottom to top, but those renderings look an awful lot like they rotate a full 360 degrees. Is there a new design or was someone's information incorrect?

Or do I just not know what I'm talking about? :tongue2:

STR

March 13th, 2006, 04:58 AM

The building part twists 270*, I'm not quite sure how much the spire twists, but I depict it as an additional 90*.

Cerebus

March 16th, 2006, 10:36 PM

looks like it's gonna get built. From yahoo news: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060316/cgth049.html?.v=45

-------------------------------------------------------

Press Release Source: The Fordham Company

Fordham Spire Receives Approval From City of Chicago Planning Commission
Thursday March 16, 3:26 pm ET
Landmark Calatrava Tower to Rise on the Lake

CHICAGO, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fordham Spire, a new residential and hotel tower designed by famed architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, today received approval from the City of Chicago Planning Commission.

"This is an important day for us. With this approval, we're on our way to adding another architectural treasure to this great city," said Christopher T. Carley, chairman and CEO of Fordham Co., which is developing the Fordham Spire. "We know the Spire will be a beautiful icon of the city's skyline. It will contain 300 of Chicago's finest homes and a five-star hotel."

The 124-story Fordham Spire, measuring 2,000 feet to the top of its spire and 1,600 feet to its roof, will be the tallest structure in the United States. It will be located at North Water Street and Lake Shore Drive, where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan.

Carley has been working to bring one of Calatrava's designs to Chicago for more than three years. Calatrava, a world-renowned architect, artist and engineer, is the recipient of numerous international design awards. His work was the subject of a recent exhibition, Santiago Calatrava: Sculpture into Architecture, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

"I am very happy that people have understood our desire to develop this design beyond the ideas we first presented," said Santiago Calatrava. "Now we have taken everything a step further, in order to connect this building to the city around it."

Following today's approval, confirmation by the full City Council is expected at its next meeting. Completion of the tower is anticipated in 2010.

In today's Chicago Planning Commission meeting, Ald. Burton F. Natarus said, "This is a very unique, historic moment for our city. The Fordham Spire is a profound project, one with great sensitivity to Chicago's great architecture, and I am proud and pleased to support it."

About The Fordham Company

The Fordham Company, founded in 1988 by Christopher T. Carley, is one of the Midwest's premier developers of high-end residences. The company is currently identified with three prestige developments in Chicago's North Michigan Avenue and Gold Coast areas: the distinguished, eight-story 65 East Goethe; the award-winning Fordham Tower at 25 East Superior; and The Pinnacle at 21 East Huron, across from the St. James cathedral. Recently, Fordham Co. acquired the famed Ambassador East Hotel, home to The Pump Room. For more information about the company, visit http://www.fordhamco.com . The Fordham Spire sales office is located at 15 E. Huron and can be reached at 312-587-0660.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: The Fordham Company

spyguy

March 16th, 2006, 10:49 PM

Good news, but this is only one step in the process. We don't know if there is any financing lined up yet.

dubaiflo

March 16th, 2006, 11:32 PM

would be cool if it really goes through...
but i still have doubts honestly.

but it will be quite a good modern addition to the more or less traditional boxy skyline chicago has. :)

Skyman

March 16th, 2006, 11:58 PM

That's really good news for Chicago. It'll get a wonderful landmark and make a new view of the city skyline at last

malec

March 17th, 2006, 12:08 AM

Greatest news in a long time :happy:

pottebaum

March 17th, 2006, 04:57 AM

New rendering out today:

http://images.snapfish.com/346579%3B72%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3238%3E868%3E492%3EWSNRCG%3D3233593%3B899%3B5nu0mrj
Thanks bvictor!

BVictor1

March 17th, 2006, 05:13 AM

A few images from today.

A newer rendering
http://images.snapfish.com/346579%3B72%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3238%3E868%3E492%3EWSNRCG%3D3233593%3B899%3B5nu0mrj

Mr. Calatrava
http://images.snapfish.com/346579%3B72%7Ffp33%3A%3Enu%3D3238%3E868%3E492%3EWSNRCG%3D3233593%3B79%3B63nu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/346579%3B72%7Ffp344%3Enu%3D3238%3E868%3E492%3EWSNRCG%3D3233593%3B79%3B64nu0mrj

Jules

March 17th, 2006, 05:18 AM

Today is a good day.

:dance:

UrbanSophist

March 17th, 2006, 05:25 AM

I'm really glad to be adding Calatrava to the list of distinguished architects in Chicago.

spyguy

March 17th, 2006, 05:39 AM

I love that new rendering. Makes me want to move into Lake Point Tower just so I can gaze at this soaring beauty everyday.

i_am_hydrogen

March 17th, 2006, 05:50 AM

That rendering gave me goosebumps.

Locke

March 17th, 2006, 05:58 AM

This building is Hot! By far and away the best tower Chicago has ever seen.

Finally, and I mean FINALLY someone is thinking outside the boring box in the U.S.

Mr. Maciek

March 17th, 2006, 06:30 AM

thats gonna be freakin huge... looks a million times better then the burj, if only it was taller :bash: :sleepy: :gaah: :dunno: :( :down: :hammer: :jippo: :evil: :mad2: :wallbash: :doh: :cry: :goodnight: owell hopefulli it goes ahead unlike the stupid grollo tower could have after it was approved lol

UrbanSophist

March 17th, 2006, 06:39 AM

I love that new rendering. Makes me want to move into Lake Point Tower just so I can gaze at this soaring beauty everyday.

So.. all that's been stopping you so far is the lack of an incredible landmark within close viewing distance...?

samsonyuen

March 17th, 2006, 10:32 PM

From: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142549413176&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
________________________________
Chicago re-enters tall tower race
Twisting glass spiral on waterfront
CN Tower gets more competition
Mar. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM
NICOLAAS VAN RIJN
STAFF REPORTER

A global epidemic of tower envy is spreading to North America.
First, a consortium of Japanese broadcasters announced plans earlier this week to build a 600-metre-tall tower in Tokyo, leaving Toronto's 553-metre CN Tower sulking deep in its global shadow.
Now Chicago city council's planning commission has given the nod to the Fordham Spire, a 610-metre (2,001-ft) corkscrewing colossus that will create a new exclamation mark in the skyline of the city where the skyscraper was born.
Billed by its developers, the Fordham Co., as "Chicago's first major skyline statement of the 21st century," the slender twisting spire will take form on a weed-infested patch of gravel, grass and trees on the Chicago River near where it empties into Lake Michigan.
"This building will be not only a landmark, but an icon in the skyline of Chicago," Fordham's chairman, Chris Carley, told a Chicago news conference yesterday.
Despite Chicago's nickname as "the windy city," the Fordham Spire is more than just a lot of hot air. In the planning stages since last year, the project is expected to get approval from the full city council at its next meeting March 29.
But not everyone is jumping for joy.
New York developer Donald Trump, who is stickhandling plans for his own — smaller — Chicago tower, thinks the post-9/11 climate has made super-tall buildings chancy.
"In this climate I would not want to build that building," Trump said last year when the project was first announced. "Nor would I want to live in that building.
"Any bank that would put up money to build a building like that would be insane," he added.
But Fordham's Carley wasn't impressed, noting Trump's planned tower, at 415 metres, is itself no wilting lily.
"I wonder where the insanity limit is," Carley wondered last summer, adding "It must be just over" 415 metres.
When built, the Fordham Spire will easily top Chicago's other tall building — the 442-metre Sears Tower.
Billed as North America's tallest building when it's completed by 2010, the Fordham Spire will also dwarf the proposed Freedom Tower in New York, designed to top out at an iconic 1,776 feet, or 541 metres.
Still, there is the United Arab Emirates' Burj Dubai Tower, begun in 2004 and scheduled for completion in 2009.
Its builders claim that tower will top out at 705 metres — closer to 800, actually, including its broadcast mast, which isn't counted in these tall tales.

STR

March 18th, 2006, 01:46 AM

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5262/lc155je.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

TroyBoy

March 18th, 2006, 03:46 AM

STR

March 18th, 2006, 06:42 AM

Using official rules, it would be the full 2,000 feet, making it the 2nd tallest in the world by a fair margin.

Skyman

March 18th, 2006, 03:26 PM

malec

March 18th, 2006, 04:12 PM

The height and design are perfect the way they are. Just build it the way it is.

CrazyDave

March 18th, 2006, 04:48 PM

godblessbotox

March 18th, 2006, 04:59 PM

^^ indeed, i loath that building.

great news for chica land i want to see this building in reality

Skyman

March 18th, 2006, 06:29 PM

This approval is such great news. It might be getting Donald Trump; who is a New Yorker a bit jealous. But, I didn't want the Freedom Tower to be America's Tallest Building, because it's such a horrible design.

You are actually absolutely right, the basic purpose of Freedom Tower is the height of 1776 feet and it's not important how it'll be reached, whether it be the tower with a spike whether or not, in the new proposal of Freedom Tower to me is not pleasant a huge spike, in the Fordham Spire tower the spike presents too but it's perfectly in harmony with design. I sincerely hope that the FS tower will become the America's highest and best one :) :yes:

Febo

March 18th, 2006, 11:48 PM

spygroove

March 19th, 2006, 12:32 AM

Febo, it's still pretty-far from a sure thing. City approval doesn't have much to do with the financing, and it is the latter that stops most supertall projects. That said, there have been a couple of recent developments that may have helped the financing. There was a recent meeting (and rumored deal) for media antennas in the spire and the Fordham Co. CEO has hinted that a major European hotel has signed on for part of the building. The financial plan should be announced soon. It's expected to include a difficult requirement for private unit sales, but that may well be the final significant hurdle.

Personally, I see the sales taking a bit longer than expected, but I do think they'll happen. I'm now predicting that construction will begin in the first quarter of 2007.

i_am_hydrogen

March 19th, 2006, 12:33 AM

So is the Fordham Spire going to be built??? Excellent!! I love it; and it doesn't matter if some people say it won't fit; I think it would look nice in Chicago's skyline. Some might had said the same about 120 years ago when the first skyscrapers in the world were built...
Congratulations for the best skyline in the world(I prefer this to New York's, I find it even more attractive) and hope more projects like this to be constructed!!! :) :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

As of now, Fordham Spire has only been approved. Whether it will end up under construction is still an uncertainty, though it seems increasingly likely that it will end up being a reality (in my humble opinion). Let's keep our fingers crossed. And thanks for your kind remarks about Chicago's skyline.

nomarandlee2

March 19th, 2006, 12:33 AM

The tower is really excellent both on design and on height, but certainly it would be desirable to increase a little height and to make a tower of the highest in the world, but it unfortunately not in our forces, it is possible to hope only that building council will reconsider the project by way of height and will make it above than 2000 feet then it becomes the highest and superiority in height of skyscrapers will pass back to us

Pretty pointless. To make it the highest in the world you would have to shoot for above 2,500ft. THAT would carry a very high risk of making it looks unpropotinal and silly. Plus a sheik in a far off land would just make sure to build something 5 feet taller with front companies to regain the tittle. It is a useless excercise.

pottebaum

March 19th, 2006, 02:38 AM

^Off topic, but what happened to nomarandlee(1)?

Jai

March 19th, 2006, 08:03 AM

http://***************************/random/ogfordhamspire.gif

Spearman

March 19th, 2006, 12:54 PM

This is by far my favourite scraper. I'll go crazy if it gets built :hug:, and I'll be mad if it gets cancelled. :gunz:

GOOOO FORDHAM! :banana:

SNL

March 19th, 2006, 06:41 PM

2nd biggest tower in the world PEOPLE!

they want to start construction later in the year. Wow, that would mean 3 1000 footers under construction at the same time in Chicago.

Geitano55

March 20th, 2006, 12:28 AM

i really love the design, with a simplistic complexity...

only...

i'm from St. Louis, and St. louisans have always kind of felt that Chicago took everything away from them. -_-;; I think that it would really be an amazing building, but i just wish that something that would eventually come here already.

ReddAlert

March 20th, 2006, 02:01 AM

with Fordham approved, Trump and Waterview undercontruction--along with a ton of lesser skyscrapers U.C./Proposed---can we officially say that Chicago will have the best skyline? Sure, it wont have all kinds of neon lights...but it will boast a more impressive visible collection of supertalls than both Hong Kong and NYC in my opinion.

ChiLooper

March 20th, 2006, 03:27 AM

^^ I can agree with that now. I already think it has the best skyline in the world.

danthediscoman

March 20th, 2006, 04:10 AM

I would say that would be an accurate statement. While Chicago lacks the density of highrises in New York it makes up for them with the height that it will have in the next three years or so. I personally believe Chicago has the best skyline in the World currently. New Yorks skyline just does not seem as modern or crisp as Chicago's because of the density factor.

Febo

March 21st, 2006, 03:54 AM

As of now, Fordham Spire has only been approved. Whether it will end up under construction is still an uncertainty, though it seems increasingly likely that it will end up being a reality (in my humble opinion). Let's keep our fingers crossed. And thanks for your kind remarks about Chicago's skyline.
Of course I'll keep my fingers crossed, and lots of people in the world that love Chicago!!
I always found New York the best skyline iduring my childhood, but now I think Chicago's the most spectacular; maybe becuase of the extremely beautiful combination, of those buildings from the 20's with the modern ones( Two Prudential Plaza, just to mention one of them, I love this building!!!). The Sears Tower, in my opinion is THE SKYSCRAPER in the world; Taipei and Petronas doens't existe for me. I simply love Sears Tower and John Hancock Center. the Amoco(or Aon?) could have been a little "happier", but it's also ok.
With the construction of the new buildings, it wil be even better and better...not to mention the Fordham Spire!! I've never been to Chicago and NY:(, I hope I can some day, but I can give my opinion for all the images I saw!
It's all so fine, so tall, so clean, so organised(not messy at all)....that's some of the reasons for what I think Chicago has the best skyline in the world, without a doubt! And that's an opinion from an argentinian-brazilian boy, and believe me, MANY people around the world think the same.
LOVE CHICAGOOO:okay: :okay: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Hecago

March 21st, 2006, 05:25 AM

http://images.snapfish.com/346579%3B72%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3238%3E868%3E492%3EWSNRCG%3D3233593%3B899%3B5nu0mrj

KJBrissy

March 21st, 2006, 12:15 PM

2nd biggest tower in the world PEOPLE!

they want to start construction later in the year. Wow, that would mean 3 1000 footers under construction at the same time in Chicago.

By the time it is finished it probably wont be. There are many buildings in Dubai alone other than BD that are taller than 2000 feet.

Probably will be my favourite supertall if it gets built though!! :)

NaptownBoy

March 21st, 2006, 01:37 PM

Chicago being my favorite city, I am absolutely ecstatic about the Spire! Cant wait to see it!

SNL

March 21st, 2006, 09:16 PM

KJBrissy

March 22nd, 2006, 05:55 AM

There is also Al Burj @ 200 floors
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=226837

and potentially but probably not Princess tower @ 107 floors
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=220471

I got a little excited when I said many, but three definates is still a few.

Mosaic

March 22nd, 2006, 07:07 AM

OMG!!!!!

KJBrissy

March 22nd, 2006, 07:17 AM

Al Burj is not releasing its height as I think they are waiting for Burj Dubai to finish construction before they do.

Hecago

March 22nd, 2006, 07:34 AM

Al Burj is still proposed

malec

March 22nd, 2006, 09:45 AM

KJ,

what are the "many buildings in Dubai alone" that are over 2,000ft? Because cities like New York, London, Hong Kong, ect. don't have anything close to Fordham Spire. Dubai is Chicago's only competition when it comes to 2,000+ ft towers as far as I know.

Currently Dubai only has 2 buildings that will be taller than Fordham Spire and one is Burj Dubai. The other is Park Square Tower. The other buildings in Dubai that are proposed, approved, and under construction are all smaller than the Sears Tower according to Emporis.
The park square tower is, most likely, a dead proposal because when they revised the airport restrictions the tower came under the 300m area. We were supposed to hear news of it at the end of last year but nothing. Al Burj is proposed and is still at least 4 or 5 years away from construction if it does get built. Dubai has a lot of 1000fters but that's because it's easier to build tall res towers (like the fordham spire) and most of them are res or hotel.

So by the time Fordham spire gets built Dubai will have 1 so it'll be the 2nd tallest in the world.

SNL

March 22nd, 2006, 07:10 PM

David Roeder
Comercial Real Estate
Chicago Sun-Times 3/22/2006

SPIRE ASPIRES: A source reports that Christopher Carley is in advanced negotiations with Starwood Capital Group to manage the posh hotel in his 124-story lakefront building designed by Santiago Calatrava. The hotel brand would be Crillon, playing off Starwood's historic Hotel de Crillon in Paris.

Carley said no decision is final and that Crillon is in the running with two other operators of five-star caliber. "We are in a good position to get the best out there," Carley said. Barry Sternlicht, chairman of Starwood, is an ex-Chicagoan who would covet a tie-in with the Calatrava building.

p5archit

March 22nd, 2006, 10:09 PM

Its a great project for a great city-!

Chicago is full of great buildings, both tall and short and the Fordham Spire is another great building with which the city can put a new notch in its belt.

p5

ro2

March 23rd, 2006, 08:49 AM

That's a very large screw !!. It's a beauty. Very very nice. Congratulations Chicago.

Tobi

March 23rd, 2006, 12:17 PM

hmmm, I don't know... it reminds me of something... something sweet and tasty... eeeh...

aha!

http://www.nestle.nl/nice/beeld/handijs_impuls/ijs_imp_pirulo.gif

No but seriously; I don't like this thing at all. I'm really bored by those Calavatra-designs and they just rarely seem appropriate in a real urban environment. This tower is totally not Chicagoish, it's new-age, it's fresh and clean, while Chicago is an old, rusty, industrial city. Am I the only one that just doesn't like this 'wrong place, wrong time-design'?

Chicagotom

March 23rd, 2006, 01:30 PM

Hey - Dutch Boy. Let Chicago figure out what is Chicagoish.

godblessbotox

March 23rd, 2006, 05:31 PM

Tobi... they thought Falling Water was ridiculous when it was built... now every one hails it as one of the best home designs out there. maybe history is repeating itself with Calavatra... in no way am i intending to say that he is frank loyd wright, im just putting it out there.

Blackbelt Jones

March 23rd, 2006, 05:33 PM

This astonishing picture was taken by Djason of:
http://www.djason.net

Permission is given to post the picture, as long as Djason is given credit.

while Chicago is an old, rusty, industrial city. Am I the only one that just doesn't like this 'wrong place, wrong time-design'?

Chicago is also rife with gansters like Al Capone and overflowing with cattle yards! And everyone in NL wears wooden shoes and lives in giant Tulips! ;)

Seriously... have you seen a picture of Chicago in the last 20 years? :) Here is a shot of a park they built over some railroad tracks (trains run beneath).
This shows a nice mix of old and new Chicago,
courteously of fellow forumer (and amazing photog) Djason.
http://www.the-after-party.com/albums/Chicago_2006/Skyline_Night.jpg

For more info on this project, also be sure to check out this thread on SSP: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=101276&page=3

Tobi

March 23rd, 2006, 06:15 PM

lazar22b

March 23rd, 2006, 06:21 PM

^^You're intitled to your own opinion about this building, but im really confused about the things your saying about Chicago. When's the last time you've been there???

Citystyle

March 23rd, 2006, 06:48 PM

Buildings are not ment to fit into citys they are un natural and instead of looking at it in a way that does it fit the city's skyline or image and think about it's great design and uniqueness. FHS will grow into the city and visa versa does trump tower fit Chicago? not alot.

Tobi

March 23rd, 2006, 08:01 PM

I've never been to Chicago, so you're right when saying that I don't know the city well and because of that I'm not entitled to judge whether this tower fits the city right. I'm just basing my opinion about what I know about Chicago (which is quite a lot, since I'm studying urban sociology, which is more or less invented in Chicago as you might know) and on the many pictures and renderings showed on this website.

I'm also aware of the fact that a building might 'grow on you' as time passes by. But still, the design by itself is not that bad, but it just seems to fit better in a 'newschool' city like Dubai or a random Chinese metropole. Once more, I'm not against new urban developments in Chicago, on the contrary, but somehow I'm more fond of this kind of projects, especially when it comes to the old American giants Chicago and NYC.

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/5354/3477059tm.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/264/aqua35jn.jpg

btw: I'm not that fond of Trump Tower either...

Chi_Coruscant

March 23rd, 2006, 08:10 PM

This tower is totally not Chicagoish, it's new-age, it's fresh and clean, while Chicago is an old, rusty, industrial city. Am I the only one that just doesn't like this 'wrong place, wrong time-design'?

Y-E-S, you are the only one. I don't understand your quote on 'dirty side that a real city'. That's sound like you want Chicago to be stuck in 1960-1970 era, that is a difficult time for Chicago while being in urban decline. Today, we bounced back in every way to make Chicago a livable urban city. Perhaps, your thinking is in 'wrong place, wrong time'. :)

wickedestcity

March 23rd, 2006, 10:22 PM

Well, it's not that I don't like to see innovating architecture in Chicago, but personally I just don't like this kind of design for a city like Chicago. Now, I refer to Chicago, but I wouldn't like to see it get built in any other 'old city' either. It just doesn't fit the 'dirty' side that a real city, like Chicago, has. As I said, this thing is just too clean. I think Calavatra is a good designer for bridges and museums and that kind of buildings, but I think his skyscrapers would fit better in Disneyland... I Don't like it, you can hate me for that, so be it... ;)
i your very missinformed on what the chicago of today is like.the chicago of today is like a sculpture that the calatrava towere will only add to. take a walk through the streets and youll quickly notice its perfect lines and perfect curves, combined with cleanlyness. its buildings are strategicly placed to harmonize with each other . the lanscaping is perfectly groomed .\with freshly planted trees and flowers of every color decorate the medians and sidewalks . walkways and streets are perfectly sculptured to provide an artistic sleekness on the pedestrian level all of which colaborate with its soroundings hormoniously . An overall impecable cleanlyness were everything seems to give off an almost overly stirile look and feel in comparison to the chicago or yor. many new buildings sparkel and shimmer providing a delitefull light show to act as a perfect contrast to the older buildings. all older "gritty" buildings were scrubbed clean and restored to there former glory.chicago is quite the visual eye candy ,and a FS will be welcomed with open arms , not only by the people but by its surrounding city ,buildings and landscape.more that this even the FS will fit in to the Chicago architectural mentaity and heritage, one of boldness and inovation.

ok enough of my ranting for now

Tobi

March 23rd, 2006, 11:21 PM

I think you guys interpret the word 'dirty' not the way I mean it. This is not nessecaraly a negative term, it's a sort of urban dirt, caused by city life, which consists of large crowds, busy traffic and so on. Every old city on this planet has a dirty side. It's just like life itself and that isn't perfect either. This tower seems just too perfect, too clean, that's why I don't like it, and why I think it might fit better in a surreal dreamworld like Dubai or something. But once again, maybe it's just a matter of appreciation that simply can't come out of watching the renders, but experiencing it for real. In that case, I solemnly swear I'll be coming to Chicago to see it with my own eyes. :)

SNL

March 24th, 2006, 12:47 AM

nomarandlee2

March 24th, 2006, 06:36 AM

I don't think Tobi is trying to be a hater guys. In fact though it is hard to express I think in a way I think he is showning an appreciation towards Chi-town (though an odd way). At least what I think he is saying is he doesn't want Chicago to LOOK like Dubai or Shanghi. I agree with that. However Chicago has enough soul and charechter (better term then dirty?) that one or even a half dozen ultra-modern artisitc scrapers will not present a false sterile image of the city.
All though the Fordham is very modern and "new age" it is also balenced and delicae and has a sense about it that it minds its own darn buisness. It doesn't scream "come looking at me". Yet everyone will end up doing so anyway.

Tobi

March 24th, 2006, 03:18 PM

I don't think Tobi is trying to be a hater guys. In fact though it is hard to express I think in a way I think he is showning an appreciation towards Chi-town (though an odd way). At least what I think he is saying is he doesn't want Chicago to LOOK like Dubai or Shanghi. I agree with that.
Well yeah, that's another way of putting it. That's kinda what I was trying to say.

However Chicago has enough soul and charechter (better term then dirty?) that one or even a half dozen ultra-modern artisitc scrapers will not present a false sterile image of the city.
And that's what I'm hoping, I mean, it's definately a remarkable building and it's so tall it will put it's mark on the city and I'm just a bit worried that this mark won't do the city good, because it looks damn good as we speak. But perhaps I'm judging this entirely wrong. Let's hope so.

pedang

March 24th, 2006, 04:01 PM

impressive project.

STR

March 27th, 2006, 12:39 AM

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/149/fwin2nl.png (http://imageshack.us)

robituss

March 27th, 2006, 01:46 AM

I think I sort of understand and can agree with Tobi on what he is saying, although i love the FS and definitely want it built in Chicago.

I dont think it really fits Chicago that much either, or the idea of what most people outside of Chicago think it is; an older, gritty, industrialized city with sinister looking signature towers like Hancock and the Sears and Lakepoint.

The FS is a pretty slender elegant tower that basically goes against this idea. It draws a lot more attention than any other buildings in the skyline like a white beacon, and this is evident in the renderings and the dope-ass models that STR does. I personally will welcome the change though, but I also know Chicago will also still have that grit, or dirt as Tobi put it, that older big cities tend to have.

Febo

March 27th, 2006, 05:38 AM

For more info on this project, also be sure to check out this thread on SSP: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=101276&page=3

Wow, amazing picture! Thanks Blackbelt Jones and De Snor; as I said before, it's all so clean, the combination of the old classic buildings with the modern ones is th best I've seen in a city.
So in this(beautiful) city with lots of styles mixed in a perfect skyline, I can't wait to see the Fordham Spire begginig to rise(well, and not to mention when finished):okay::okay: !!!

Richo

March 27th, 2006, 05:52 AM

What an amazing tower!!!!

Can't wait to see this baby rise.

Mosaic

March 27th, 2006, 07:58 AM

Whao!!!!

SNL

March 28th, 2006, 03:11 AM

Jules

March 28th, 2006, 05:40 AM

I'm still not understanding this "dirt and grit" as people put it. Chicago is much cleaner than New York city. And it is one of the cleanest big cities in the world.

Grit doesn't necessarily go hand and hand with being clean. Chicago has plenty of grit, which I find to be a very charming quality, yet it really has little effect on how clean we are.

STR

March 28th, 2006, 05:47 AM

I love grits in the morning.

slow-v6

March 30th, 2006, 08:11 AM

I like the tower but I will have to agree that it doesnt look right in chicago.. I have been to chicago many times.. We use to go there to see my aunt every summer.. In my opinion the Sears Tower is Chicago.. They shouldnt build a skyscraper taller then that!! Thats just my opinion.. I might think of it better when its finished and I see it in person but untill then I like the tower but I dont like it in chicago..

i_am_hydrogen

March 30th, 2006, 08:16 AM

I see so many people saying that FS doesn't fit in with Chicago's skyline. But allowing the current appearance of a skyline to have too much control over whether a given building should be built can foreclose that skyline’s future evolution. Who knows what will happen as Chicago’s skyline grows. We may reach a time when people look at FS and say: "Man, I can't imagine Chicago's skyline without it!" The point is that you can't let the present limit the future.

spygroove

March 30th, 2006, 05:14 PM

Hydrogen expresses my sentiments exactly. The Sears and the Hancock were hugely jarring to people, given the architecture that prevailed at the time. But Chicago was forward-looking and built them anyway. Now, of course, it's hard to imagine the city without them. Our reputation as being architecturally forward-thinking has been strained in recent decades as other cities have embraced the avant garde and we have retreated into some unambitious and derivative works. The Fordham, in my view, is exactly what this city needs. Let's show the world that Chicago still looks to the future.

Spearman

March 30th, 2006, 08:10 PM

^^ and 2*^^Agree :D
Calatrava has stolen this building from my dreams (Only in my dream it was 717m 151fl :drool: ) I think Chicago is the perfect place for this, bc it has the sinister looking 70's architecture to provide the contrast. I'm telling Chicago; you won't regret this http://www.informatik.uni-halle.de/~krause/Smilies/biggrinbounce.gif

Puant

March 31st, 2006, 02:39 AM

Seems to me, an outsider from Packerland (set myself up for crucifixion), but anyway it seems to me that Chicago is the PERFECT place for this kind of tower. I visit Chicago quite often, and I've seen a lot of contemporary towers going up but they're mostly in the "underwhelming" to "whelming" catagory in terms of their size. Kind of like the Bears football team of recent years. Sorry...

Don't get me wrong the newest towers are great buildings, very modern, but they just don't stand out on the skyline. This Fordam spire will change that.

P.S. I recently saw another proposal for a Chicago tower that reflected rock outcropping--I can't remember what it was called but it was VERY cool. I liked the design much better than this Fordam Spire. Hopefullly they both get built, but I'd mostly like to see that other "rock" tower.

spyguy

March 31st, 2006, 05:59 AM

For your enjoyment (heights may change, includes under construction and serious proposals):
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4306/devmap3pf.jpg

Basically the tallest developments in a .5 mile and 1 mile radius. Don't ask why I used miles for the perimeter and then meters for height measurement :bash:

As you can clearly see, most of the talls are going up in a relatively central area not too far from each other.

STR

March 31st, 2006, 06:04 AM

Mosaic

March 31st, 2006, 01:26 PM

Chicago is so great!!!!

spyguy

March 31st, 2006, 04:17 PM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0603310031mar31,1,6363568.story?coll=chi-business-hed

German bank may finance proposed twisting tower

By Thomas A. Corfman, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin contributed to this report
Published March 31, 2006

Developer Christopher Carley is negotiating with German financial giant Deutsche Bank about financing the twisting $550 million lakefront skyscraper to be designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.

Carley earlier this month said he is in final negotiations with an unnamed "European financial institution" that would provide "the entire package of financing" for the luxury 124-story condominium/hotel structure. Carley on Thursday again declined to identify the financial institution, but sources say the name Deutsche Bank has surfaced in recent weeks.

The Munich-based bank is already the lead lender on Donald Trump's riverfront residential/hotel skyscraper, which is under construction. The New York developer bluntly questioned whether Deutsche Bank would do the new deal, in part because he predicts the costs of Carley's 2,000-foot-tall tower will skyrocket to more than $850 million.

"If any institution is stupid enough to finance that building with a [projected] cost of $550 million, then they deserve to lose their shirt," Trump said in a telephone interview. "I don't believe that Deutsche Bank is a stupid institution."

Carley shrugged off Trump's criticism.

"Do I care?" said Carley, chairman of Chicago-based Fordham Co. "He didn't think this thing would get built either, but it will be fun."

He said he expects to announce financing arrangements in about two weeks.

A New York-based spokesman for Deutsche Bank declined to comment.

Carley has previously said his other options include two U.S. financial institutions.

The building, to be called Fordham Spire, would be located west of Lake Shore Drive along the north bank of the Chicago River.

Carley has said estimated construction costs have risen 10 percent since the project was unveiled July 26. But he recently hired prominent Chicago construction firm Walsh Group to be the general contractor.

About his cost estimates, Carley said, "I'm comfortable with them now. Things change."

Trump financed his namesake 90-story tower at 401 N. Wabash Ave. in part with a $640 million loan from a group of financial institutions led by Deutsche Bank. The construction loan was one of the largest in the city's history.

For the bank to take the lead on Fordham Spire would be a big bet on the luxury condominium market, at a time when many experts are concerned about overbuilding.

"We're doing well, but other people are not," Trump said.

Trump International Hotel and Tower has 472 condominium units and 286 condo hotel units. Trump said he has sales of $726 million, or 78 percent of the projected total

Fordham Spire would be a smaller project, with 300 condos and 150 condo hotel rooms. Last fall Carley was seeking nearly $428 million in financing for his project, but that amount has probably increased.

Any competition between the two projects may be lessened by the different completion dates. Trump's project is expected to be completed in 2008 while Fordham Spire would not be completed until 2010.

Carley has raised about $10 million in equity from a group of investors that includes two no-nonsense suburban developers, attorney Michael Firsel and retail expert David Bossy, principals in Mid-America Development Partners LLC, according to people close to the project.

Carley declined to comment on the identity of the investors, but said the capital was "mostly Fordham money."

Firsel and Bossy could not be reached for comment. Their Oak Brook-based firm, founded in 2001, has expanded from its original focus on retail real estate to mixed-use projects and hotel developments.

A group led by Mid-America was a competing bidder against Fordham last year for the Ambassador East Hotel, 1301 N. State Parkway.

The Mid-America group included Chicago-based management company Portfolio Hotels and Resorts, and Lombard hotel investment firm Harp Group.

After Fordham won the bidding, Carley said, he brought the Mid-America group in as partners. The venture plans an extensive renovation of the Gold Coast property and a conversion to hotel condominiums.

At Fordham Spire, Portfolio President Helmut Horn has played a key role in negotiations to have the hotel portion of the project managed by Crillon, a new luxury brand, although a deal is not certain, sources said.

ChgoLvr83

March 31st, 2006, 08:24 PM

Great news on this.

In other news: Donald Trump continues to make himself look a whiny, immature, name calling child throwing a temper tantrem. Sometimes its best to NOT say something.

But anyway, now we just have to get those signatures on paper and money in the bank from the contracts and things appear to be set. :)

Ebola

March 31st, 2006, 08:49 PM

I hear the Deutsche Bank Building itself in NYC is being razed right now. The Twin Towers fell on it and it suffered a massive 20-story gash. I just read somewhere that about 1/4th of Chicago's condominiums were not even used, and now Trump is fuming. In any case, I still think Fordham Spire is Chicago's quick attempt to try to best NYC at the WTC, but I can say that the design is amazing. The guy also designed the WTC hub: http://www.gothamist.com/attachments/Jen%20Chung/2005_07_calatravadesign.jpg

Also, I just heard that this Fordham company has proposed many record-breaking skyscrapers in cities all over the world, and, in they end, they were all cancelled or shortened by a large degree, mostly because of money issues and other restrictions.

STR

March 31st, 2006, 08:53 PM

^Everything you've heard is wrong. Forhdam doesn't even develop outside of Chicago. And no one spending all this money cares about a non-existant rivalry with a WTC that may or may not even be built.

SNL

March 31st, 2006, 09:14 PM

Ebola, you must be making up the stuff you "hear." Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper. So, in short, Chicago doesn't have to out do new york when it comes to skyscrapers. the NYC has to catch up. they're falling behind.

lazar22b

March 31st, 2006, 09:45 PM

Steely Dan

March 31st, 2006, 09:47 PM

I just read somewhere that about 1/4th of Chicago's condominiums were not even used......
source?

Also, I just heard that this Fordham company has proposed many record-breaking skyscrapers in cities all over the world, and, in they end, they were all cancelled or shortened by a large degree, mostly because of money issues and other restrictions.
source?

listen chief, any jack-ass can just make shit up to justify their jealousy to themsleves, but when you bring that attitude to a public forum like this, folks are gonna be calling you out to back your shit up.

Dale

March 31st, 2006, 09:52 PM

Just NYC jealousy.

Ebola

March 31st, 2006, 09:55 PM

http://www.luxist.com/2005/07/27/is-the-fordham-spire-necessary/

spyguy

March 31st, 2006, 10:08 PM

These units don't compete on the level of other projects so that has no bearing on the project (plus that article was written in July). Only the most expensive units of Trump and Waterview could compete with Fordham Spire and even then it is not the same ball game.

Hecago

April 1st, 2006, 12:25 AM

http://www.luxist.com/2005/07/27/is-the-fordham-spire-necessary/

You think some blog is a credible source?

Steely Dan

April 1st, 2006, 12:25 AM

CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010 CHICAGO: 2010

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6391/it13.jpg
image courtesy of STR

after seeing how well this tower fits into the skyline, how can anyone say that
it isn't "chicago" enough? chicago has been a laboratory of skyscraper
innovation since the damn building type was first created. FS will simply be our
latest masterpiece, redefining what "chicago" means, much as the sears tower
did a generation ago.

ChgoLvr83

April 1st, 2006, 12:41 AM

You know whats scary? Or not. Thats only 3 1/2 years from now. Woah.

Edit: And thats not including developments that may come to fruition pass 2010.

Back on topic: I heard about possible site clean up, due to an old factory that once sat there. Is that true? And how long would that take approx, if anyone knows?

SNL

April 1st, 2006, 01:27 AM

Olympics...here Chicago comes!

Chicagotom

April 1st, 2006, 02:12 AM

I heard about possible site clean up, due to an old factory that once sat there. Is that true? And how long would that take approx, if anyone knows?

Check out this site - you can zoom down on the picture of the factory (1968) that sat ont the the site of the Fordham. I don't know the name of it.
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/10895.html

ChgoLvr83

April 1st, 2006, 02:16 AM

Check out this site - you can zoom down on the picture of the factory (1968) that sat ont the the site of the Fordham. I don't know the name of it.
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/10895.html

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Puant

April 1st, 2006, 02:24 AM

spyguy

April 1st, 2006, 02:47 AM

Chicago-What a cool city. However, I don't believe that Fordam Spire will be as tall as in the above rendering. I have to think the tower will end up being shorter when it comes to the final plan. Still taller than Sears, maybe.
But I do hope that Chicago continues to make the Midwest proud!!

I don't get what you mean. STR renderings are accurate. The zoning increase was granted and approved and they won't be changing the 2000 ft height.

And the contaminants from that factory have created problems for that whole area and that's why soil remediation has to occur at Parkview and other projects.

STR

April 1st, 2006, 02:48 AM

Chicago-What a cool city. However, I don't believe that Fordam Spire will be as tall as in the above rendering. I have to think the tower will end up being shorter when it comes to the final plan. Still taller than Sears, maybe.
But I do hope that Chicago continues to make the Midwest proud!!

Why would it be shorter? Especially AFTER they added 10 floors? That's 2,000 feet and 1,600 to roof. FS is definately not out of scale in that shot either, I'd know, I made that model/render.

BTW This is my favorite render so far. It really came out just right.
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/3811/lc19.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Chicagotom

April 1st, 2006, 02:50 AM

He's from Green Bay that should say it all!

Puant

April 1st, 2006, 02:59 AM

I didn't know it was that far along on the planning & approval stage. So when does construction begin? Or did it already?
Only one shooting in Green Bay today. How many did Chicago have?

SNL

April 1st, 2006, 03:07 AM

Despite the Bear-Packer rivalry, we are midwest brothers. there shall be peace in this thread.

STR

April 1st, 2006, 03:28 AM

I didn't know it was that far along on the planning & approval stage. So when does construction begin? Or did it already?

They're saying by the end of year, but that probably means they're going to begin site clearing and soil decon. There used to be a factory a few blocks east and it left a heck of a mess that needs some work. Caison work, the official start of construction, will begin in 2007.

[QUOTE]Only one shooting in Green Bay today. How many did Chicago have?

Five, no fatalities, but all were wearing Packer gear, so no one cared. :p

jpreston02

April 1st, 2006, 03:45 AM

Hello everyone,

I'm no scholar on skyscrapers, however, I feel that the Fordham Spire is the most significant skyscraper to be built or proposed in North America in a very, very long time. I sincerely hope it gets built. This Baltimore fan is jealous, though we might get a new tallest, contingent on financing of course. 720' on the Inner Harbor...

Puant

April 1st, 2006, 04:30 AM

Five, no fatalities, but all were wearing Packer gear, so no one cared. :p

We Packer people are tough SOBs. It takes a lot more than a couple gunshots to take us down. I got shot? Eh, it's only a flesh wound, I don't even care myself.

Anyway back to Fordham Spire--Good luck with that. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it. Can't wait to see it. Will there be any public space like a restaurant at the top so I can go up there and look down at the Sears Tower?

globill

April 1st, 2006, 01:49 PM

thank you Daniel Burnham....may we always heed your words.

STR

April 3rd, 2006, 07:58 PM

We Packer people are tough SOBs. It takes a lot more than a couple gunshots to take us down. I got shot? Eh, it's only a flesh wound, I don't even care myself.

Well, when taken to the hospital, they were declared brain dead. However, that turned out to be preexisting condition brought on by loving a crappy team.

Chi_Coruscant

April 4th, 2006, 03:57 PM

Chicago, reaching higher

Published April 4, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0604040217apr04,0,3614597.story?coll=chi-newsopinion-hed

The Sears Tower, at 1,450 feet and 110 stories, has held the title of tallest building in Chicago, and the nation, for more than three decades. But if all goes according to plan, it'll be dethroned in as few as four years.

The Chicago City Council has approved the last zoning clearance for a hotel and condominium tower designed by Santiago Calatrava. The Fordham Spire would top out at 2,000 feet and rise 124 stories from its base on the north bank of the Chicago River, just west of Lake Shore Drive.

After a pause provoked by Sept. 11, 2001, Chicago is once again reaching for the sky. The developers figure that if they build it, you will come to live and play in this building that "shoots out of the ground like a rocket," in the words of Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin. City Hall evidently agrees.

The Calatrava tower is no husky, city-of-big-shoulders hulk like the Sears. Instead it's an elegant corkscrew, very 21st Century, twisty thin and futuristic. It's designed to maximize the views for those who can afford sky-high prices, not at making a no-nonsense mercantile statement in the heartland. As such, it reflects the transformation of post-industrial Chicago.

Some will mourn the Sears Tower's descent into also-ran territory. But no No. 1 title lasts forever, and the Sears has had a good run at the top. It has held the No. 1 ranking in Chicago for 32 years. The Sears was also the tallest building in the world for 24 years until it was topped by the two Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1998. (Those towers lost the No. 1 title in 2004 to the Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan, which rises 1,670 feet. Taipei, in turn, will be surpassed when the Burj Dubai opens in 2008 in that Gulf emirate. Burj means "tower" in Arabic and, at 2,313 feet, that's precisely what it will do.)

If the Fordham Spire's opening here doesn't come until 2010, as is now planned, the Sears Tower will have broken a local record now held by the Chicago Board of Trade building at the foot of La Salle Street. It was the city's tallest from 1930 until 1965, when it was topped by the new county building, now called the Richard J. Daley Civic Center. (Here's a news flash for everyone who wonders why we're ignoring the Prudential Building, finished in 1955. It topped out five feet shorter than the CBOT and never was the city's tallest, even though that's been conventional wisdom in Chicago for decades.)

The Daley Center held onto the tallest title for just four years until it was knocked off the perch by the John Hancock Center. Likewise, the Hancock reigned for just four years at the top before being replaced by the Standard Oil Building, now known as the Aon Center. That building's grip on the No. 1 ranking lasted just a single year--until the Sears Tower came along.

There have been other contenders for the crown over the years. Donald Trump initially wanted to go for the No. 1 ranking before scaling back his Chicago tower now rising on the north bank of the river west of Michigan Avenue. Over the last two decades, two other super-tall projects were proposed with much fanfare--but never built.

It's no secret why the skyscraper and Chicago's horizon are such a sweet match. Chicago is endowed with a dramatic lakefront but otherwise lacks interesting geography--a topographical blank slate that makes a great backdrop for tall buildings. The economic boom in the two decades following the Great Fire of 1871 set the stage: As more businesses crowded into the city's downtown, eventually there was no place to go but up. Technology delivered two new tools--load-bearing steel and elevators--to provide architects and builders with the means to reach higher. The result, in 1885, was the first cloudbuster, as towering structures were called back then: the nine-story Home Insurance Building. Soon, those cloudbusters were crowding downtown to the consternation of many citizens.

Architect Daniel Burnham, he of make-no-little-plans fame, favored height limits in his famous 1909 Chicago master plan. The City Council passed limits in 1893 and they were on the books, if not always strictly observed, through the 1920s. Then the CBOT building became the most ambitious cloudbuster in town, and the race to be crowned the tallest was on.

The Sears Tower may relinquish that title soon. But someday so will the Fordham Spire.

April 4th, 2006, 08:30 PM

now, let's build the fordham spire first before thinking of a new title holder...

Puant

April 5th, 2006, 07:09 AM

That Fordam spire resembles one big-ass Super Bowl trophy minus the football. Some people build big towers to compensate for their short penises. I guess this is sort of like that.

Mosaic

April 5th, 2006, 07:39 AM

OMG!!! It's very pretty tall.

Hecago

April 6th, 2006, 05:32 AM

STR

April 6th, 2006, 05:35 AM

That Fordam spire resembles one big-ass Super Bowl trophy minus the football. Some people build big towers to compensate for their short penises. I guess this is sort of like that.

Apparently someone can't take a few jokes.

Oh well, if I was from Wisconsin I doubt I'd be in the mood to laught either. :p

Seriously, I'm just messing. Wis. is alright.

Puant

April 6th, 2006, 02:26 PM

I was just joking. Seriously I love Chicago. As I said earlier, it's a great, great city. It's OK that you all have hardly ever won a super bowl and that you have short penisis.

Catmendue2

April 6th, 2006, 07:06 PM

I was just joking. Seriously I love Chicago. As I said earlier, it's a great, great city. It's OK that you all have hardly ever won a super bowl and that you have short penisis.

What up with you and your penis, Buddy you need a :cheers:

Marcanadian

April 6th, 2006, 11:15 PM

I dont really like it. I mean, it looks like a giant screw. And im not being jealous. I would feel the same way if it were being built in Toronto.

Karltj

April 6th, 2006, 11:34 PM

NEWWORLD

April 6th, 2006, 11:40 PM

I love it it will look great.

StevenW

April 7th, 2006, 02:03 AM

It sure looks good to me! :D I'd LOVE to see it rise in Baltimore. ;) Now wouldn't THAT be funny looking! ;) :D :laugh:

Skyman

April 7th, 2006, 08:38 AM

Looks great and impressive to me

khoojyh

April 7th, 2006, 09:32 AM

beautiful design

STR

April 7th, 2006, 07:26 PM

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3843/it12.th.jpg (http://img367.imageshack.us/my.php?image=it12.jpg) http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6944/it3.th.jpg (http://img367.imageshack.us/my.php?image=it3.jpg) http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3232/it2.th.jpg (http://img367.imageshack.us/my.php?image=it2.jpg) http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1604/ib5.th.jpg (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ib5.jpg) http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/3811/lc19.th.jpg (http://img45.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lc19.jpg)

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1874/lp8.th.jpg (http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lp8.jpg)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7557/ib3.th.jpg (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ib3.jpg)

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/3805/fwin1po.png (http://imageshack.us)

Chi_Coruscant

April 7th, 2006, 07:35 PM

*thud*

STR, your works left me breathless. You are amazing.

Taller, Better

April 7th, 2006, 07:51 PM

It is one impressive mother.... I cannot wait til it is built!!!!!!!!!!

StevenW

April 7th, 2006, 09:14 PM

I'm speechl...e..s...s........................ ::eek2:

Suburbanite

April 7th, 2006, 09:17 PM

I don't want to over-exaggerate how much this tower kicks ass, but if this tower doesn't get built it will be an affront to God himself. The wrath of God will officially be incurred if anyone stands in the way of Fordham getting built. There, I said it.

StevenW

April 7th, 2006, 09:29 PM

^^ You know it was said earlier, but I'll say it again. This is the most important and most architectually significant tower to rise the USA. Don't get me wrong, I like the Freedom Tower and all and it is important too, but, this Fordham Spire says a whole lot more to me! When the Fordham is built I want to take my wife and step-son and others I know to see this awesome masterpiece in person. :)
The more and more I see this tower, the more and more I'm anticipating it's completion. I love this tower! And, Chicago has so MANY other complimenting towers about it! :D Got to LOVE Chicago! :)

Marcanadian

April 7th, 2006, 10:38 PM

common! this project is just amazing, it's fucking huge and super cool, how can people come into a thread and just bash it? It's more than obvious that they are jeolous.
Just common sense, you don't go into a thread to make childish comments without offering a constructive criticism of why you don't like the project.

Its just my opinion. For one, I think in turns way too much. Like it does 4 360 degree rotations. Maybe if it was 2 I would like it better. Plus the spire is 400 feet tall? I think its way too big. The spire hardly even matches the building.
Good for Chicago though, and remember no need to bash me because this is my opinion.

TroyBoy

April 7th, 2006, 10:48 PM

Spires 400 feet, 1600 to roof which should be the only # that counts.

Hecago

April 7th, 2006, 11:03 PM

Dolemite

April 7th, 2006, 11:48 PM

Plus the spire is 400 feet tall? I think its way too big. The spire hardly even matches the building.

....and how is that any different from the glorified flag pole in your avatar?

Jules

April 8th, 2006, 01:07 AM

Its just my opinion. For one, I think in turns way too much. Like it does 4 360 degree rotations. Maybe if it was 2 I would like it better. Plus the spire is 400 feet tall? I think its way too big. The spire hardly even matches the building.
Good for Chicago though, and remember no need to bash me because this is my opinion.

I think somebody is a little bitter about CN Tower likely losing its status. ;)

lazar22b

April 8th, 2006, 02:06 AM

Its just my opinion. For one, I think in turns way too much. Like it does 4 360 degree rotations. Maybe if it was 2 I would like it better. Plus the spire is 400 feet tall? I think its way too big. The spire hardly even matches the building.
Good for Chicago though, and remember no need to bash me because this is my opinion.

It actually only turns once. Only 360 degrees. In previous renderings it spun only 270 degrees.

xXPimpinPunjabiXx

April 8th, 2006, 02:14 AM

btw is fordham spire approved?

Jules

April 8th, 2006, 02:35 AM

btw is fordham spire approved?

It is.

CrazyCanuck

April 8th, 2006, 04:38 AM

....and how is that any different from the glorified flag pole in your avatar?

The CN tower is a telecommunications tower you tool. It needs to be that high, so the surrounding skyscrapers don't block the transmissions coming from across the lake. Don't make a stupid comment like that again before doing some research

Hecago

April 8th, 2006, 03:34 PM

The CN tower is a telecommunications tower you tool. It needs to be that high, so the surrounding skyscrapers don't block the transmissions coming from across the lake. Don't make a stupid comment like that again before doing some research

Forham Spire also serves as a broadcast tower.

Marcanadian

April 8th, 2006, 06:10 PM

I think somebody is a little bitter about CN Tower likely losing its status. ;)

Well personally I love Burj Dubai. Its 300 meters taller and im bitter about the CN Tower not being the tallest? Its been tallest for 30 years and I'm glad that another city will get the torch.

STR

April 27th, 2006, 04:17 AM

18MB Animation made by me.
http://skyscrapermodels.us/pics/Vid2.avi

wickedestcity

April 27th, 2006, 04:48 AM

you are one talented mf!!

ChicagoSkyline

April 27th, 2006, 05:44 AM

18MB Animation made by me.
http://skyscrapermodels.us/pics/Vid2.avi

Yea, STR, you are unbelieable man!
Anyway, you are not happen to work in one of the famous architecture firms? :) :cheers:

ChicagoSkyline

April 27th, 2006, 05:45 AM

Forham Spire also serves as a broadcast tower.

Yep, that explains why the necessity for that extra long spire on top of it! :)

Liwwadden

April 28th, 2006, 10:53 PM

omg! I love it

Ebola

April 28th, 2006, 10:55 PM

Why is it taking so long and why has there been no new info for weeks?

spyguy

April 28th, 2006, 11:09 PM

How can you say it is taking so long?! It was only announced last summer (although we knew the developer was working with Calatrava, but not at this height).

If you want an update, they're in the process of making a new website and the interiors are still being revised to perfection with more sales in summer.

Indica

April 29th, 2006, 04:45 AM

18MB Animation made by me.
http://skyscrapermodels.us/pics/Vid2.avi

Incredible, you really are pretty talented.. somebody like you should be working at an architectural firm.... :eek2:

depressio

April 30th, 2006, 12:41 AM

Wow that aerial view (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f77.jpg) really makes it look cool!! :-D

TroyBoy

April 30th, 2006, 12:43 AM

Wow that aerial view (http://img158.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f77.jpg) really makes it look cool!! :-D

Whats in that empty block in the left central?

chicagogeorge

April 30th, 2006, 12:45 AM

WOW!

Azn_chi_boi

May 1st, 2006, 11:40 PM

So talented!

and I don't know about that empty space in left central...

TheHighlander

May 3rd, 2006, 08:26 AM

Can't wait to see it bilt.

STR

May 3rd, 2006, 08:57 AM

Whats in that empty block in the left central?

Undeveloped land. It's currently a parking lot for the NBC tower the next block to the left.

ChgoLvr83

May 17th, 2006, 03:07 AM

A lil' suin' from my homie ChicagoShawn (LOL):

"I went by the sales center today....

The usual sales lady who has been so helpful in providing information wasn't in, but the assistant has informed me that reservations began again and then stopped after about two days for the serious buyers who have been wanting in for quite some time. Floor plans are still not finished, and actual sales still have not begun; but she did say about 80 units are now reserved. If true, this means 1/4 of the units are already taken before actual sales have even begun."

spyguy

June 2nd, 2006, 01:05 AM

Well there was a nice little meeting with Carley today. A few users went and reported back the latest news:

Okay, here's are the notes from todays meeting.

-There will be 150 hotel rooms and 300 condominiums
-Each floor will rotate 1.5 degrees
-During construction, future passanger elevator shafts will be used for the construction elevators
-There will be a 5-story glass vaulted lobby
-The property is about 2.2 acres (about 95,000 square feet) and the footprint of the building is 14,000 square feet which tapers to about 5,000' square feet at the top
-The building will be an all glass curtain window wall system (Calatrave wants clear glass)
-From floor 50 and lower, there will be glass enclosed balconies at the edges
-They've exceeded 2,000 online registrations
-They expect to close on the property within the next several weeks
-So far 3 of the penthouses are spoken for
-The construction period will last 45-48 months
-Carley said that he wants to open the hotel portion in May of 09' and the frist residences in November of 09'
-Carley mentioned that he wanted to apply for construction permits sometime this fall and begin construction next spring
-Carley wants to begin the marketing process within the next month
-Carley mentioned that he's in talks with Walsh Construction, and they will have the constrcution cost figures within the next 90-days
-Carley also mentioned that he and Calatrava came up with four words to describe this building (tall, slender, elegant and spectacular)

The beginnings (edited spelling):

I feel it is important to point out that the four words came about before the building design. Calatrava, Carley and his son(s) were in Spain talking about the design on a Friday, and decided to come up with four words to describe the building that they wanted to build. The four words that came out of the (five) hour discussion were: tall, slender, elegant and spectacular. Calatrava asked the Carley's to stay in town for the weekend, and presented the preliminary drawings for the Spire on Monday. Carley's response? "Can you build it?"

Finally

A few additional comments, not really new info, but some confirmations etc:

- They are in negotiations with two hotels. Their first choice is a "five-star" hotel from Europe w/o operations here. The second is also a "five-star," but one already in the US but without a Chicago presence. Fordham believes it will get to make the final call, meaning both will want in to the project.

- The financing article from Crain's was discussed. Carley avoided explaining what happened exactly with DB, but did say that now that sales figures are becoming clearer (eg what price people are willing to pay), and also that Walsh is going to give Fordham a maximum projected cost estimate, the financing should be no problem at all. To paraphrase, he said "that's all you need." He also said that Fordham won't be exactly "dictating" the financing negotiations, but that they will have a very strong hand during negotiations.

- The curtainwall used appears to be mostly glass - no large mullions etc. I am not sure if the mullion material will be stainless steel as originally discussed. Also, annoyingly, the windows in the newest renderings converge three times and then "reset" to larger panes, causing the clean lines of the building to be interrupted. I hope they fix this problem.

- There was a very interesting discussion about window washing complications, currently in design.

- Carley is responsible for building river walks on both Odgen Slip and the Chicago river, but these will continue the annoying PoMo design that is already there, and Calatrava will not have any input.

- The City and State have granted variances allowing loading to be from Lower Wacker, as previously reported only as a possibility. This clears the way for FS to have an awesome, ultra-urbane "public facade" that won't be marred with deliveries &c, similar to towers along Wacker Drive.

- The five-story lobby will contain a bridge-like element that will allow delivery and loading to take place below grade, but visible from the lobby, and with natural lighting filtering to the basement. Carley compared it favorably to the effect at the Milwaukee Art Museum parking garage. This sounds incredible - lots of visible activity, and yet the lobby promises to be a tranquil space.

- Calatrava has said that he does not want the spire illuminated at night, only instead to have the "sparkle" of the super-translucent glass visible rising into the sky. (I kind of hope they rethink this... I suppose it could be added later easily enough.)

- There doesn't seem to be a doubt in Carley's mind that this thing is going to be built. Wind-tunnel testing is currently underway in Canada. He seemed very surprised by the sales prices he's achieving, which I thought was pretty humble and a great contrast to the Donald (whom Carley poked fun at several times), but I thought it was not exaclty the most professional way to approach the sales so far. One shouldn't do or say anything that might give the prospective buyers cold feet that they've paid too much.

- Trump negotiated with the city a phased move-in schedule, which has major implications for mega-highrise building here in the future. Because the Trump Tower and now FS will both have move-ins before construction is finished, the developers will have cash-flow earlier than what would otherwise have happened. Carley said that this cash infusion will save him many millions in interest (he said the figure, but I forget - does anyone recall?).

- The three penthouses (out of 10) reserved so far were reserved for $15 Million each.

malec

June 2nd, 2006, 01:19 AM

Nice info there. I hope they do illuminate the spire though. The Sears and JHC are so it would spoil it if they didn't do the same with the FS

TroyBoy

June 2nd, 2006, 11:28 PM

Consider the Freedom Tower offically owned.

Spooky873

June 2nd, 2006, 11:44 PM

last I heard about this, it wasnt getting built because of $$$$$.

spyguy

June 3rd, 2006, 12:21 AM

Who said that?

ChgoLvr83

June 3rd, 2006, 12:56 AM

^ Nobody.

The Mad Hatter!!

June 3rd, 2006, 01:10 AM

can we stop comparing any building to the freedom tower, is the freedom tower the only other building in the world?

TroyBoy

June 3rd, 2006, 01:25 AM

can we stop comparing any building to the freedom tower, is the freedom tower the only other building in the world?
No iv been hear rumors about this tower going up in some place called "Dubia"(sp?).

spyguy

June 3rd, 2006, 06:37 PM

"New" photo of a rendering:
http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/9195/4625589sy.jpg

More info:
I also attended the presentation and I left feeling VERY good about the whole project. I stayed until the very end of the presentation with Victor and Shawn and I asked Carley a few questions about the project before he left.

Some other things we learned:

1. Of the 2,000 people who have registered on their website expressing some level of interest:
-10% of them are outside of the U.S.
-20% of them are outside of Chicago
-30% live in the Chicagoland suburbs
-40% live in Chicago

2. Most of the units reserved at this point are the ones on the higher floors and the larger ones, which are obviously the more expensive ones in the building.

3. The building will NOT be illuminated at night as previously thought. For now, they have plans to only illuminate the first few floors of the building. He told me they're definitely not going to illuminate the rest of the building but are still considering coming up with some kind of lighting for the spire.

4. He also told me that there is NO doubt in his mind they'll get financing for the project within the next few months and they are seriously hoping to break ground before June of next year.

There are three elements they're working on to achieve this goal right now:

-He's just about to close the deal on the land where the tower will be located. He said this will happen in a matter of weeks.

-He's getting the Guarantee Cost Agreement from Walsh Construction which he will use as par of the financing negotiations. This should happen very soon.

-Once they officially start selling the units within the next 30 days, they will have a realistic thermometer of how they're doing. The fact is that they haven't even started marketing the units, other than giving these "town hall meeting" type presentations like the one we attended and of course setting up a website.

He said that once they gather all these three elements, they'll be in a very strong position to negotiate financing for the building.

And more
Yes. Carley talked about how he had suggested using infill window-wall instead of curtainwall, to save money, and Caltrava had been OK with that. But Carley joked that Calatrava knew all along that once he had seen the effect on the building, it would change his mind back anyway. So, the skin will be a true curtainwall, continuous and smooth from top to bottom.

harvesterofsorrows

June 6th, 2006, 05:44 PM

Nice

Chad

June 6th, 2006, 06:08 PM

15 Million for penhouse?, How much were those penhouses at The Time Warner Center?

spyguy

June 6th, 2006, 07:21 PM

^One went for ~$45 million I believe.

There are also duplexes above the penthouses, so those should be quite expensive.

malec

June 25th, 2006, 06:56 PM

Any news?

harvesterofsorrows

June 25th, 2006, 07:45 PM

I had a dream I was spider-man and I jumped off ths spire.

urban_phx

July 7th, 2006, 02:40 AM

I haven't heard anything about this lately did it not go through?
I searched on google news but couldn't find anything

spyguy

July 7th, 2006, 02:49 AM

I haven't heard anything about this lately

Yes, it is still alive. You haven't heard anything because there is not a whole lot to report that is new.

Hopefully one person will get an update from them this week.

TopperCity

July 7th, 2006, 05:51 AM

one word.. beautiful!

Mosaic

July 7th, 2006, 08:20 AM

Stunning design and marvelously high, I really like this project, really can't wait for too long.

Kngkyle

July 9th, 2006, 04:43 PM

Great video from cbs2chicago:

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=21577@wbbm.dayport.com

ZZ-II

July 9th, 2006, 06:37 PM

Great Video. The Architekt says that the Groundbreaking will be Next Year, this is fantastic.

Febo

July 10th, 2006, 06:16 AM

Excellent hearing of this fantstic project again! Does someone know when it is expected to be complete?

Sinjin P.

July 10th, 2006, 08:00 AM

Good this thing would realize. :okay:

spyguy

July 19th, 2006, 05:20 PM

http://www.chicagosuntimes.com/output/roeder/cst-fin-roeder19.html

Carley adds a partner to bolster spire deal
July 19, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

Since first revealing his alliance with architect Santiago Calatrava for a spired, 124-story building on the lakefront about a year ago, developer Christopher Carley has encountered plenty of skeptics. He's poised this week to strike a deal that will quiet some of them.

On Thursday, Carley is due to close on the acquisition of the property involved in the project. A source close to the situation said the land in the 400 block of East North Water Street, at its intersection with Lake Shore Drive, will sell for more than $60 million.

To close on the land, Carley has taken on a partner. The source said it is Shelbourne Development Ltd., based in Dublin, Ireland. The company has completed residential and commercial projects in Ireland, Great Britain and France.

Shelbourne's executive chairman is Garrett Kelleher, who, according to the company Web site, set up shop in Chicago in the 1980s to do loft conversions before returning to his native Ireland about 10 years later.

Terms of the partnership could not be learned, but the source said Carley will continue with day-to-day oversight of the project. "Shelbourne has a very large development group with deep strength in construction management," the source said.

It's possible Shelbourne could be a conduit for European investors. Carley, chairman of Fordham Co., has reported that about 20 percent of sales inquiries for what he's calling the Fordham Spire has come from overseas.

Reached Tuesday, Carley declined to comment. Plans call for the building to have 300 residential condominiums and 150 hotel units, some of which also may be sold. He has estimated the project's cost at $600 million, but materials costs are escalating quickly, and some experts believe Calatrava's unique, seemingly twirling design will be prohibitively expensive to build.

Carley is negotiating with hotel operators and project financiers. The source said Walsh Construction will be his general contractor and that the real estate firm Jones Lang La Salle Inc. is representing the project to lenders.

If completed as planned, the building would be the tallest in the United States but is not expected to be taller than the Burj Dubai office building under construction in the United Arab Emirates. The height of that Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP design is a state secret.

----------------------------------------------------

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=21390

Carley’s back finds familiar wall in bid to build Fordham Spire

Developer Christopher Carley is once again running out of time in his efforts to finance a proposed skyscraper to be designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, with a deadline to purchase the lakefront site looming later this week.

Mr. Carley's chances of making that deadline could not be determined. Last week, the chairman of Chicago-based Fordham Cos. was in negotiations with several possible sources for investment capital and loans, sources say.

Called Fordham Spire, the twisting, 124-story tower would be an eye-catching addition to the Chicago skyline, but a rapidly rising development budget of $750 million has made the condominium/hotel project extremely challenging to finance.

Since the development was unveiled a year ago, many rival developers, including Donald Trump, have been openly skeptical about the project.

Mr. Carley did not return calls requesting comment. In early June, he vowed to complete the purchase of the land later that month.

Mr. Carley is now required to close this week on the $64 million purchase of the 2.2-acre parcel, which is located west of Lake Shore Drive, along the north bank of the Chicago River, sources say.

Since late March, Mr. Carley has received a series of short-term extensions from the seller, a joint venture of Chicago luxury condominium developer LR Development Co. and Virginia investment firm JER Partners LLC. Representatives of the venture declined comment.

After the collapse this spring of negotiations with Deutsche Bank, which would have financed the entire project, Mr. Carley has been looking for a smaller loan that would allow him to buy the site and keep marketing, sources say.

In June, the developer reported that he had taken refundable $20,000 deposits for 90 of the 300 condo units proposed for the tower at an average price of $1,150 a square foot.

WhiteMagick

July 19th, 2006, 06:51 PM

Wonderful design but the spiraling of the towers mainframe body is nothing new, thus not as original as i would have expected from calatrava. and i dont believe it really fits the chicago skyline.

ZZ-II

July 19th, 2006, 08:12 PM

but it's the first Supertall with a twisting design :)

spyguy

July 19th, 2006, 08:33 PM

and i dont believe it really fits the chicago skyline.

I've never really understood this sentiment. Very few buildings in Chicago blended in well with their neighbors right away. The odd juxtaposition of buildings makes the city much more interesting than if everything was of the same style.

The John Hancock Center is a good example that didn't fit in with its surroundings:
http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/7112/1965somzs8.jpg

And now most of us couldn't imagine the city without it:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/4568/58178135d895fcbe24st8.jpg

ZZ-II

July 19th, 2006, 09:00 PM

one of the best skyscrapers on the world

Danish_guy

July 19th, 2006, 10:42 PM

I dont really like it. I mean, it looks like a giant screw. And im not being jealous. I would feel the same way if it were being built in Toronto.

I dont know about you but i haver never seen a screw looking like that

spyguy

July 19th, 2006, 11:38 PM

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=21409

Irish developer takes over Calatrava project
Shelbourne Development buys 2.2-acre site for $64 million

An Irish developer with ties to Chicago has acquired the lakefront site of the proposed twisting tower to be designed by Santiago Calatrava, with plans to move ahead with a project whose financing has stymied Chicago developer Christopher Carley.

Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Ltd., on Wednesday purchased the 2.2-acre site along the north bank of the Chicago River, just west of North Lake Shore Drive, where a year ago Carley first proposed a luxury condominium and hotel skyscraper.

But Carley, chairman of real estate firm Fordham Co.., wasn’t able to finance the development, giving Kelleher the chance to step in.

Carley’s future role in the project is subject to negotiation, says Chicago attorney Thomas J. Murphy, Mr. Kelleher's attorney.

Murphy calls the 124-story tower “a difficult project under any terms.”

But Kelleher will have one advantage that Carley didn’t have.

“One of the most difficult aspects of the project is financing, and Mr. Kelleher is taking all of the equity himself,” he says.

Shelbourne paid Carley and his investors an unspecified amount above the $64 million purchase price for the land.

But Shelbourne is not assuming unpaid bills for fees owed to the celebrated architect and other consultants, Murphy says. “There is going to be some negotiation with all parties following the purchase of the land,” he adds.

Shelbourne financed the acquisition with a loan from Anglo Irish Bank.

Shelbourne, which has developed more than 1.5 million square feet in Ireland since 2003, did a few loft office development deals in Chicago in the 1990s.

spyguy

July 19th, 2006, 11:46 PM

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060719005906&newsLang=en

Irish Developer Will Build North America's Tallest Building in Chicago; Construction to begin on the site formerly known as the ''Fordham Spire'' in 2007

July 19, 2006

Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Group has acquired the land and will fund the development of 400 North Lake Shore Drive. The city has already granted zoning approval for a 124-story residential and hotel tower on this site. Situated at the mouth of the Chicago River, it would be the tallest skyscraper in North America and Europe. The plan of development for the site is designed by world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava.

Kelleher is one of Ireland's most innovative property entrepreneurs and professionals. He has an extensive interest in property development projects in London, Paris, Brussels, and the Bordeaux region of France. His love of Chicago is strong and personal. He lived in the city for 10-years beginning in 1986 when he arrived with only $500 in his wallet. He worked as a subcontractor, contractor then developer before leaving in 1996 to return to Ireland with his family.

"I love the city of Chicago," said Kelleher. "It has a special place in my heart. Two of my six children were born here and it will always be my second home. I'm very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the Chicago skyline and look forward to developing a property that the city and the Mayor can be proud of."

The site is situated at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago River and will have its own Lake Shore Drive access. The plan of development calls for a building measuring approximately 2,000 feet (610 meters), to the top of the tower including spires/antennae and 1,570 feet (478 meters) to the roof - the tallest free-standing structure in North America and Europe, surpassing Chicago's Sears Tower and Toronto's CN Tower. The building will comprise of 920,000 square feet.

The $1.2 billion development would include 300 luxury condominium residences, ranging from $600,000 - $5 million, and a five-star, 20-story hotel. Approximately 50,000 square feet of retail and support space is planned for the floors overlooking the river and Lake Michigan.

Construction is anticipated to start in early 2007, with completion expected late 2010.

Tom Murphy of Thomas J. Murphy, P.C., general counsel for Kelleher says he's not surprised all this is happening in Chicago as the city holds incredible memories for Kelleher.

"Chicago is the perfect fit for Garrett to do his magic as an international developer. Not only does the city mean something special to Garrett, but he sees Chicago as the world class community that it is," said Murphy.

Bill Russell of Freeborn & Peters LLP, a Chicago law firm, has acted for Kelleher since the early 1990's and is working with him on the North Lake Shore Drive development deal.

Anglo Irish Bank is providing the financing for the site acquisition. Tony Campbell, President and CEO of Anglo Irish Bank's North America operations says, "We have a very extensive and successful relationship with Garrett Kelleher spanning well over a decade and are delighted to have the opportunity to support his renewed interest in Chicago by assisting in the financing of this site." Anglo Irish Bank is the fastest growing bank in Western Europe and has just entered the Chicago market.

Christopher T. Carley, founder and CEO of The Fordham Company, initiated the design by Calatrava, but fell short of procuring sufficient financing. Kelleher says he will consider using Carley's services going forward on the development.

About Shelbourne Development

Shelbourne Development, headquartered in Dublin, is one of Ireland's leading property development companies, widely regarded as one of the country's most professional and progressive developers. In the past three years, Shelbourne's experienced team, known for its track record in evaluating and capitalizing on cycles in property markets, has completed in excess of 1.5 million square feet of construction in Ireland. It currently has a development pipeline in Dublin in excess of $2 billion US. Shelbourne is currently pursuing developments and projects in Ireland, UK, France and Chicago. Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Group holds significant investment properties in Europe.

ZZ-II

July 19th, 2006, 11:50 PM

oh no, that are bad news

SNT1

July 19th, 2006, 11:52 PM

so ummm.... it wont be called Fordham Spire anymore? <.< (Shelbourne Spire? o_O)

anyways, the chances of it getting built is getting really :okay:

Chi_Coruscant

July 19th, 2006, 11:56 PM

How good is Shellbourne Development as in delivering the product? Maybe our buddies in Ireland forum could help.

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 12:00 AM

You make an interesting point. Shelbourne Spire - the abbreviation SS doesn't sound too good to me :jk:

But still, they could keep the name Fordham Spire, especially if Carley still has a role now. Sort of like keeping it the Sears Tower even though Sears doesn't have any offices there.

blackhawk08

July 20th, 2006, 12:21 AM

great news!!! yay i'm happy :cheers:

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 01:15 AM

You can read the whole thing here but I'll only post the important pieces from the article:

http://www.globest.com/news/637_637/chicago/147501-1.html

Irish Developer Nabs Spire Site
By Dana Dubriwny

Tom Murphy of Thomas J. Murphy, PC, general counsel for Kelleher, says the developer purchased the land for $65 million following Carley’s inability close by Monday.

“Mr. Kelleher is intensely interested in the US market and intends to market this project internationally,” Murphy tells GlobeSt.com. “He is interested in all the rights that have accrued the land, and that’s why he purchased it. Anything he would do in the future is to enhance the development; the specifics still have to be negotiated.”

--------------

Malec, where are you? :)
Do you know anything about this company and their past? Are they really big enough to handle such a project?

Ebola

July 20th, 2006, 01:48 AM

Are you serious? What an asshole! Oh well, there will always be more tall buildings. Wait, why did this guy take the site? Is he going to build FS?

Kngkyle

July 20th, 2006, 01:58 AM

Are you serious? What an asshole! Oh well, there will always be more tall buildings. Wait, why did this guy take the site? Is he going to build FS?

Yes from the articles it says he is going to build it instead of/with Carley.

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 02:00 AM

Well at least someone will build it!

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 03:29 AM

http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/carley19.html

New twist in spire project: Developer out of deal
July 19, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER Business Reporter

The buyer of Chicago lakefront land slated to get a 124-story building claimed full control of the project Wednesday and said its original developer is out of the deal for now.

Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. in Dublin, Ireland, said he has purchased the property with a loan from Anglo Irish Bank. A spokesman for Kelleher, Chicago attorney Thomas Murphy, said the 2.2 acres was acquired for $64 million.

Murphy said Christopher Carley is not a part of the sale. Carley assembled the deal, hiring celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava for the project and navigating City Hall for approval of what would be the tallest building in North America.

Carley could stay on as a local manager of the project, but that’s still to be negotiated, Murphy said. Groundbreaking could occur in early 2007.

“There’s no partnership and there’s no joint venture here,” Murphy said. He said Carley will be paid an unspecified sum for his involvement in the deal so far.

Carley was unavailable for comment. Among the assets he has in the deal are more than 90 sales contracts, each accompanied by $20,000 in refundable deposits, he has reported getting after a test marketing period.

The building has been approved to host 300 condominiums and 150 hotel rooms, some of which also could be sold. Its Calatrava design is unique and includes a spire that could contain antennae for digital TV. Each floor is rotated about 2 degrees from the one below it, giving the building a swirling appearance. Many real estate experts have warned that Carley, who has endured financial setbacks on other major deals while managing to complete them, never understood how expensive the building would be.

In his announcement of the land sale, Kelleher placed the project’s value at $1.2 billion. Carley last estimated it at $600 million.

“His may have been too optimistic and ours may be too pessimistic,” Murphy said when asked to explain the difference. “Costs have changed a quite a bit in the year since this project was started.”

Kelleher's firm reported having more than $2 billion of development work in progress in Dublin and work in Great Britain, Belgium and France. He spent 10 years in Chicago starting in 1986, first working as a subcontractor on small projects, before returning to Ireland with his family.

“He has been looking at a lot of projects in Chicago,” Murphy said. “He comes to Chicago on a regular basis, and he has an international vision for what this building can be.”

The building is slated for East North Water Street where it meets Lake Shore Drive. As the new owner, Kelleher is calling the project 400 North Lake Shore Drive for now, Murphy said.

Carley marketed it under the name Fordham Spire after his own Fordham Co.

The seller of the property is a venture aligned with LR Development Co. LLC, which could apply the proceeds to its own plans for a 57-story condo building at 515 N. Peshtigo Ct., a vacant piece about a block north of the Calatrava building.

SNT1

July 20th, 2006, 03:38 AM

SO I guess its not Fordham Spire anymore officially...

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 04:04 AM

Oh well. Maybe he'll change it to The Spire or something. But I'm not going to refer to it as 400 N. LSD ever.

bnk

July 20th, 2006, 06:39 AM

Oh well. Maybe he'll change it to The Spire or something. But I'm not going to refer to it as 400 N. LSD ever.

Thats right, hang in there and they will change it to what every you want to call it.?

ricardo

July 20th, 2006, 07:13 AM

who cares what they call it ? Just build this masterpiece as long they have the money
go for it.

BVictor1

July 20th, 2006, 07:27 AM

http://www.dailyherald.com/business/story.asp?id=209286

New plans in works for Fordham Spire
BY MIKE COMERFORD
Daily Herald Business Writer
Posted Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The new developer for the tallest building in America is an Irishman with ties to Chicago who says he wants to keep most of the original plans for the Fordham Spire.

Garret Kelleher, head of Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Ltd., on Wednesday said he has bought the 2.2 acre site at 400 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago for $64 million and intends to keep the same twisting design by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

The building was to be named the Fordham Spire, after the development firm The Fordham Co., but the name is among the aspects of the project that will change.

"He's putting up 100 percent of the equity so he doesn't have the financing problems (the original developer) had," said Tom Murphy, general counsel for Kelleher on the project.

A year ago, local developer Christopher Carley said he intended to build a 124-story luxury hotel and condominium high rise at the mouth of the Chicago River. But a spokesman for Kelleher said Carley was finding it difficult to finance.

Kelleher and his Shelbourne Development companies will take the assets of the project while the Anglo Irish Bank will take on the debt, according to Murphy. Kelleher said in a release that the $1.2 billion development will include 300 luxury condominiums costing from $600,000 to $5 million. A 20-story hotel will be of five-star quality, his representatives said.

Kelleher says he came to Chicago fresh out of Trinity College in Dublin with just $500 in his pockets. From 1986 to 1996 he worked as a subcontractor and a developer before going back to Ireland with his family.

Murphy describes Kelleher as a "reserved man," who is devoted to his family of six children.

One of Ireland's largest property entrepreneurs, he has projects in London, Paris, Brussels and other European cities.

"I love the city of Chicago," said Kelleher in a statement. "It has a special place in my heart. Two of my six children were born here and it will always be my second home. I'm very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the Chicago skyline and look forward to developing a property that the city and the mayor can be proud of."

Murphy said, to his knowledge, Kelleher does not personally know Mayor Richard Daley.

SNT1

July 20th, 2006, 07:36 AM

The new developer for the tallest building in America is an Irishman with ties to Chicago who says he wants to keep most of the original plans for the Fordham Spire.

:sleepy: :wtf: :wallbash: :cry:

maybe im just overreacting.

israma

July 20th, 2006, 11:09 AM

Calatrava has many other twist building projects around the world. For instance he has projected in Valencia (the city in Spain where Calatrava was born) 3 twisted buildings right next to his huge complex which is already done.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/torrescalatrava017bd1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Torres4.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Torres5.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/85731246_4865135fcf_o1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Tores3.jpg

There are many other Calatrava buildings in Valencia (already done):

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/CAC1-1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Hemisferic2.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-OPeraHouse1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Hemisferic1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-MuseoPrincipeFelipe3.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-Umbracle.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/Umbrela2.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/panoramicCAC.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/CAC1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/VLC-MuseoPrincipeFelipe4.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/CAC1-2.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/PalauArts-Roses.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j29/israma/PalauArts-Pluma.jpg

July 20th, 2006, 01:26 PM

Just goergous !!!

BVictor1

July 20th, 2006, 02:06 PM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0607200250jul20,1,4589509.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Spire project changes hands
Dublin developer replaces Carley

By Susan Diesenhouse and Blair Kamin
Tribune staff reporters
Published July 20, 2006

Move over, Sears Tower.

For those who thought that the country's new tallest building, a 2,000-foot-high twisting residential spire designed by Santiago Calatrava, would never materialize along the banks of the Chicago River, its new developer says it's on the way.

The big change announced Wednesday is that the much-heralded condominium-hotel project, which now has a price tag of $1.2 billion, will be built by a Dublin-based developer, Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. and the Shelbourne Group.

Stepping aside is the Chicago developer who initiated the 124-story project, Christopher T. Carley, chief executive of Chicago-based Fordham Co.

Shelbourne acquired the site for $64 million from Chicago-based LR Development Co., said Shelbourne's general counsel, Thomas J. Murphy.

Kelleher is providing all of the equity for the project, while the Anglo Irish Bank will provide the financing for site acquisition and construction. Murphy declined to state exactly how much of the cost is being assumed by each party.

Carley did not return a call seeking comment.

Kelleher must still negotiate to buy the striking tower design. "He loves it," said Murphy, his spokesman.

The Irish-born developer, who worked in the Chicago real estate market from 1986 to 1996, said in a statement, "I'm excited to have an opportunity to contribute to the Chicago skyline."

The tower at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive at the intersection of North Water Street, which was announced almost a year ago and would surpass the 1,450-foot Sears Tower, already has city planning and zoning approvals for a 150-room hotel and about 300 condos priced from about $600,000 to $5 million.

So far, "not a large number" of condos have been reserved by buyers, and the hotel operator must still be chosen, Murphy said.

Although thousands of new downtown condos are slated for delivery over the next few years, Kelleher thinks his project will succeed financially.

Donald Trump, who is building a 1,000-foot-plus tower in Chicago, thinks otherwise.

"It's a Grade C location and not financially feasible because the total condominium sellout couldn't be more than $900 million," said Trump, who added that Kelleher "may do a smaller building on that site unless he wants to throw out a few hundred million dollars."

Despite the paucity of condo sales, "the next step is to get the development team under contract, finalize the design plans and start construction," Murphy said.

Assembling the design/development team is of critical importance because it includes Calatrava, a world-renowned architect whose design has been much admired by architectural experts. The Spanish architect's Chicago associate is DeStefano + Partners Ltd.

The financial settlement between Fordham and its development team is still to be resolved.

"After today's closing, there will be negotiations with all the parties that have brought the project to where it now is," Murphy said.

So far the design is still in the early schematic phase. Construction, meanwhile, is scheduled to start next spring and be completed in 2010, Murphy said.

It is uncertain whether Kelleher will be able make good on his promise to start construction early next year.

Architect James DeStefano, who served as Calatrava's associate on the tower, said Kelleher could submit documents for a foundation permit this fall and might be able to start foundation work in early 2007.

But DeStefano added that only preliminary concept sketches have been done for the skyscraper. No working drawings, from which contractors actually build the design, have been completed, he said, and neither have design development drawings, which take the initial sketches beyond the concept stage.

"If there's a concerted effort, it would take six to eight months [to complete all the drawings]," DeStefano said, adding that he did not know if he would remain on the development team.

Architecture critics in Chicago and around the country have praised the thin, twisting shape of Calatrava's tower, which represents a marked departure from the boxy norm that has long reigned in Chicago.

Each floor of the stainless steel and glass tower would rotate slightly from the floor below it, allowing the skyscraper to make a full 360-degree turn from the ground to its summit. The result would be a sculptural icon that soars above nearby Navy Pier.

The design, which has been compared to a giant drill bit, represents a major change in the evolution of the skyscraper. For years, almost all were tall office buildings, though there were exceptions, such as Chicago's John Hancock Center, which mixes high-rise apartments, shops and offices.

Increasingly, however, skyscrapers are as much places to live as they are places to work. And Chicago, where the skyscraper was born, epitomizes that change.

If Calatrava's design moves forward as expected, the city will have three residential towers taller than 1,000 feet under construction, and all of them will be along the river, where uninterrupted views are a major lure to buyers.

----------

sdiesenhouse@tribune.com

bkamin@tribune.com

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

BVictor1

July 20th, 2006, 02:08 PM

http://www.chicagosuntimes.com/output/business/cst-fin-carley20.html

Business

New twist in spire project

July 20, 2006

BY DAVID ROEDER Business Reporter

The buyer of Chicago lakefront land slated to get a 124-story building claimed full control of the project Wednesday and said its original developer is out of the deal for now.

Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. in Dublin, Ireland, said he has purchased the property with a loan from Anglo Irish Bank. A spokesman for Kelleher, Chicago attorney Thomas Murphy, said the 2.2 acres was acquired for $64 million.

Murphy said Christopher Carley is not a part of the sale. Carley assembled the deal, hiring celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava for the project and navigating City Hall for approval of what would be the tallest building in North America.

Carley could stay on as a local manager of the project, but that's still to be negotiated, Murphy said. Groundbreaking could occur in early 2007.

"There's no partnership and there's no joint venture here," Murphy said. He said Carley will be paid an unspecified sum for his involvement in the deal so far.

Carley was unavailable for comment. Among the assets he has in the deal are more than 90 sales contracts, each accompanied by $20,000 in refundable deposits, he has reported getting after a test marketing period.

The building has been approved to host 300 condominiums and 150 hotel rooms, some of which also could be sold. Its Calatrava design is unique and includes a spire that could contain antennae for digital TV. Each floor is rotated about 2 degrees from the one below it, giving the building a swirling appearance. Many real estate experts have warned that Carley, who has endured financial setbacks on other major deals while managing to complete them, never understood how expensive the building would be.

In his announcement of the land sale, Kelleher placed the project's value at $1.2 billion. Carley last estimated it at $600 million.

"His may have been too optimistic and ours may be too pessimistic," Murphy said when asked to explain the difference. "Costs have changed a quite a bit in the year since this project was started."

Kelleher's firm reported having more than $2 billion of development work in progress in Dublin and work in Great Britain, Belgium and France. He spent 10 years in Chicago starting in 1986, first working as a subcontractor on small projects, before returning to Ireland with his family.

"He has been looking at a lot of projects in Chicago," Murphy said. "He comes to Chicago on a regular basis, and he has an international vision for what this building can be."

The building is slated for East North Water Street where it meets Lake Shore Drive. As the new owner, Kelleher is calling the project 400 North Lake Shore Drive for now, Murphy said.

Carley marketed it under the name Fordham Spire after his own Fordham Co.

The seller of the property is a venture aligned with LR Development Co. LLC, which could apply the proceeds to its own plans for a 57-story condo building at 515 N. Peshtigo Ct., a vacant piece about a block north of the Calatrava building.

droeder@suntimes.com

SNT1

July 20th, 2006, 06:28 PM

edit---wrong Fordham thread >.>

but yah this is even better news.

ZZ-II

July 20th, 2006, 06:30 PM

No Fordham Spire now?

spyguy

July 20th, 2006, 06:32 PM

He's negotiating with Fordham Co., Calatrava, and Destefano + Partners. Too early to tell the outcome IMO.

Chi_Coruscant

July 20th, 2006, 06:46 PM

It seems that Kelleher is serious on building the Calatrava-designed tower.

http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/news/2006/news_2006_July20.html

Tallest building in US and Europe to be built in Chicago by Irish developer
One of the world’s tallest buildings is to be developed by Irishman Garrett Kelleher, who is Executive Chairman of Shelbourne Development. Mr Kelleher has acquired the land and will fund the development of ‘400 North Lake Shore Drive’ in Chicago. The city has already granted zoning approval for a 124-storey tower on this site. Situated at the mouth of the Chicago River, it would be the tallest skyscraper in North America and Europe. The plan of the site is designed by world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava.

‘400 North Lake Shore Drive’ will measure approx 2,000 feet (610 metres) to the top of the tower including spire/antennae and 1,570 feet (478 metres) to the roof – therefore the tallest free-standing structure in North America and Europe, surpassing the Sears Tower in Chicago and the CN Tower in Toronto Canada.

The building will cover 920,000 square feet. It will include 300 luxury condominium residences, and a 5-star 20-storey hotel. Approx 50,000 square feet of retail and support space is planned for the podium floors overlooking the Chicago river and Lake Michigan.

Construction is anticipated to commence in early 2007 on the $1.2 billion development.

Garrett Kelleher lived in Chicago for 10 years before returning to Ireland in 1996 and since then his company Shelbourne Development has grown substantially in this market and beyond. In the past three years alone, Shelbourne has completed in excess of 1.5 million square feet of construction in Ireland. The company also has projects in mainland Europe and the United States.

In Dublin, Shelbourne Development has acquired and re-developed a number of landmark sites including the former Department of Justice building on St Stephens Green, the former Irish Press building on Burgh Quay and the former Virgin Megastore on Aston Quay. Shelbourne also recently completed a significant development in Tallaght, Belgard Square which comprises 40,000 sq metres of residential, retail and leisure space. The company currently has a development pipeline in Dublin in excess of $2 billion.

Contact: Eileen Gleeson, Chairman, Weber Shandwick Ireland
Mobile: +353 86 2562233
Email: egleeson@webershandwick.com

Kngkyle

August 2nd, 2006, 07:18 PM

Some new good news!

http://www.newcityskyline.com/400NLSD2.html

nano2192

August 2nd, 2006, 08:00 PM

impresive designs!!!!i love them!!

Marino33

August 3rd, 2006, 04:20 AM

400 North Lake Shore Drive project continues to move forward

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

(NewcitySkyline) – The Monday, July 31st meeting scheduled with The Fordham Company and Chicago City Hall regarding the proposed 400 North Lake Shore Drive building (formerly the Fordham Spire) was canceled due to the fact that the developer for the project has changed hands.

A new meeting will be scheduled with City Hall and the new developer, Garrett Kelleher of Shelbourne Development Ltd., at a future date. Kelleher recently purchased the plot of land where the much anticipated Fordham Spire would have been built and has taken over the development of the tower.

Currently, Kelleher and his team are in the process of analyzing the details of the work that has been accomplished thus far, including the renderings provided by architect Santiago Calatrava, the permits approved by the city of Chicago, a few logistics defined by Carley and any other specifics proposed for the building.

So far the only changes contemplated by the new developer are enhancements to the current design and the cost of the structure has gone from $600 million to $1.2 billion USD.

In an effort to define roles and responsibilities for the new team, Kelleher is meeting with all parties who have been involved with the project to date over the next few weeks will determine the future roles of these companies as well as others who may become involved in the project.

This includes determining which real estate company will be handling the sales of the units, as well as putting together a marketing team to create their new strategies.

When asked to comment on a recent report that Kelleher was still deciding whether to use Calatrava’s design, Tom Murphy, a Chicago attorney and spokesperson for the new developer, said Kelleher has held initial conversations with Calatrava and will be meeting with him in Europe within the month.

Soon after Labor Day Kelleher plans to be in Chicago at which time he intends to meet with The Fordham Company to discuss their future role in the project and finalize all the details.

Shelbourne Development continues to pursue an agreement with the Anglo Irish Bank to secure the construction loan and a group of financial players will be added to their team.

There are two very important considerations to secure the loan at this time; one is the number of reservations made by potential buyers so far, and two is the new developer’s financial strength.

Kelleher and his company inherited 90 reservations with approximately $20,000 USD refundable deposits each from The Fordham Company. Once the real estate company is chosen, they will have to determine how many of these reservations will actually turn into sales. However, their sales department feels that 90 reservations is an excellent start.

Kelleher believes that adding the current number of reservations to the fact that he is investing 100% of the equity is going to make a significant difference as far as securing the loan.

According to sources close to Kelleher in Ireland, he is determined to materialize this project. © 2006 NewcitySkyline, LLC