Height: 2,000 ft
Floor count: 150
Location: East North Water and South Lake Shore Drive
Construction end: 2010
Architect: Santiago Calatrava
Development firm: Shelbourne Development Ltd.

Website (http://thechicagospire.com/)

Chicago Spire has be redesigned numerous times and will include a park, known as DuSable Park.

Current Design

Version F:
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4961/spireex1jd7.jpg
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/8079/csversionfmassive5ru4.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/7208/csversionflargekm1.jpg
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9318/csversionfmassive4bt7.jpg
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8599/csversionflarger2xy4.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/7415/csversionf2hc5.jpg
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/2961/csversionf3ix7.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5904/csversionf4ay7.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6990/csversionfmodelrn0.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8229/csversionfmodel2tt2.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/531/csversionfcentralnightft3.jpg
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/8650/csnewiv0.jpg
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3238/csnew2hl8.jpg
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8179/csnew3bt4.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vrysxy/chicagospire_inside2.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vrysxy/chicagospire_inside1.jpg
DuSable Park:
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3470/csdusable3jx7.jpg
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/8707/csdusabletu6.jpg
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9574/csdusable2pw2.jpg



Previous Designs (starting with the most recent)

Version E:
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1793/csfinalsmallerkz0.jpg

Version D:
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/384/spire9cw.jpg

Version C:
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3740/5041476jm.jpg

Version B:
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/1595/f30ur.png

Version A:
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2074/spire3op.gif

I'm suprised that no one has posted here yet. I'll go first then...

Earlier today I saw a couple of guys on the site, and it looked like they were taking measurements or something. Couldn't see too clearly because of the brush, and I ran over there and see if I could find out anything.

Anyway, I ran over there, and I asked the guy what they were doing, and he said that it was confidential. But lucky for me, his jacket said STS on it.

Here's a link to their site for more info about them: http://www.stsconsultants.com/

They were waving this machine back and fourth. It reminded me of a gigercounter or something. They were testing for something, and my dumb ass forgot to take my camera over there. There were also marks spraypainted on the ground, and they looked fairly fresh.


Take from this what you will and run like like a mutha' fucker being chased by the cops. I certainly am...



Upon further inspection, I noticed a few other things:

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/9569/p1050568aa1.jpg

Now I regularly walk across the LSD bridge on the lower level to get shots of Trump, The Regatta and Chandler, and this was the first time that I noticed any kind of stake or mark.

Notice the red dots.
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/8808/p1050569qe9.jpg

From Newcity Skyline


400 LSD continues to spiral forth

Friday, October 27, 2006

By Kelly Matlock


NewcitySkyline - Within the next couple of years, Dublin, Ireland will not be the only city where Irish developer Garrett Kelleher of Shelbourne Development Ltd. and Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava, the designer behind the James Joyce Bridge in Dublin, will share architectural accomplishments. Chicago will join the pair’s list of famed structures as the developer and architect team up to work together on the former Fordham Spire, still planned for construction at 400 Lake Shore Drive.

(READ MORE HERE) http://www.newcityskyline.com/400LSDContinues.html

Good news!

nice to hear that

i dont know if i can read this thread anymore , the antisipation is to nerv wrecking!

I bet the guys were at 400 N. LSD today to test the soils. Because so much of Chicago is fill, often you get contaminants in the soils like PNAs and Lead. They will most likely have to remove all the bad soils and take it to a special landfill. If the company was STS, then yes, they do soil remediation stuff. I believe V3 used to be called STS, so maybe the guy could have been wearing an old jacket if they were surveyors. Does anyone know who surveyed the site?

Got this from the highrise and development board

Posted by Z-II

http://i11.tinypic.com/2vwwlzs.jpg

^^ Thanks for posting Harvester

November 3, 2006

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2315/pb030168hw8.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9274/pb030165ur1.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/111/pb030158rc9.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1217/pb030160bu3.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4686/pb030161ft6.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8960/pb030163ga6.jpg

^^ :banana: :banana: :banana:

Soil samples?

Soil samples?

They test the soil to see if there are any contaminents that pose a potential health hazard to people living in the new building or to people working on the construction of the new building. The EPA has several standards that the soil must pass, if not, then there must be an expensive clean up process that has delayed construction projects as close as the buildings on grand and fairbanks.

wouldnt this be considered part of the site prep/demo stages? can we change the status on this one yet?

No, it's not enough. The point has been raised at SSP that this soil must be tested and decontaminated, regardless of whether Kelleher is building America's tallest building or not.

We know that Kelleher will very likely build something on the site, since he has already paid for the land in full. But we cannot assume that what is being built is actually the same Fordham Spire we have all come to know and love. It might not even be residential.

Also - the soil and site should probably be tested just to make sure that building the world's tallest building is even possible here. If it is not possible without millions of dollars of investment in the strengthening of the land, Kelleher may think twice.

Further progress on the site may not happen for awhile after this.

Officially, I propose that we consider it "in site prep" once the weeds on the lot have been removed/killed.

But we cannot assume that what is being built is actually the same Fordham Spire we have all come to know and love. It might not even be residential.

Gah! I hope that's not the case...

Two points:

1) I think there's a 99.9% chance that whatever gets built on this site would be residential - nothing else makes sense (save for the possibility of hotel).

2) I strongly doubt they would have already spent the millions of dollars on marketing and development (commissioning Calatrava to even conceive the project) if they weren't certain that the building could be built. There's simply no way that they conceive (and draw plans for) a 2,000' tower if the soil below it is insufficient to support it.

new pic, Posted in The Highrise News Section:


Also thanks to Bvic for our new pictures of the dirt piles!
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1050642.jpg

Forget about the soil supporting it when it's the caisons that will do most of the supporting.

Here's a better angle and view of what's going on. Taken 10 minutes ago from the North Pier Tower parking garage, 12th floor.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1050671.jpg

it's going forward

^ I wonder if they plan to start construction before sales? Now that would take some balls, and I would have to give them Irish some major respect if that were the case.

Maybe they have such long list of buyers,they don't need to wait for the pre sales. Remember most of the buyers last time where from overseas. We just have to wait.

Developer Naming 124-Story Tower Team Today
By Robert Carr

http://www.globest.com/news/783_783/chicago/150691-1.html

CHICAGO-Developer Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. and the Shelbourne Group, plans to announce today the new team to design and build the 124-story residential tower here formerly known as the Fordham Spire, and also share news about some design changes to the building. Kelleher’s companies are based in Dublin, Ireland. A spokeswoman told GlobeSt.com that the company will name the team in an announcement at 9 a.m. on Nov. 15.

Tom Murphy of Thomas J. Murphy PC, general counselor for Kelleher, told GlobeSt.com that the company is looking at changes with the lead architect. The corkscrew-like tower was designed by architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. The tower is expected to measure 2,000 feet tall, including spires and antenna.

“There are going to be some inevitable changes to the team and the design,” Murphy says. “It will be the same silhouette, but there will be enhancements with mechanical issues, parking, things like that.” He says the environmental investigation on the building is ongoing, design drawings will be drawn up shortly and the company is looking to break ground in second quarter 2007.

Local developer Christopher T. Carley, who introduced the building concept, was taken out of the deal when Kelleher bought the property for $65 million in July. Carley will not be involved in the new project, Murphy says. The site, located at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago River, has already been granted zoning approval by the city for a 124-story residential and hotel tower, thanks to Carley’s original efforts.

The 920,000-sf structure will surpass the Sears Tower and Toronto's CN Tower, making it the tallest freestanding building in North America and Europe. The development will include 300 luxury condominium residences, ranging from $600,000 to $5 million, and a five-star, 20-story hotel. Additionally, 50,000 sf of retail and support space is planned for the floors overlooking the river and Lake Michigan. Completion is slated for late 2010.

:banana: :banana: :banana:

November 15, 2006 11:47 AM Eastern Time
Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. Announces Global Team to Build 400 North Lake Shore Drive
Construction on “The Chicago Spire” to Begin in 2007

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. announces its team to build “The Chicago Spire,” a landmark 2,000 foot tower on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago. The building, designed by famed international architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, will be the world’s tallest residential skyscraper. Construction on The Chicago Spire, which will include exclusive condominium residences that will revolutionize Chicago living, as well as a six-star international hotel, will start before next June, with completion expected late 2010. The plan of development calls for a building measuring approximately 2,000 feet (610 meters) to the top of the tower.

Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. acquired the property at 400 North Lake Shore Drive in July and has now finalized agreements with Calatrava and a team of world-class leading architects and engineers to bring Calatrava’s vision to life. As a pre-condition of each agreement, Kelleher required the principal or founder of each consultancy to lead its individual team. As a result, Kelleher has put in place a group of outstanding talent in all areas of skyscraper design and construction. All team members will maintain offices in Chicago for the duration of the project.

The team includes:

Santiago Calatrava – Lead Architect & Engineer – Santiago Calatrava is one of the world’s most influential architects. He initially made his name building bridges throughout Europe and is known for such highly-creative designs as the Milwaukee Art Museum and “Turning Torso” in Malmo, Sweden, the tallest building in Scandinavia. He’s also responsible for the magnificent Velodrome designed used during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. His current projects include the World Trade Center Transportation Hub at Ground Zero and 80 South St, a stunning cubed residential building in New York City’s financial district.

Perkins+Will, Architect of Record – Founded in Chicago in 1935, Perkins+Will's multi-disciplinary work spans nearly every project type, including corporate, commercial, civic, higher education, healthcare, and science and technology. Highly respected globally, the firm employs 1,200 architects, interior designers and planners around the world. Perkins+Will’s project portfolio includes Boeing’s 561-foot (171 m) International Headquarters and the Aon Center, both in Chicago. The firm is also responsible for The Buildings by Daman at the Dubai International Financial Center and Concourse II at Dubai’s International Airport. Ray Clark, principal at Perkins+Will heads up The Chicago Spire project.

The Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc., Structural Engineer of Record – The Thornton-Tomasetti Group is an international engineering and design firm that provides a wide range of services to the building industry. The firm maintains 12 offices across the United States and has a presence in Hong Kong, Moscow and Shanghai. Thornton-Tomasetti’s body of work includes the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur which stands a record 1,483-feet (452 m), Taipei 101 in Taipei and Diamond of Istanbul in Istanbul, Turkey. Richard Tomasetti, founder of The Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc. will direct the Chicago Spire team.

Buro Happold, Project Consultant – Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services. As part of the consortium appointed to design the Olympic Park for the 2012 Olympics in London, Buro Happold has an expansive global project portfolio, including the Al Faisaliah in Riyadh, The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin and Al Khiran Pearl City in Kuwait. International Director and Principal Padraic Kelly will lead the Buro Happold team.

Savills, Plc., Property Consultants, Sales and Marketing – With over 140 offices and associates world-wide, Savills is one of the leading international property advisors globally . The company has an extensive network of offices and associates throughout the UK, mainland Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa, and is currently listed among the FTSE 250 on the London Stock Exchange. Savills is considered one of the most successful agencies in London and through a partnership in Moscow is now part of the leading firm in residential real estate there. Dominic Grace, principal for Savills will lead the Chicago project.

Altus Helyar, Cost Consultants – Founded in 1958 as Altus Helyar, provides cost consulting and development cost management services in the real estate industry. The company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada is the largest and oldest practice there with projects ranging from the world’s largest mall: West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Canada, First Canadian Place in Toronto and the World Financial Center in New York. The Chicago team will be headed up by senior director, Colin Kelleher.

Cosentini Associates, Mechanical, Electric and Plumbing Engineer – Since its founding in 1952, Cosentini has engineered solutions for projects ranging from high performance office buildings to research laboratories to cultural and academic facilities. Cosentini’s portfolio includes the John Hancock Tower in Boston, Guggenheim Museum in Spain, Time Warner Center in New York, and the Samsung Headquarters Plaza in Seoul. The Cosentini team will be lead by director, Bruno Spiewak.

STS Consultants, Ltd., Geotechnical Engineer –STS is an engineering consulting firm recognized for its capabilities in civil design, construction services, facilities support, high-rise foundations and transportation engineering. Established in 1948, the firm’s projects in Chicago include the 110-story Sears Tower, Waterview Tower and the John Hancock Center among others. Globally, STS was involved with the development of Taipei 101, currently the world’s tallest building standing at 1,671 feet (509 m). Clyde Baker, Senior principal heads up the STS Consultants, Ltd. team.
Knight E/A, Inc., Civil Engineer – Knight E/A is a full-service and multi-disciplined architectural and engineering firm providing design, planning and management services to both public and private clients. Knight E/A’s project portfolio includes Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway, Midway Airport’s new air traffic control tower and the Chicago Marine Safety Station. CEO James Wolfe will lead the Knight E/A, Inc. group.

Tom Murphy of Thomas J. Murphy, P.C., Kelleher’s general counsel says, “We look forward to breaking ground on The Chicago Spire before June and building a property the city will look up to with pride.”

For more information about The Chicago Spire and Shelbourne Development Group, Inc., see http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/.

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 Development Group, Inc. holds significant investment properties in Europe.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/...78&newsLang=en

Calatrava Still Leads on $1B Chicago Spire
By Robert Carr


Chicago Spire(For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.)
(To read more on the multifamily market, click here.)

CHICAGO-Developer Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. and the Shelbourne Group, has announced the project team that will build the 124-story residential tower Chicago Spire, formerly known as the Fordham Spire. The renowned Santiago Calatrava, the designer of the original corkscrew-style Spire, will be the lead architect and engineer for the 2,000-foot-tall building. Perkins + Will will be the architect of record, with Principal Ray Clark heading up the project.
The rest of the team includes The Thornton-Thomasetti Group Inc. as the structural engineers, with company founder Richard Tomasetti leading his team; Buro Happold will act as project consultant, with International Director and Principal Padraic Kelly leading that group; Savills PLC will be the property consultants, sales and marketing, with Principal Dominic Grace leading his team. Also on the project are Altus Helyar as cost consultants, with Senior Director Colin Kelleher; Cosentini Associates as the mechanical, electric and plumbing engineers, with Director Bruno Spiewak; STS Consultants LTD as the geotechnical engineer, with Senior Principal Clyde Baker; and Knight E/A Inc. as civil engineer, with Chief Executive Officer James Wolfe.
As a pre-condition of each agreement, Kelleher required the principal or founder of each consultancy to lead its individual team. Construction will start by next June. Tom Murphy of Thomas J. Murphy PC, general counselor for Kelleher, told GlobeSt.com on Nov. 15 that though the building height and silhouette will remain the same, the amount of hotel rooms versus condos may change. The development was to include 300 luxury condominium residences, ranging from $600,000 to $5 million, and a five-star, 20-story hotel. Additionally, 50,000 sf of retail and support space is planned for the floors overlooking the river and Lake Michigan.

"We will be making determinations on antennas, whether or not to have them, whether to build the parking above or below ground, and the mix of the type and size of units in the tower," Murphy says. The antennas were what had originally taken the tower to 2,000-feet tall, but Murphy says if the antennas are removed, the condos would be built up to that height.
Local developer Christopher T. Carley, who introduced the building concept, was taken out of the deal when Kelleher bought the property for $65 million in July. Carley will not be involved in the new project, Murphy says. The site, located at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago River, has already been granted zoning approval by the city for a 124-story residential and hotel tower, thanks to Carley's original efforts.

The 920,000-sf structure will surpass the Sears Tower and Toronto's CN Tower, making it the tallest freestanding building in North America and Europe. Construction is slated for late 2010.

The "Chicago Spire," huh? Great to hear! I'll change the thread title.

Construction is slated for late 2010.

I guess that would be a reasonable time frame.

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=22892

U.K. firm to market Calatrava project condos

Nov. 15, 2006
By Alby Gallun

The new developer of the former Fordham Spire has picked a British real estate brokerage to sell condominiums in the proposed lakefront skyscraper and hired Chicago-based Perkins & Will to be the project’s local architect.

London-based Savills PLC, which has more than 140 offices worldwide but none in the United States, will market condos in the twisting tower designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, according to Shelbourne Development Group Inc., the Irish developer that took over the project from Chicago-based Fordham Co. last summer.

Garrett Kelleher, Shelbourne’s executive chairman, has a long-term relationship with Savills and wanted a firm with an international sales network that could bring in buyers from Europe and Asia, says Thomas J. Murphy, Mr. Kelleher’s attorney.

Shelbourne acquired the 2.2-acre development site at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive for about $64 million in July, after Fordham, the project’s original developer, failed to obtain financing for the land purchase.

If built, the tower would stretch 2,000 feet into the sky, making it the tallest building in North America.

Mr. Calatrava remains the project’s lead architect and engineer on the condo and hotel project, but Perkins & Will replaces Chicago-based DeStefano & Partners Ltd. as the project’s architect of record.

Shelbourne also has hired:

* New York-based Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc. as structural engineer of record.
* British firm Buro Happold as project consultant.
* Toronto-based Altus Helyar as cost consultants.
* New York-based Cosentini Associates as mechanical, electric and plumbing engineer.
* Vernon Hills-based STS Consultants Ltd. as geotechnical engineer.
* Chicago-based Knight E/A Inc. as civil engineer.

Shelbourne has given back deposits on about 70 units in the project and expects Savills to start marketing the units again early next year, says Mr. Murphy, a solo practitioner. The developer aims to break ground before next June, with completion expected in late 2010.

Condo developers typically must sell about half of the units in a condo project to secure a construction loan. It’s unclear whether Shelbourne would be able to hit that target in less than six months — a tough task at the high end of a soft downtown condo market. Yet Mr. Murphy was confident the developer will obtain financing regardless of condo sales.

With Fordham out as the project’s developer, Shelbourne is now marketing the tower as the Chicago Spire, a name that could change once more.

“The name is a work in progress,” Mr. Murphy says.

The antennas were what had originally taken the tower to 2,000-feet tall, but Murphy says if the antennas are removed, the condos would be built up to that height.

OMG, is he serious? :bow:

That seems highly unlikely, but we just might end up with a roof height of 2000', with the option of a decorative spire (FAA permitting). I'm trying not to jump to conclusions here, but this seems really cool. Remember, the Burj has a roof height of only 2,067 (Wikipedia).

Wow, wonderful news to follow with cool new name as "Chicago Spire", I love it!:) Couldn't be more patriotic!:lol:

OMG, is he serious? :bow:

That seems highly unlikely, but we just might end up with a roof height of 2000', with the option of a decorative spire (FAA permitting). I'm trying not to jump to conclusions here, but this seems really cool. Remember, the Burj has a roof height of only 2,067 (Wikipedia).


That would be :nuts: , how about reclaim the world's tallest with few more feet(67'+ to go)?:lol:
Say what Burj Dubai....:banana: Here comes the Chicago Spire represented!:lol: :nuts:

wonder what Trump is saying now :P

wonder what Trump is saying now :P

Emergency meeting with plans to smack more layers over current project to out done Chicago Spire?:lol: :runaway:

citynext.ru has just published a height of russia tower. it's going to be 612m tall. so 2,5m taller :tongue2: :banana:

citynext.ru has just published a height of russia tower. it's going to be 612m tall. so 2,5m taller :tongue2: :banana:

but keep in mind that Borat will be able to afford the rent in the Moscow tower while not be able to buy a condo at Chicago Spire. Chicago Spire will not allow chickens or cows in its units, unlike its Russian counterpart, and uses the concept of toillets for waste disposal.

Other than that, I'm sure the two projects are quite similiar.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0611160126nov16,0,4583804.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Developer names design team for 2,000-foot twisting tower

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published November 16, 2006


Taking another step toward building the nation's tallest skyscraper in Chicago, the project's developer on Wednesday announced a design team that includes a veteran Chicago architectural firm and the structural engineers who helped shape the Malaysian twin towers that took the world's tallest building title from Sears Tower.

The developer, Garret Kelleher, executive chairman of Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Ltd. and the Shelbourne Group, revealed that the structural engineer of record for the twisting, 2,000-foot residential spire designed by architect Santiago Calatrava will be New York-based Thornton Tomasetti.

Besides the 1,483-foot Petronas Towers in Malaysia, which stripped 1,450-foot Sears Tower of the world's tallest crown in 1996, Thornton Tomasetti's credits include the current world's tallest building, the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan. The firm has an office in Chicago.

The architect of record will be Chicago-based Perkins + Will, whose portfolio ranges from the International Terminal at O'Hare International Airport to Boeing Co.'s high-rise headquarters along the Chicago River. That marks a switch from DeStefano + Partners of Chicago, the architect of record for the project's original developer, the Fordham Co.

Both positions typically involve the workaday production of construction documents rather than the more glamorous responsibility for design.

Calatrava, whose projects include the bird-like addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum and the planned transportation hub at the World Trade Center, is to be the project's lead architect and engineer. But his wife and business manager, Tina, indicated in an e-mail from her husband's New York office that she was caught off guard by the timing of the press release. Calatrava did not return phone calls seeking comment.

In July Kelleher acquired the vacant site for the much-heralded, $1.2 billion hotel and condominium project, which would rise west of Lake Shore Drive on the north bank of the Chicago River.

The 124-story tower has city planning and zoning approvals, but it lacks a name, Kelleher having dropped the Fordham Co.'s self-promoting "Fordham Spire." The announcement simply referred to the project as 400 North Lake Shore Drive.

Questions also persist about whether the project makes economic sense, with so many other luxury high-rises, including Donald Trump's 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower, already under way.

Kelleher's attorney, Thomas J. Murphy of Chicago, reiterated Wednesday that the tower will be built. A news release predicted groundbreaking by June and completion by late 2010.

"A visionary is someone who looks at the same things someone else looks at and sees something very different," Murphy said, rebutting Trump's criticism that the project's location, several blocks from North Michigan Avenue, will hamper sales.

Murphy acknowledged that contracts have not been signed with the team members, though he said that will happen "within a week."

Other unresolved questions, he said, include the tower's exact location, whether parking will be built above or below ground and whether the skyscraper will include a broadcast antenna. If the antenna is not built, he said, a decorative spire would still bring the tower's height to the planned 2,000 feet.

----------

bkamin@tribune.com



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Sky's the limit for planned Spire prices
http://www.suntimes.com/business/137...rava16.article

November 16, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER Business Reporter

The developer of the proposed 124-story spire on the lakefront Wednesday disclosed the firms hired for the project as his Chicago spokesman declared the residential building will be marketed to the world's wealthiest buyers.
Chicago attorney Thomas Murphy, spokesman for developer Garrett Kelleher, said the building should command condominium prices far above the Chicago market's upper limits. Kelleher is executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. in Dublin.

Last July, he took over rights to the project's 2.2-acre site at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive for $64 million. The architect would be renowned Spaniard Santiago Calatrava.

Twisting and skinny, the renamed Chicago Spire is thought by many experts to be prohibitively expensive to build. Murphy said the building must command condominium prices far above the market's upper limits.

He declined to provide a range, but did not dispute an interviewer's suggestion that the building would aim for sales at $2,000 a square foot. Current high prices in Chicago are just over $1,000 a square foot for residences to about $1,200 a square foot for hotel rooms sold as condos.
"We are looking at raising the bar quite a bit," Murphy said, adding that construction should start before June 2007.

The building would top out at 2,000 feet, making it the tallest in Chicago and, for now, the United States.

A Chicago developer experienced with high-rise construction voiced doubt over the enterprise, saying Kelleher needs to achieve prices that are "off the planet." Told of that comment, Murphy replied, "They're not off the planet. They may be off the continent."

Murphy said Chicago prices look astonishingly cheap to European buyers. Kelleher, who lived in Chicago for about 10 years, will market the city as a good place for jet-setters to invest and have a part-time home.

The strategy was underscored by his selection of Savills PLC as the project's marketing firm. It's a London company with 140 offices worldwide. Murphy said it has a great track record overseas and might partner with a Chicago agency to shop for local sales.

Calatrava has agreed to continue as the lead architect after starting work on the building for a previous developer. The Chicago firm Perkins & Will will direct the architecture locally.

Murphy backed away from previous estimates that the building will cost about $1.2 billion. Kelleher is committed to it regardless of the final amount and has selected Toronto-based Altus Helyar as cost consultants, Murphy said.

"A building like this can get the best price points in the market,'' said Ron DeVries, vice president at Appraisal Research Counselors Ltd., a Chicago real estate consultancy. "But it's doubtful they can get $2,000 a square foot."

New York, the most expensive condo market in the United States, has top prices in elite buildif $2,000 to $2,500 a square foot. DeVries said there's a long pattern of New York prices being double those of Chicago.

Other firms that have signed for the spire are structural engineers Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc., project consultants Buro Happold, engineers Cosentini Associates, geotechnical engineers STS Consultants Ltd. and civil engineers Knight E/A Inc.

The Calatrava design calls for each floor to be rotated about two degrees from the one below it, creating the twisting effect. It also produces challenges in construction and cost.

Murphy said the challenges are manageable and that the units in Calatrava's scheme have flexible layouts, so they can be enlarged or made smaller as the market dictates. Current zoning allows the building to have 300 condos and another 150 hotel rooms.

There are no plans to use the spire for broadcast antennas, Murphy said.

but keep in mind that Borat will be able to afford the rent in the Moscow tower while not be able to buy a condo at Chicago Spire. Chicago Spire will not allow chickens or cows in its units, unlike its Russian counterpart, and uses the concept of toillets for waste disposal.

Other than that, I'm sure the two projects are quite similiar.

YES! Way to work Borat into the Fordham Spire. :lol:

YES! Way to work Borat into the Fordham Spire. :lol:

Thank you. I much like your sister. She hot. May I have her?

yeksemyash , hi myah name isah borat. i like sexy time with sexy Chicago spire, high five

yeksemyash , hi myah name isah borat. i like sexy time with sexy Chicago spire, high five

you better get peoples to see you movie or you be execute.here are some scraps to feed sexy cage wife. you come to america?

Remember, the Burj has a roof height of only 2,067 (Wikipedia).
I wasn't aware that this number had been made public? I wonder where Wiki got it.

It's cited as an estimate. With one accurate dimension and an accurate diagram, you can estimate any other dimension. I assume someone just imported an image into autocad, scaled it to the total height, and then dimensioned to the roof. Or counted pixels. whatever.

Actually, the roof height of the Burj seems to me like it should be way higher, especially if the small floors above the last setback are in fact occupiable.

Yeah, it certainly sounds like a low number to me given that every other slip I've heard has been in the neighborhood of 2300 to 2600'.

but keep in mind that Borat will be able to afford the rent in the Moscow tower while not be able to buy a condo at Chicago Spire. Chicago Spire will not allow chickens or cows in its units, unlike its Russian counterpart, and uses the concept of toillets for waste disposal.

Other than that, I'm sure the two projects are quite similiar.


Don't want to burst your bubble of America the best and superior, but in reality Bortat would have a problem affording a condo in Moscow and have no problem buying a condo in Chicago. Prices of high quality real estate in Moscow are much higher than in Chicago. In fact prices in Chicago are a bargain compared to what you see in Moscow.

You might be laughing now, but think about who has 1/3 of world’s natural gas reserves and is the world’s second biggest producer of oil. All of us in the west are pumping money into the Russian economy when we pump gas into our cars and heat our homes. They are awash with petrodollars. In fact Russia exports more hydrocarbons (oil and gas) than Saudi Arabia.

Hopefully they will not be laughing at us in 10 or 15 years as we do at them today. So I would look at Russia with a bit of trepidation and not ridicule, because they might be the ones ultimately calling the shots.
Just my 2 cents, for whatever it is worth.

Sorry for going a bit off topic.

^kill joy .

yes most of chicago is pretty affordable when comparing it with other major world cities which is, in my opinion, a huge positive point and should be looked up to rather than thought of as a negative . but several neighborhoods and alot of the condow high rises going up are getting pretty expensive- 10 of millions

either way ,.....i slill like sexy time with chicago spire , yes, high five

^kill joy .

yes most of chicago is pretty affordable when comparing it with other major world cities which is, in my opinion, a huge positive point and should be looked up to rather than thought of as a negative . but several neighborhoods and alot of the condow high rises going up are getting pretty expensive- 10 of millions

either way ,.....i slill like sexy time with chicago spire , yes, high five

I also agree that affordable condos in Chicago are a great thing. I can not imagine myself living anywhere else than downtown. Now trying doing that in NYC!

Don't want to burst your bubble of America the best and superior, but in reality Bortat would have a problem affording a condo in Moscow and have no problem buying a condo in Chicago. Prices of high quality real estate in Moscow are much higher than in Chicago. In fact prices in Chicago are a bargain compared to what you see in Moscow.

You might be laughing now, but think about who has 1/3 of world’s natural gas reserves and is the world’s second biggest producer of oil. All of us in the west are pumping money into the Russian economy when we pump gas into our cars and heat our homes. They are awash with petrodollars. In fact Russia exports more hydrocarbons (oil and gas) than Saudi Arabia.

Hopefully they will not be laughing at us in 10 or 15 years as we do at them today. So I would look at Russia with a bit of trepidation and not ridicule, because they might be the ones ultimately calling the shots.
Just my 2 cents, for whatever it is worth.

Sorry for going a bit off topic.

Gee, all that....and I never even thought that America was the best and superior. You may want to try fiber.

Don't want to burst your bubble of America the best and superior, but in reality Bortat would have a problem affording a condo in Moscow and have no problem buying a condo in Chicago. Prices of high quality real estate in Moscow are much higher than in Chicago. In fact prices in Chicago are a bargain compared to what you see in Moscow.

You might be laughing now, but think about who has 1/3 of world’s natural gas reserves and is the world’s second biggest producer of oil. All of us in the west are pumping money into the Russian economy when we pump gas into our cars and heat our homes. They are awash with petrodollars. In fact Russia exports more hydrocarbons (oil and gas) than Saudi Arabia.

Hopefully they will not be laughing at us in 10 or 15 years as we do at them today. So I would look at Russia with a bit of trepidation and not ridicule, because they might be the ones ultimately calling the shots.
Just my 2 cents, for whatever it is worth.

Sorry for going a bit off topic.


No offense, but would you stop talking "POLITICS" in this productive thread, PLEASE!:nuts:

Whoever brought "Borat" up into this thread is already dumb enuf and you want to join the same club by talking Chicago and Moscow...:ohno: No one give a shit,take it somewhere else!:lol:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1050671.jpg
Are those two separate lots? Or does the Kelleher plot include both?

Question. Has there been any talk or concern about the fact that this building will sit on a fill area. I realize that Chicago isn't exactly earthquake central, but with a major faultline just a few hundred miles away, it seems like you wouldn't want to take any chances. Just curious.

They'll drill caissons all the way down to bedrock like most buldings in Chicago.
Heck, I worked on a Grant Park bathroom facility that went down to bedrock. The park's land is also fill.

The bedrock is a limestone formation 420 million years old and 110 feet underground.

They'll drill caissons all the way down to bedrock like most buldings in Chicago.
Heck, I worked on a Grant Park bathroom facility that went down to bedrock. The park's land is also fill.

The bedrock is a limestone formation 420 million years old and 110 feet underground.

COOL INFO! Chicago is PERFECT for extreme supertalls back track to its roots!:lol: :cheers:

That answers my question. Thanks.

Shots from today. It looks like they are basically sweeping across the site.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1050850.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1050851.jpg

^^
Yep, good progress!:banana:

Question. Has there been any talk or concern about the fact that this building will sit on a fill area. I realize that Chicago isn't exactly earthquake central, but with a major faultline just a few hundred miles away, it seems like you wouldn't want to take any chances. Just curious.
Although uber already did a good job answering this question - I'll just remind you that basically everything east of Michigan Avenue is fill (including plenty of buildings that will probably have the same dead load as the Spire will).

Exactly - so if we ever DO have a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault Line, ALL of Streeterville is screwed. ;)

Exactly - so if we ever DO have a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault Line, ALL of Streeterville is screwed. ;)

Earthquake in Chicago:lol:
You are trying to be funny right:nuts:

Even some of the buildings west of Michigan Avenue is fill from when they elevated the city for the sewers and when they rebuilt the city after the Great Chicago Fire.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/9338/dsc06170tr4.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/383/dsc06174fh4.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1603/dsc06175tv7.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5181/dsc06176xz5.jpg

fantastic pics

this combined with Lake Point will form quite the dynamic duo.

I'd invest in a Lake Point Tower condo. Bet the prices go way up if CS gets built.

^ That's a great point.

I wonder if other big time investors have caught on to this.

Great night updates chi649!:)

Looking good!
http://static.flickr.com/112/286535657_4863411e6d_o.jpg
or not....:lol:

^^ great pic's, can't wait for them to start foundation work

you're a chicago guy....so please make new pics :)

you're a chicago guy....so please make new pics :)

stop asking for pictures so often.

they will be posted as they become available.

Here are several photos from Thursday November 30, 2006. I asked if theu had found any "dirty" soil (ha-ha), and I was told no. There must be a reason for the suits, but I'm not sure what. I suppose that we could speculate - or not...

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1060001.jpg?t=1165451754

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1060002.jpg?t=1165451877

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1060003.jpg?t=1165451940

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/BVictor1/P1060004.jpg?t=1165451984

^^ i dont see the pic's

this combined with Lake Point will form quite the dynamic duo.

are you seriously suggesting that Lake Point Tower will become Boy Wonder?

^^ i dont see the pic's

it may be your work computer,
i dont see them at my work, but i can see them at home,
not sure why.

^^ i dont see the pic's

They do not automatically show up for me either. I get a photobucket logo that says "bandwidth exceeded". However, if you right click on the logo and select properties, then copy the URL or address, open a new browser window and paste the address in there, it should work, or at least it did for me.

aww why not just not use photo bucket............

They do not automatically show up for me either. I get a photobucket logo that says "bandwidth exceeded". However, if you right click on the logo and select properties, then copy the URL or address, open a new browser window and paste the address in there, it should work, or at least it did for me.

For me as well. Lovely piles of dirt and two escapees from the Blue Man Group :)

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23109

Calatrava tower to drop spire

Dec. 06, 2006
By Eddie Baeb and Alby Gallun

The Chicago Spire is losing its point.

The developer of the proposed Streeterville tower that would be North America's tallest skyscraper on Friday plans to file design changes with the city eliminating the 430-foot antenna that tops the twisting design by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Instead, condominium units in the building are to rise all the way to the top at 2,000 feet, says Thomas Murphy, a Chicago attorney and spokesman for the project’s developer, Garrett Kelleher of Dublin, Ireland-based Shelbourne Development Ltd.

“The silhouette will be the same, but there won’t be a spire on top,” Mr. Murphy says. “It’s good for the neighborhood, the city and the building. It makes it a sensible, rational scheme.”

The changes, which Mr. Calatrava presented to neighbors earlier this week, would allow for 1,000 condominiums, up from the current plan that calls for 300 units and a 20-story hotel, according to people briefed on the plans. The building also would move slightly north, farther away from the river, and the pedestal-shaped base would be eliminated and replaced with underground parking.

“There are many positive features and we are in the process of reviewing it,” says Gail Spreen, vice-president of the influential neighborhood group the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, which has yet to take a formal position on the changes.

Ms. Spreen, whose group was shown the plans Tuesday night, says she likes the developer’s plan to build an underground parking garage and include a large plaza along the river. She declines to comment on the new design of the building.

Sources say the developer also told neighbors that its financing was lined up, meaning they can begin construction without pre-selling condos, and that Shelbourne didn’t think a hotel would succeed at the 400 N. Lakeshore Drive location, so far from Michigan Avenue.

Mr. Murphy wouldn’t comment on financing, the hotel or how the unit makeup will change with the new designs. He says groundbreaking is planned for the second quarter of next year.

“The building is going forward, there’s no question about that,” Mr. Murphy says. Some observers may question Shelbourne's decision to add condos to the project amid a sluggish downtown condo market. Sales of downtown condos fell 7.6% in the first nine months of the year vs. the same period in 2005, according to Chicago-based consulting firm Appraisal Research Counselors.

Yet condo developers aren't slowing down: They have started marketing 6,100 units this year, eclipsing the 4,700 they put on the market for all of 2005, according to Appraisal Research.

Chicago developer Christopher Carley first proposed the skyscraper in July 2005. Yet Mr. Carley was unable to secure a loan to buy the 2.2-acre development site, so Shelbourne stepped in last July and bought it for about $64 million.

holy shit!!! no way! no spire?! condows all the way up?!

OH MY GOD! Condo's all the way up to 2,000 ft?!?!?!?!

I am taken back with no hotel's being housed there. Without hotel and antenna spire, it may become the tallest all-residential building in the world? Kelleher is becoming riskier and more daring.

What caught my attention is not that there won't be a spire, or that condos may reach the very top of the tower, but that financing was lined up, meaning they can begin construction without pre-selling condos. If this is true, then we may see ground breaking very soon. I just hope it's true!

I am simply stunned by this news. I am also really excited about the sources which say that funding is already lined up.

This is GREAT!! :banana:

I'm gonna go drink to this! :cheers:

Imagine on a brochure "Panoramic view from 150th floor" :drool:

Wow, I wonder what the design is going to look like now.

Tallest all residential tower in the world? Nah, if that happens Dubai will make a copy just so they get the title.

Would this redesign need to go back to the city council for reapproval?

this is GREAT NEWS!
never was a big fan of spires or pedestals.
there is no way they will have trouble selling these condos
even at the stratospheric prices they will command.

who will get the PENTHOUSE? and how much will that go for?
Maybe a new record for chicago.

Would this redesign need to go back to the city council for reapproval?

yes...

but i don't see any problems there

I'm eager to see how this alters the design. Fantastic news!!

Sick. Lets all chip in and buy a condo on one of the top floors. We can make it the official SSC Headquarters.

What caught my attention is not that there won't be a spire, or that condos may reach the very top of the tower, but that financing was lined up, meaning they can begin construction without pre-selling condos. If this is true, then we may see ground breaking very soon. I just hope it's true!

That really would be stunning.:shocked:

there is about to be something on WGN Channel 9 news about the project.

WOW!!!!!!!!

1,000 condos?? Even for a building of this height that seems like a lot. Something about the financing too. I wonder if it is essentially self-financed by Murphy's company, or at least enough so that other lenders aren't taking the risk.

I don't think the analysis they listed about condo sales being down in Chicago even applies to this building. In terms of cachet and, more imporatantly, price, this building is in a different league for other Chicago condos. My guess is that buyers here won't even be interested in any other site, and buyers elsewhere won't be will only be interested in these condos to the degree they can afford them. Totally different product, like saying that sales of Cadillacs are down, then using that to predict how sales of Bentleys will be... not the same customers.

I can't wait to see construction start, hopefully everything is as it seems!

So will this officially have a higher occupiable floor than Burj Dubai now? If so, will this create some controversy over what building is actually taller, or maybe a sharing of the title?

Cheers,
Derek

I agree... I don't think that a project like this is too much a player for market conditions. This is a marquee building and would sell no matter what the condition of the housing market.

WOW

:dj: :dj:

:gunz:

B dubai will still have higher occupiable floors, around 700m says the B dubai forumers.

but who the hell cares, 610m is plenty impressive. damn, just put 3m on top of that so it can beat Russia tower!

Does anyone else think it's amusing and ironic that the Chicago Spire won't, in fact, have a spire but be occupiable floors all the way up?

Does anyone else think it's amusing and ironic that the Chicago Spire won't, in fact, have a spire but be occupiable floors all the way up?

Chicago Spire wasn't a set name, they just called it that to get away from Fordham I believe. And who knows, maybe there will be a spire added later down the road when the FAA allow it.

Went to SSP to see if there is more news ....I am sure there is what is up with that site it is down more than it is up lately..... :mad2:

Anyhow:banana: :cheers: :nuts: :) :cheers2: :cheers2: :applause: :applause: :cucumber: :cucumber: :eek2: :cheers1: :cheers1: :rock: :rock: :banana2: :banana2: :righton: :righton: :omg: :omg: :nocrook: :nocrook:


:master: :master: Kelleher


Words just couldn't describe it

^ True. SSP's been suckin awful lately. Ptoooey!

To celebrate, I again commence in the consumption of Guinness beer, as a tip o' the hat to Kelleher's homeland

Does anyone else think it's amusing and ironic that the Chicago Spire won't, in fact, have a spire but be occupiable floors all the way up?

haha :)

then again, the whole thing is a spire...

Yeah why the hell is it always so hard to get on SSP. Anyway, I dont see a problem with the building still being called Chicago Spire. Spires dont have too be uselss. They can have space inside them and still be shaped like a spire. Guess we will have to see the new renderings. BTW does anyone wonder if it will stop at 2000 feet. It seems odd the building would just stop at 2000feet. A more gradual culmination of the building would seem likely. Maybe getting an FAA waiver isnt that hard. Vegas has done it twice, and those two places were far closer to an airport!!

^ True. SSP's been suckin awful lately. Ptoooey!

To celebrate, I again commence in the consumption of Guinness beer, as a tip o' the hat to Kelleher's homeland

I didn't know about this on my way home. Bought a twelve pack of Natural Light, hey it is cheap. Otherwise I would have joined you in a toast drinking Guinness.

So will this officially have a higher occupiable floor than Burj Dubai now? If so, will this create some controversy over what building is actually taller, or maybe a sharing of the title?

Cheers,
Derek

BD Top floor will be at 2,047 feet.

This has gone from visionary to crack-smoking insane.

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6981/umyeah2er2.th.jpg (http://img136.imageshack.us/my.php?image=umyeah2er2.jpg) http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7978/umyeahyi3.th.jpg (http://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=umyeahyi3.jpg)

Ok...perhaps this is an ignorant question...well it is because I am not exactly sure of the criterion, but given this exciting news and the fact that there has been some dirt moving around at the site does this now move from pre-site pre=prep or whatever to straight site-prep??

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I think I am drunk with excitement!:cheers: :cheers:

HOLY SHIT.


*breathes* four years till i move to chicago... four more years....

STR, you forgot to put the guy wires in to keep the thing from swaying.
This borders on insanity. The Hancock's observatory is at 1000 feet. I can't imagine something twice that height. I'd have to lower the odds here. It had a much better chance at 1600 feet. I'm not sure of anything anymore on this building. So many surprises here. Is it always this way. Did the Sears tower go through so many design and height changes. What the heck is going on here.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0612070161dec07,1,5249446.story?coll=chi-news-hed

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/graphic/2006-12/26775311.jpg

Major redesign is latest twist in plan for spire

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published December 7, 2006


The proposed "drill bit" skyscraper has lost its point but gained some heft.

The developer of the twisting spire, which would be the nation's tallest building, has overseen a top-to-bottom redesign that seeks to make the much-ballyhooed project financially feasible, and he will submit his revised plans to the city Friday, people close to the project told the Tribune.

Designed by renowned Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava for Dublin-based developer Garrett Kelleher, the tower no longer has a 400-foot broadcast antenna at its top or a hotel at its base. It is now all condominiums, 1,300 of them. The portion that modern-day cliff dwellers would live in has grown taller and wider, doubling the amount of sellable space to about 1.8 million square feet, said people associated with the project.

"It's all in the service of getting it built," said Kelleher's spokesman, Chicago lawyer Thomas Murphy. "If you're not going to have the broadcast tower, what are you going to have up there?"

Murphy hinted last week that the broadcast tower would be eliminated, saying, "the decision was not to get into a business that we don't know anything about." The Irish-born Kelleher worked in the Chicago real estate market from 1986 to 1996 but has no experience in broadcast towers.

His new plan calls for a 150-story building, with a total of 3 million square feet. That's 35 more floors than in the original design unveiled in 2005 by the project's initial developer, Christopher Carley, and 26 more than in Carley's revised version of the tower. The 1,300 condominium units would nearly triple the number of condominium and hotel units Carley envisioned in both plans. Kelleher assumed control of the project last summer after Carley's drive to build it sputtered.

The cost of the project has been estimated at around $1.2 billion, but developers recently backed off from that figure without providing a new one.

Because of the changes, Kelleher needs to go through a new round of city planning and zoning hearings for the project, which the Chicago Plan Commission approved in March when it consisted of a 150-room hotel and about 300 condos priced from about $600,000 to $5 million. While political approval is not expected to be difficult, it is unclear whether a slowing real estate market will support the colossal venture.

Soil-testing work started

The skyscraper would be built on an empty site along Lake Shore Drive and on the north bank of the Chicago River. On Wednesday, a yellow bulldozer smoothed earth on the site's north side. A sign posted on a chain-link fence bore the name of Kelleher's company, Shelbourne Development Ltd. The bulldozer was doing soil-testing work, which has turned up old foundations, Murphy said.

During a Tuesday interview, Calatrava, whose works include the birdlike addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum and the planned transportation center at the World Trade Center in New York, confirmed that he has signed a contract with Kelleher for full design and construction supervision services.

The architect expressed pleasure that the building's simplified top, in which the tower's twisting curves would culminate in metal fins protruding slightly above the roof, no longer resembles the needlelike spires of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, New York's two great Art Deco towers.

"We don't want to imitate something before," Calatrava said at the interview, held in the offices of the associate architects for the project, Chicago-based Perkins + Will.

"I am learning from Chicago," Zurich-based Calatrava added, using his ever-present sketch pad in an attempt to show how his tower recalled the simple silhouettes of the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building.

Indeed, the skyscraper's form has become less twisty.

In the version approved in March, each floor rotated slightly above the one below it, and the tower made a 360-degree rotation as it rose. In the latest version, the total rotation has been cut to 270 degrees. There is more rotation now at the base and none at the top, Calatrava said.

Floors at the tower's base have become about 35 feet wider, Murphy said, but "the shape is the same" because the building is both taller and wider, he said.

The redesign extends to ground level, where plans for an adjacent six-story parking garage have been scrapped and replaced with seven stories of underground parking. That likely will prove an expensive shift because Kelleher will need to add a concrete "bathtub" to insulate the facility from groundwater.

Kelleher thought the garage's presence would blight the jewel-like tower, Murphy said.

The tower's footprint also has been moved slightly to the north, putting it just north of North Water Street, the small east-west street that slices through the Streeterville neighborhood and stops at the foot of the skyscraper's site.

That shift opens space for a circular drive to the south of the tower, as well as a grand plaza that would punctuate the end of the riverfront promenade leading to Lake Michigan from Michigan Avenue.

A `holistic vision'

And as he revealed with a model of the skyscraper, Calatrava has been laying out plans for the area around it, including pedestrian connections beneath Lake Shore Drive to the planned DuSable Park to the east. The model includes one of his signature cable-supported bridges, which would form a link in the lakefront bike path and swing open to allow boats to pass.

"This is a more holistic vision," Calatrava said.

Basic aspects of the design remain unchanged. The tower still would have a central core of concrete, ringed by concrete columns and floor space cantilevering outward from them. Its exterior wall would be made of glass and a still-to-be-determined metal to make the tower look light and reflective in contrast to the black skyline brackets of Sears and the Hancock.

But to accommodate the shift to all condominiums, Calatrava included four banks of elevators within the tower's circular core, one each for low-rise, middle low-rise, middle high-rise and high-rise units, respectively.

The plan remains to break ground in the second quarter of 2007, Murphy said.

----------

bkamin@tribune.com



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

^^ Just started reading my morning paper and so this new design. I was in love with an older version, but this one is not bad either.

I just received this...


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kim Metcalfe
Weber Shandwick
kmetcalfe@webershandwick.com
Direct: (312) 988-2393
Cell: (312) 802-0211

Shelbourne Development Files New Design of “The Chicago Spire” with the City of Chicago
Community Groups Applaud New Look of 400 North Lake Shore Drive

CHICAGO / December 7, 2006 – Tomorrow, December 8, Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. will officially file for final design approval with the City of Chicago to build “The Chicago Spire,” a landmark 2,000-foot tall spiraling tower at the mouth of the Chicago River along the shores of Lake Michigan. The new plan includes several improvements to the original design that will enhance the building’s integration with the riverfront and minimize traffic flow through the neighborhood.

“We have taken what was a highly-innovative design and turned it into something even more desirable,” said Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd. & the Shelbourne Development Group, Inc. “We look forward to the city’s approval and to breaking ground next year.”

Famed architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, who is both the lead architect and engineer for the project, echoed Kelleher’s enthusiasm. “"The sculptural idea of an extremely slender building that twists as it rises has been retained. But, I believe the design is more mature than it was initially, and the relationship between the building and the city is better, which is something I could accomplish only with Mr. Kelleher’s partnership,” said Calatrava.

Tomorrow, the city planning department will begin reviewing the proposal, which calls for a property encompassing 3 million square feet and soaring 2,000-feet above the ground. However, unlike the initial concept, The Chicago Spire will not include a broadcast antenna, nor will it include a hotel or retail space. The number of floors has increased from 124 to 150, and the number of exclusive residences now total 1,300. The tower’s spectacular lobby will feature 56-foot tall ceilings and glass walls allowing for an unobstructed view through the base on all sides.

To maximize the property’s riverfront access, The Chicago Spire will be situated along the Ogden Slip at the northern end of the property. The new plans call for an underground 5-floor garage, which will sit under the building’s riverside plaza. The development team is also dedicated to the early development of DuSable Park, which borders the property to its East.

Kelleher and members of his development team, including Calatrava, conducted a series of introductory meetings this week with city homeowners and community groups with a presence in the Streeterville area to discuss development plans and the construction of the building.

“It was important to us that we had the opportunity to receive feedback from the community before submitting our design for city approval,” said Kelleher. “I am now even more confident that we will develop a building that the city and neighborhood will embrace and which will take its rightful place in the history of modern architecture.”

The earliest the city might approve the changes would be next month. For more information about The Chicago Spire and Shelbourne Development Group, Inc., see http://www.shelbournedevelopment.com/.

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 Development Group, Inc. holds significant investment properties in Europe.
#####

150 floors? Very, very exciting. Overall, I prefer the previous design. Although I like the added girth of the present version, I'm not fond of how abruptly it ends. The spire provided for a more graceful terminus in keeping with the proportions of the building. Also, the older design's twists seemed more harmonious to me. This design has too many twists, and the twists aren't uniform. Instead, they are all bunched up at the bottom and middle portions of the building. Nonetheless, I still like the design and obviously want this one to end up being built.

Yeah, I really dislike the new design. It lacks the grace the old one had.

I agree, quantity over quality.

BD Top floor will be at 2,047 feet.

A better question perhaps is will the Chicago Spire have the highest residences in the world? I know that in the Burj Dubai the residences do not go all the way up to the top floors. Burj Dubai is one insane thing to top for the WTB title but if we can retain the world's highest residences title (currently held by the JHC) that would be amazing.

Chicago has been at the forefront of skyscrapers for living for quite some time now; Marina City, Lake Point Tower, JHC and countless others. Its quite amazing to think that after Chicago Spire opens four of the five thousand footers (JHC, TTC, WT, and CS) will have residences, now only if Sears and/or Aon had partial residential conversions as well. I have always felt that the upper floors of the tallest skyscrapers should be residential anyways, its cool to have an office high above the ground but even more awesome to live that high.

I like a new concept. Better than huge spire.

to me, the only thing that can top this 150-floor spire is a 150-floor spire with the 400-ft antenna.

love it :okay:

The previous design was so much more graceful. Im hoping that the rendering shown is playing tricks on the eye. I think he should relax the torque on the bottom half and carry it through to the top. Maybe with more detailed renderings I'll warm up to it but as of now, Im deeply disappointed with this redesign. This was my favorite project too. :ohno:

Damn.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/creilmann/26775516.jpg

I prefer the old design. It had more elegance and grace, balancing the bulky, muscular Sears and JH. It started with a strong base and then almost faded into the sky. The new design lacks some of that graceful presence that I think our skyline needs. This really does look like a drill bit. Still impressive no doubt, but I'm not really happy with the change. Hopefully this will grow on me a bit.

No doubt the design will grow on me (and I do like the way the twists start off at a rapid rate then slow down as the building goes up... kind of gives the impression that the building is soaring up into the sky like a graphical asymptote), but holy hell, what kind of sway will you experience at 2000 ft??

I do agree that the new terminus at the top is.... well, kinda sudden. It makes the building look more like a chicago building, but I think alot of the appeal was the fact that it was a heavy break from the chicago mold.

3 MILLION square feet damn......that almost as much as in one ot the WTC

it seems to me like everyone is passing judgment based on a rendering constructed by fellow forumers or newspapers and not by the real design team. the rendering we are all looking at does not follow in any way the description its supposed to resemble. whoever did it has no vison .according to the article the structure will only twist 270 deg. and then continue on up without twisting- this is probrobly meant to be understood that as it rises , the concave sides will become smaller to eventualy become circular shaped from the 270 deg. turn on up. the building will be toped off with finn like structures which noone added to their already inaccurate renderings. the fins will most likely follow the curve and twist of the building and extend the glass facade from 4 "sides" with triangulare shaped glass ,of the what will be a circulare shaped building at that point, and add a realy cool effect to the towers peak.

The architect expressed pleasure that the building's simplified top, in which the tower's twisting curves would culminate in metal fins protruding slightly above the roof

Unless my eyesight isn't as good as it should be, the newest rendering doesn't seem to give a good feel for what these metal fins will look like, and I suspect they are key to how the top of the new design is handled. From this one rendering, I don't think I like this design as well as the older one, but I can see where the right flourish at the top may really make it seem better. So I guess I'll reserve judgement until I can see that.

^^ Oops, wickedestcity beat me to my point.

The new rendering looks odd without the antenna at the top. How difficult if possible at all would it be to add the 400 ft antenna with the new current rendering? Maybe a dumb question, but some developers have filed with the FAA for permits to go above FAA regulated heights in certain areas like Vegas, and it has worked in some cases. Chicago is the original skyscraper city, and the leader of American skyscraper innovations- why not go to 2400 ft and show the world that were not afraid of terrorists anymore? This would be great for morale, especially with Chicagoans and midwesterners.

Looks fine but reminds me more of a cut off piece of cable. And does it look slightly crooked at the top depending on your view? But either way I like the fact that it has 150 floors and I can only imagine seeing the building glowing from miles away. I hope they open an observatory as well (considering it's location to our 'beloved' Navy Pier)... unless that is just plain tacky for a luxury condo tower?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0612080145dec08,0,4850514.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Giant condo tower raising big doubts

By Susan Diesenhouse
Tribune staff reporter
Published December 8, 2006


The new design of a twisting skyscraper proposed for Chicago's lakefront, unveiled Wednesday, seeks to make it more financially feasible, but opinions about that seem to range from skeptical to dismissive.

"It's financial suicide," Donald Trump, developer of a luxury condominium-hotel project going up not far away on the Chicago River, said Thursday of Shelbourne Development's plan to enlarge its proposed condominium tower on the river's north bank at Lake Shore Drive.

But James Loewenberg, whose Magellan Development LLC is building Lakeshore East near Millennium Park, said, "It's a great project if they can pull off the numbers," referring to quickly selling the 1,300 luxury units for at least $1,000 a square foot. Magellan has sold 1,350 of the 2,500 condos it is building at Lakeshore East for $350 to $650 a square foot.

Dublin-based Shelbourne announced that its Santiago Calatrava-designed tower would still be 2,000 feet tall, as previously planned. But the building would be about 3 million square feet with perhaps 160 stories, up from 115 in the original design, the company said Thursday, and seven more stories for underground parking.

While Shelbourne spokesman Thomas Murphy declined to give an estimated total development cost for what would be the world's tallest building, experts in residential real estate said the price tag could approach $2 billion or even surpass it.

In this era of rapidly rising construction costs, building such tall structures is very expensive because they are complicated engineering feats and get more so the taller they soar. Sometimes, towers with at least 50 stories yield only about 73 percent of sellable space compared with about 85 percent for a smaller structure.

Also, markedly multiplying the complexity and cost of the project would be excavating to build underground parking at the site. To dig below the water level while keeping the site dry, Shelbourne will use a process called slurry wall construction that calls for great skill and time, both costly commodities.

"I compliment the effort, but building at this height with this substructure can sometimes lead to surprises," said John Murphy, a partner at Ricker Murphy Development LLC, which is planning a 325-condominium project in Lincoln Park.

He added that "it will test the elasticity of luxury demand."

In other words, will buyers come?

The yield of sellable space at the Calatrava structure will be 65 percent to 70 percent, Thomas Murphy said, and it will be marketed internationally by Britain-based Savills PLC for at least $1,000 a square foot.

"We're looking at bringing it to another level," Murphy said. In Chicago, "One thousand dollars a square foot has already been achieved at the Trump and Ritz projects."

But, he added, "We're looking at a global market in which $1,000 a square foot is not a lot."

Chicago has six high-end luxury residential projects under development, with a total of 1,100 units. About 500 units are being marketed for as much as $1,000 a square foot, said Gail Lissner, vice president of Appraisal Research Counselors.

About 486 of the 1,100 units are at Trump International Hotel and Tower, which started sales in September 2003, she said.

Of the Calatrava building, Lissner said: "This could be a very long sellout unless they find other buyers nationally and internationally. Clearly, the Chicago market [alone] would have a great deal of difficulty absorbing them."

As far as Trump is concerned, right now "the Chicago market is not good. There are many planned projects that won't get built, and I predict this is one of them."

Trump, who said he has sold 70 percent of his units, said, "I sold many of mine for $900 to about $1,200 a square foot two years ago."

He estimates that the Calatrava spire will cost about $1.7 billion to develop. "I'd like to see it get built," Trump said.

The twisting shape of the design will complicate construction, he said. And coupled with a slow residential market that he does not think will draw many international buyers, Trump believes the project "is financially impossible."

Loewenberg is more agnostic about the spire's prospects.

"There's only one Chicago project that has allegedly sold for $1,000 a square foot. It's Donald Trump's," he said. "What the market is [for more luxury condos] has yet to be determined."

Shelbourne has a strong design, Loewenberg said, and "a super site and sophisticated marketing plan."

But with a plethora of condominiums scheduled to be built in the next few years, he said, "It will be a struggle, and only those with the best location and product will survive."

----------

sdiesenshouse@tribune.com



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

OK bear with me....for one maybe this is a stupid idea and for two I am a computer engineer who is in law sschool...I am not a trained architect or structrual engineer, or designer so I may be out of my league here and may not have the correct jargon

But I was think about ideas to add a spire to this project, ans thought of as many seem to have, of adding a spire at each "twisting point" ----don't know the term -- so I believe either STR or Steely mentioned either here or ssc that there were either 5 or 6 twists, so thre would be 5 or six spiires on top.

Now the perhaps stupid but perhaps innovative part of this idea is to use a multiple of the golden ration -- 1.618 for our purposes, for those not familiar w/ the golden ration or fibboncai sequences go here:

golden ration : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

fibboncci sequence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number

-- to determine the lengths of the spire so spire 1 would be 2000 / 16.18 = 123.61 ft

spire two would be 123.61 * 1.618 = 200ft
spire 3 would be 200 * 1.618 = 323 ft
spire 4 would be 323 * 1.618 = 523.58
spire 5 would be 523.58 * 1.618 = 847.16

now maybe this would be too many spires so maybe limit it to 3 spires...especially if there are 6 "twist points"

thoughts?

Stupid??

New rendering makes me think of a wet towel being wrung out.

^^^ Ouch. I now have 2 voices talking to me. One that hates it. The other voice trying to convince me it'll grow on you. My negative voice is being very well expressed by Chitown.

I've heard melting candle, a drill bit being crammed into the ground. Now the towel thing, LOL.

With the old design, the criticism wasn't there. Something telling in that.

BTW, see more activity here, skyscraperpage closed the forum on this. (Guess not)

As far as Trump is concerned, right now "the Chicago market is not good. There are many planned projects that won't get built, and I predict this is one of them."



Sour grapes? Wishful thinking? Blow hard east coast piece of shit? The astute observation of a real estate maven?

ANd how would you respond to The Donald if you had a chance?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0612080145dec08,0,4850514.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Giant condo tower raising big doubts

By Susan Diesenhouse
Tribune staff reporter
Published December 8, 2006


"We're looking at a global market in which $1,000 a square foot is not a lot."

----------

sdiesenshouse@tribune.com



Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

That's very true. I wonder what percentage of sales could be achieved on the international market.

[QUOTE=edsg25;10799953
ANd how would you respond to The Donald if you had a chance?[/QUOTE]

Donald, you ignorant slut. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.

Trump is just trying to portect his building. He will try to put the kabash on any highrise that might chanllenge his. The Spire would definitely do just that.

Blow hard east coast piece of shit?
Strong words for the man who's bringing us our tallest bit of construction in three decades. Seems kinda harsh to me. He's just doing his job!

Trump claims that the high end market condo market in Chicago is oversaturated. Say it be true, but if Shelbourne developers do not need pre construction contracts as they claim to have secured financing without it, then does it really matter? The building will go up.

Donald, you ignorant slut. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.

amazingly that would work well on ben Ladden as well....not that I'm holding my breath that we'll ever get to try it out on him.

Trump is just trying to portect his building. He will try to put the kabash on any highrise that might chanllenge his. The Spire would definitely do just that.

Yea, I would say his ambition wasn't enuf so now he backfire because Chicago Spire got better location and way more height!:lol:

However, we need alot of face lift and roof rework for its model!

I'm really not concerned with what the Spire will end up looking without the Spire LOL. I'm sure Calatrava will come through.



I just want to find out more about the possibility that construction may begin without pre-construction sales. I can't get Murphy's comments out of my head. I hope this is true.




Sources say the developer also told neighbors that its financing was lined up, meaning they can begin construction without pre-selling condos, and that Shelbourne didn’t think a hotel would succeed at the 400 N. Lakeshore Drive location, so far from Michigan Avenue.

Mr. Murphy wouldn’t comment on financing, the hotel or how the unit makeup will change with the new designs. He says groundbreaking is planned for the second quarter of next year.
.

I would hardly say that the Spire has a better location than Trump. For my money, I choose Wabash and the River over LSD and the River any day of the week.

Depends on what you're looking for I suppose. Both locations have their benefits, however, the views from most floors in CS must be amazing.

It would be awesome to have enough money to afford a unit where I could see multiple states throughout my day without leaving my home.

Views are only interesting for so long. Take it from someone who has made the mistake of buying property based on view - after a while you stop looking out the window; but, you have to deal with the fact that your blocks from the nearest train station each and every day.

I guess as I write that I realize the idiocy of assuming anyone who would live in the Spire would use public transportation - but, I guess it's wishful thinking. Transit aside, there's still NOTHING to do out there unless going to Navy Pier is your idea of a good time - and even that would wear thin pretty quickly.

^ great point. That's why I'm a bit disappointed that retail is no longer a part of the CS project. But perhaps CS will draw more retail development to the area, seeing how we're talking about 1300 units full of deep-pocketed folks

..

Charlie Trotter should open 3rd restaurant at CS.

Views are only interesting for so long. Take it from someone who has made the mistake of buying property based on view - after a while you stop looking out the window; but, you have to deal with the fact that your blocks from the nearest train station each and every day.

I guess as I write that I realize the idiocy of assuming anyone who would live in the Spire would use public transportation - but, I guess it's wishful thinking. Transit aside, there's still NOTHING to do out there unless going to Navy Pier is your idea of a good time - and even that would wear thin pretty quickly.

Instead saying something like that why don't we having its subway system expand over to near navy pier or best right below CS basement! Now, the part of your so call transportation nightmare has disappear aren't they?:lol:
Beside, the "public trasportation system" can always mass product near its location since we are still talking planning stage!

I would say that CS certainly has better location for the buck, why do you think that most of the current high profile residential skyscrapers are setting to near lakeshore location as close as possible and their price has relatively higher in perspective?:cheers:
Also why would developer want to build way more floors for CS than TT? Is it not because of its lakefront location is "percieveing" more precious in our Chicago residential buyers eye? It is all about supply and demand!

^^^^^BANNED THANK GOD.....THANK MODS

^ LOL, not only did I not understand a word he was saying in that last post, but as usual he won't be missed

does anyone know anything on the meeting last friday with the city.

Instead saying something like that why don't we having its subway system expand over to near navy pier or best right below CS basement! Now, the part of your so call transportation nightmare has disappear aren't they?
Beside, the "public trasportation system" can always mass product near its location since we are still talking planning stage!

I would say that CS certainly has better location for the buck, why do you think that most of the current high profile residential skyscrapers are setting to near lakeshore location as close as possible and their price has relatively higher in perspective?
Also why would developer want to build way more floors for CS than TT? Is it not because of its lakefront location is "percieveing" more precious in our Chicago residential buyers eye? It is all about supply and demand!

Wow, I got none of that. Was it Borat?

I think this building needs a spire, the top just looks incomplete without it, IMO. Therefore, wouldn't it be great if the following happened:
Mayor Daley asks Shelbourne Development to make the building over 2000' because he wants a spire (which knowing the mayor, he probably will want one). Shelbourne then requests FAA approval. Daley is then delighted as he uses this new attention to push his case for a no-fly zone over downtown, which he really really wants. In many ways this is unlikely, but it does seem to be the mayor's style. He is a political genius when it comes to getting things done that he strongly believes in.

Maybe the Mayor can get the spire secretly added in the middle of the night without FAA permission. It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like that. :)

Forgive me if I am totally ignorant, but isn't there a ban on low-flying planes in the downtown area anyway? If so, why would the FAA care how tall they build this thing?

Forgive me if I am totally ignorant, but isn't there a ban on low-flying planes in the downtown area anyway? If so, why would the FAA care how tall they build this thing?
Above 2000 ft, you are in federal (not state) airspace.

Let's twist again
Third time's a charm for lakefront tower -- or is it?
By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published December 11, 2006


I just had a revelation about Santiago Calatrava's latest proposal for a twisting, 2,000-foot tower as I was driving south on Lake Shore Drive and staring at the John Hancock Center. The mighty, X-braced Hancock is 1,127 feet tall. Stack another tower nearly as high atop it and you have some idea of how enormous Calatrava's new skyscraper would be. We're talking condos piled 2,000 feet into the sky, nearly twice the Hancock's height. That's a huge leap in scale, not an itty-bitty tweak.

The distinction is critical because we're likely to hear from Dublin-based developer Garrett Kelleher and city officials, who are ga-ga over Calatrava, that this design is a mere revision that needs a quick once-over from city planners before it gets the inevitable City Council rubber stamp. Nothing could be further from the truth. With the needle-thin broadcast antenna gone and its airspace replaced by sellable condo space, this is practically a whole new building.

And it is not, all things considered, a better one.

The tower's newly truncated top, which Calatrava advertises as simpatico with the simple profiles of Sears Tower and the Hancock, is a sky-high letdown. Why soar 2,000 feet into the air for what is essentially a buzz cut? With its pinprick spire, the tower was an exultant urban presence, the pinnacle brilliantly culminating its upward drive. Now, for good reason, unhappy e-mailers are offering the following suggestion: Paint it red and call it the "Twizzler Tower." Tellingly, the nickname is not being conferred with the same affection as the tower's previous sobriquet -- "The Drill Bit."

I am not saying this skyscraper, which would rise just west of Lake Shore Drive and near the north bank of the Chicago River, should not be built. I am saying it demands the highest level of scrutiny so it can fulfill the highest standards of design.

Provided Kelleher can disprove skeptics and get it built, the skyscraper will become the postcard image of Chicago for the next 50 years, maybe the next 100. Calatrava, a superb architect by nearly everybody's measure, can do better. And with time and money he surely will. The point is that he needs to be pushed by his client -- and by the city. The last thing we need is what transpired when the Chicago Plan Commission approved an earlier version of the project in March: Aldermen fawned over Calatrava, turning his appearance into a performance rather than a public hearing.

At root, the question about the revised plan (which now stands at 160 stories rather than the 150 the developer announced last week) is this: Has Calatrava turned new functional and financial requirements to his advantage -- or has he sold out the integrity of the original design?

That tension is most evident on the skyline, where Kelleher's desire to nearly triple the number of units for sale to 1,300 from 450, has put the architect in a bind. Before, his tower didn't just twist. It gracefully tapered, getting noticeably thinner as it climbed into the sky. Now, it looks straighter, flatter, less voluptuous, more Twizzler-ish. And it meets the sky weakly, its enormous curving ribs culminating in tiny metal fins that are preposterously small, like so many extended pinkies.

All this is not a veiled suggestion that Mayor Richard Daley do what he did with Donald Trump and order a spire atop this skyscraper. But it is a suggestion for Calatrava and Kelleher to rethink the tower's top and to refine its middle.

The big gesture of the twist is not enough. God has to be in the details throughout. Based upon renderings I saw last week, the project has miles to go before it achieves the level of refinement evident in another twisting tower, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago's under-construction Infinity Tower in Dubai, or even Calatrava's own "Turning Torso" tower in Sweden. For those new to architecture, twisting towers are all the rage these days.

There is more reason for concern at ground level, and it's related to what's happening in the sky. With the number of proposed units almost tripled, Kelleher's potential for profit grows exponentially -- as does the threat of aggravating Streeterville's already clogged streets. The tower, which would be the nation's tallest building, would rise on a tiny side street called East North Water Street. When the skyscraper had just 450 units, that incongruity could be passed over. No longer.

There are, to be sure, some positive features in the redesign, but even they invite further scrutiny. By moving the tower slightly to the north and putting all parking underground, Calatrava and Kelleher generously create the possibility for ample public open space between the tower and the Chicago River. In the same holistic vein, they are proposing two Calatrava-designed pedestrian bridges in an attempt to make the tower less of an isolated object. One would cross the Chicago River east of Lake Shore Drive, forming a link in the lakefront bike trail and pivoting to allow boats through. The other would span Ogden Slip to the north of the skyscraper, joining the bike path and the tower to the planned DuSable Park east of Lake Shore Drive.

But who would pay for the bridges: the city or the developer? And I wonder whether the public space along the riverfront promenade would be usable or ceremonial. Would passersby be encouraged to use it, or would they be made to feel as if they were encroaching upon somebody else's high-priced turf? The answers will determine whether the proposed improvements turn out to be genuine amenities or mere attempts by the developer to justify his enormous increase in sellable space.

Once so promising, the twisting tower has now reached a crucial stage. It still has the capacity to enliven and enrich Chicago's skyline and its streets. Literally and aesthetically, it remains head and shoulders above the city's mediocre residential high-rise norm. The issue is whether city officials, especially Daley, will drive the architect to deliver the greatest possible benefits to the public realm. Calatrava is certainly capable of achieving them.

wow, 160 Storeys!!! :eek2:

I agree, the latest renderings (even though they're sort of blurry and small) seem to show a building that, while much more imposing in stature because of its added bulk, seems to have lost a lot of the elegance and inspirational appeal of the original.

The building just *feels* like it should not only taper towards the top, but have some sort of spire or something to take it soaring into the heavens, even if its only decorative.

But hey, even the Sears Tower originally didn't have antennas, and now they make the building, so ya never know.

Here's a question that doesn't deal with logic, but strickly on perception, on comfort level, on what is acceptable to the individual.

Obviously there are plenty of people whose fear of heights would make ten floors up from street level seem unsettling.

I would also suspect threre are many who might find the thought of an 89th floor address in Trump or Waterview would send them into a cold sweat. But truthfully we have enough people in this era of tall buildings who could easily accept such high up condos.

Now I as an indivudal don't know why this is the case, but I think I could comfortably live 83 floors up (it would take some getting used to), but the thought of 115 or 120 or 140, to be frank, scares the shit out of me.

So where is the market for these super high floors. i can't imagine i'm the only one with the fear factor. And to add another dimension: do I really want to have almost an airplane view from residence, so high up I'm probably living with clouds and again high enough up that that below we seems smaller and less detailed...and my condo relates little to the ground far below me.

Am I alone or do others wonder who it will take to live 130 floors above the city?

I felt really safe in the Hancock so I could go 90 stories comfortably. I would be a little concerned about the living in this spire because of the parking garage underneath it. Not because of the obvious 93 WTC attack but because of the large bathtub it sits on. I just don't like have the pressure of 100 million tons of water. It may just pop up out of the ground and float.
Of course this is probably an irrational fear but my imagination won't let it go.
Also the Hancock show the great crossbracing and exudes strength. The tower doesn't show me any strength and looks to be built more for form than any function. They say the outside rails/beams that go up the ridge is for structural support but don't look like it.
There are however plenty of people out there that trust the engineers of this world. How many buildings have collapsed or tipped because of bad engineering?
The Tower of Pisa and the British answer to the Eifle tower are 2 mishaps but both due to bad foundations. Generally people will feel safe. Do you think people that know more about engineering and what goes into designing a building have more fear? Are buildings built to just overcome the stresses they need to take and anything more would be wasting money?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who think the new tower is too bulky and has lost that elegance we all loved so much. I love the height but maybe pop on a spire and reduce the twist to get that smooth curve back

Of course this is probably an irrational fear but my imagination won't let it go.


uberalles, i think that's that point: the irrational fear becomes the reality. And I do't even think it is necesary irrational. Personally i think we're hard wired to feel uncomfortable at the stratospheric heights that would top out this building.

I love the height but maybe pop on a spire and reduce the twist to get that smooth curve back

I wonder if the newer twist will look better to a viewer standing near the building. Perspective will make twists nearer the viewer seem more relaxed, and those farther away seem tighter. So the new design may appear to have a more consistant curve from nearby, whereas the old twist would have looked bunched near the top to the same viewer.

Opinions can differ, but I like the new curve, I just hope the top is finished in a more elegant way than the essentially flat top.

A couple of points: I'm not disagreeing with anything that Kamin has to say about the tower in his peice (at least from a formal sense). What I did get stuck on, however, was the continued irrational fears about traffic. Let's say each and every person in the Spire decided to leave the building within a one hour period (an event that would NEVER happen): that is a rate of 22.5 cars added to North Water street in each minute. That is only 1 car every ~3 seconds. Three seconds is an eternity if you stand on the sidewalk and only see one car pass you that often. One car every three seconds is the kind of traffic that you see on Dearborn in the Loop at 9:00pm - hardly problematic.

Are buildings built to just overcome the stresses they need to take and anything more would be wasting money?
Engineering the structure of a building is based on three things: live load (people, snow, wind), dead load (the building itself and its permanent fixtures), and the factor of safety. The factor of safety, in essense allows any structure within the building to handle anywhere from 115% to 150% of its anticipated load (depending on whether we're talking about a floor, or a roof, etc.). So, a quick answer to your question uberalles, is, "no." Buildings are designed to take on more stress than it's perceived they ever would need to.

I was wondering how much of a safety factor was built in. You've answered my question. Thanks.

I'm curious as to why the new design couldn't have incorporated even a hint of a taper. Such a move would have little to do with sellable space insofar as a gentle taper would remove very little precious real estate, but would, as noted, act more harmoniously with the taper than the new linear model does.

Well, you have to think about how much of a taper would be required if it were to be noticable over a 2,000 foot stretch. Even if you're looking for just a 3 or 4 degree angle on the facade, you're talking about a considerable loss of space by the time you reach the top.

The mother load, courtesy of World Architecture News. I hate it much less than I thought I did based on the smaller images. I'm especially intrigued by the night-time shot with the lights emanating from each 'fin.' I wonder if it's an effect they're using to get us (and city council) to buy into the new scheme or if it's something they'll actually implement in the tower.

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4302/100020calatrava2011wh4.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5854/calatrava2021fn4.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/2640/calatrava2031nh5.jpg

I was put off by Kelleher's explanation of why he is not entertaining the idea of incorporating a television transmission tower. He doesn't know that business? How about doing a little research on something that could make or break this thing? Talk about a guy without imagination or entrepreneurial skill. Not surprising for someone who BUYS someone else's dreams.

Talking about a business Kelleher doesn't know.. how about selling 1300 condos in a $1 billion + tower outside his native Ireland? Yeah, that's the way to make the deal more workable.. up the number of condos by 4x ... His talk of having financing irrespective of condos sold is obviously idle boasting. This proposal is reminding me more and more of a grandiose proposal made about 6-8 years ago to build an entertainment venue off the coast of the South Works site.

The positive thing is.. it seems that Chicago inspires people to think *huge*, even when its unworkable. People just dream wildly. And then some plans actually do get built. I love that.

^^^Above you know those large rendering look kinda cool, but thet seem like somewhat dated photos I don' t notice 340, the heritage or some of the later developemtns in LSE in them??

After seeing those larger shots, I still feel the same way about the new design.

I didn't notice that it had been changed from a square to an octagonal floorplate until now - thanks, Geoff.

The sudden shift from a twisting to a vertical dynamic gives a bit of the flavor that the spire had.

I was put off by Kelleher's explanation of why he is not entertaining the idea of incorporating a television transmission tower. He doesn't know that business? How about doing a little research on something that could make or break this thing? Talk about a guy without imagination or entrepreneurial skill. Not surprising for someone who BUYS someone else's dreams.

Talking about a business Kelleher doesn't know.. how about selling 1300 condos in a $1 billion + tower outside his native Ireland? Yeah, that's the way to make the deal more workable.. up the number of condos by 4x ... His talk of having financing irrespective of condos sold is obviously idle boasting. This proposal is reminding me more and more of a grandiose proposal made about 6-8 years ago to build an entertainment venue off the coast of the South Works site.

The positive thing is.. it seems that Chicago inspires people to think *huge*, even when its unworkable. People just dream wildly. And then some plans actually do get built. I love that.

Mr Kelleher, IMO, is talking like a shwred, highly experienced world-wide developer when he declines entering into unfamiliar waters, especially with so large a product at stake. The best stick with what they know best. That said, Mr. Kelleher envisions this project as anything but parochial, rather his market is global. Here's a developer making the first step towards putting Chicago on a world stage. it will be quite a coup if he's able to bring it off.

Thanks so much for the big pics, but the new design still looks a lot less elegant than the old one. It still feels incomplete!

That night rendering...:shocked: :applause:

it does look like an octagon! why hasent this sort of major change in design been publicized ? Or are these renderings horrible depictions of the design.
The question i realy have is , how official are these renderings ? are these realy official or are hey simply phonie mock ups from some graphic artists hired by newspapers looking to provide some sort of visual to go along with the story?

^No, they're the real ones.

Is it just me, or does it look like a really big drill bit?

I dont know, the tower would look at lot better within the skyline, it doesn't warrant so much prominence, imo

I don't know if you guys noticed, but the first two day renderings show the new LSD bridge as well . . . looks pretty spiffy. Don't know if it would actually be constructed.

Thanks so much for the big pics, but the new design still looks a lot less elegant than the old one. It still feels incomplete!

Is it possible that "less elegant" , in this case, translates to "more practical"?

December 13, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER Sun-Times Columnist

How do you say chutzpah in Gaelic? Or bait and switch? Those are the terms that come to mind with Irish developer Garrett Kelleher's new version of the Santiago Calatrava building just west of Lake Shore Drive near Navy Pier. With zoning for the site in place and City Hall's taste for a Calatrava building whetted, the developer uncorks a plan to almost triple the building's size.

If the influential Streeterville Organization of Active Residents has any gumption, it will come out against the changes in terms so strong as to force the local alderman to oppose them. Then Kelleher and Calatrava would have to get real. Otherwise, there's a good chance this project will fail later on, and the construction site will be tied up in bankruptcy and litigation.

As currently fashioned, the building cannot succeed. The finances don't add up for a project that appeals to such a limited, super-rich segment of condo buyers. I suppose that's good news. We won't have to look at Calatrava's sellout of his own building. I wasn't as enamored of the original as some, but it had a grace missing in the revision. The new building is an overweight and mummified version of the first design. But it is proof that Calatrava has turned into a leech, sucking paydays from a developer who's enraptured with an international vanity project.

^Not surprising coming from someone who wasn't even fond of the original (hes nuts) but where is this hate coming from, I mean its different, the top does look somewhat abrupt but overall this is still a beautiful building!

The other thing to note is that there is not accurate reflections in the rendering, which I think will have a major impact on how "bloated" it looks.

I have to go along with some of the others. I dont like how it looks. Who wouldnt like the height though. Thats a great location as well. I guess I would just "settle" for a regular run of the mill 100 story building :lol:

December 13, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER Sun-Times Columnist

How do you say chutzpah in Gaelic? Or bait and switch? Those are the terms that come to mind with Irish developer Garrett Kelleher's new version of the Santiago Calatrava building just west of Lake Shore Drive near Navy Pier. With zoning for the site in place and City Hall's taste for a Calatrava building whetted, the developer uncorks a plan to almost triple the building's size.

If the influential Streeterville Organization of Active Residents has any gumption, it will come out against the changes in terms so strong as to force the local alderman to oppose them. Then Kelleher and Calatrava would have to get real. Otherwise, there's a good chance this project will fail later on, and the construction site will be tied up in bankruptcy and litigation.

As currently fashioned, the building cannot succeed. The finances don't add up for a project that appeals to such a limited, super-rich segment of condo buyers. I suppose that's good news. We won't have to look at Calatrava's sellout of his own building. I wasn't as enamored of the original as some, but it had a grace missing in the revision. The new building is an overweight and mummified version of the first design. But it is proof that Calatrava has turned into a leech, sucking paydays from a developer who's enraptured with an international vanity project.

...how is one both mummified and overweight ... I though the wizening process post-mortem would lead to weight loss
....a yes the mixed metaphor, gotta luv sloppy writing:lol:

I think everyone needs to put this in perspective. We would all be fawning over this tower had we never seen the original. So, if it boils down to this tower or no tower, I'm going to choose this one. It's still better than 99% of the towers in the World.

That said, I do still think the apex could use some additional thought - some sort of mediation between building and sky. It's very abrupt.

Been studying the renderings since my last post. I will be the first to go on record with this:

I LIKE IT. ALOT.

Judge it on its own merits, not on those of a previous proposal. Although, even when I compare it to the old one, I still like it. Alot. :)

Initially, I looked at the new Spire and I was disappointed, but later I looked at it side by side with the prior versions. Afterwards, I changed my opinion and decided I liked it better. I would only suggest that the top have a crown of lights.

I think everyone needs to put this in perspective. We would all be fawning over this tower had we never seen the original. So, if it boils down to this tower or no tower, I'm going to choose this one. It's still better than 99% of the towers in the World.

That said, I do still think the apex could use some additional thought - some sort of mediation between building and sky. It's very abrupt.

I agree with what you said 100%. And I wish these so called architecture critics would get over the fact that it is three times the size, big F*ckin deal. Haven't they ever heard of the phrase "make no little plans" in this city? Would it not especially pertain to the most prominent site in the city?

Build.

This version looks more like a building than a work of art. Chicago is about buildings.

More ire at the spire
Streeterville group aims to topple proposed revision

December 14, 2006
BY DAVID ROEDER AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters
The leading civic organization in Streeterville slammed the revisions to architect Santiago Calatrava's 2,000-foot-tall lakefront building Wednesday, adding political obstacles to the project's immense economic challenges.

The enlarged building, containing three times the space but no taller than the original proposal, brings too many new residents and traffic to the hard-to-reach neighborhood of Lake Shore Drive and North Water Street, said Gail Spreen, president of the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents.

She said the decision was based on planning issues, but also was partly an architectural critique. "The current design lacks the elegance, the gracefulness and the beauty of the approved version," Spreen said, referring to the slimmer version that cleared city zoning reviews last spring.

Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd) expressed grave reservations about the redesign and said city authorities "will give this thing all the scrutiny it deserves." City Hall's review could culminate in a Chicago Plan Commission hearing as early as January.

Natarus focused on traffic issues, and on the developer's new scheme to provide five levels of underground parking beneath the 160-story building's plaza. So close to the lake, the site could be flooded, which was a problem for construction crews at the John Hancock Center in the 1960s, Natarus said.

********

Natarus has questions on new design for twisting tower

By Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporter
Published December 14, 2006

Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd) voiced concern Wednesday over the redesign of a distinctive tower by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava proposed for a prime lakefront spot in Natarus' downtown ward.

"It's an altogether different project" than a version proposed earlier, Natarus said. "It's a huge building. It is 65 feet wider ... My concerns are size, my concerns are traffic. I am concerned about the fact they are going to have over a thousand apartments."

The redesign seeks to make the project financially feasible. Planned by developer Garrett Kelleher on a site on the Chicago River's north bank at Lake Shore Drive, the twisting skyscraper would have 160 stories, 45 more floors than the original design unveiled last year by the project's initial developer.

A 150-room hotel component has been eliminated, and the number of condominiums would rise to 1,300 from about 450 proposed previously.

A 400-foot broadcast tower in the original design also has been eliminated, but the skyscraper still would be the nation's tallest building.

"If Calatrava thinks it is a nice design, who am I to debate with Calatrava?" Natarus asked.

"But I am interested in the practical aspects of it."

The cost of the project once was estimated at $1.2 billion, but Kelleher's Dublin-based Shelbourne Development has not provided an updated figure.

The new proposal will be scrutinized by the city's Planning and Development and Transportation Departments. It must win City Hall's approval before going forward. Local aldermen traditionally also have a strong voice on major projects in their wards.

Since when is a small group of small-minded people entitled to decide what's best for the ENTIRE city of 3 million people?

Here we go again...

Since when is a small group of small-minded people entitled to decide what's best for the ENTIRE city of 3 million people?


When somebody wants to plop down a 2000 foot building next to you, I think you should have a bit of a say in it. The Streeterville residents will have to look at this thing everyday. It will have a significant impact on their lifestyle. I would say that their opinions have to carry more weight then those who live in other neighborhoods.

They're not happy with the design change and I don't blame them. You hear the same words associated with the old design no matter if it's journalists, neighborhood residents or the people in these forums; grace, beauty, elegance. Funny how you don't hear those descriptors for the new building. Big , bulky, overweght are now the words associated with this building. It's disappointing to see such an inspiring design sacrificed in order to expand the square footage. The "Make no little plans" motto, doesn't just refer to size, it refers to imagination. The first plan followed that golden rule that so many of us like to quote from time to time, but the new plan has scaled down that imaginative aspect.

Let me be the first to go on record and say:

I'm disappointed

^^ Grace and elegance were sacrificed for more square footage but it seems like this was only way to make this project economically feasible. If the old design was unpractical, then why even use it as a comparison as to what we could have had? If this new design does not get approved, I'm afraid we will be stuck with some mediocre 40 storey building which has a base just as large. If that happens, it will be a terrible shame.

Then the question becomes, "Is it worth it?". In my opinion, no. I do not like this design for a building of this height. If necessary, scrap the twisting torso idea and come up with something that captures the imagination, as the previous design did, and is economically feasable.

Here's an idea, scale down the size. I would prefer a smaller version of the previous design to a 2000 foot version of this one. Truth be told, the current design wouldn't bother me nearly as much if it were scaled down to say, 1000ft. If we're gonna put a 2000ft tower on the lakefront, I don't want to settle for this.

This version looks more like a building than a work of art. Chicago is about buildings.

Chicago is about architecture, which, in addition to it's practical use, is a form of art. If you just want tall buildings, then build a 2000ft rectangle with even more square footage and be done with it.

Wow. Seriously. The rotation to vertical is fantastic to draw your eye upward. It will look seriously huge to anyone on the lake, first because it is seriously huge, and second because it is in front of everything else.

Bravo and such... :)

(and yes I know I'm like 4 pages late in saying anything)

If they are worried it will create too much traffic then they shouldn't live in a big city like Chicago. These people make me sick.:ohno:

I dont even think the traffic in Streeterville is bad...anyways, Streeterville has one of the most dense collections of residential highrises in the city, of course there will be some traffic.
Anyways, Density is a good thing :)

^^^^eggs..fuggin.sactly

it downtown, th traffic even at rush hour aint that bad.....I mean I usually bike DT ot take the metra but sometimes I do drive and park near the sear...I get off at jackson and take adams...you know what I live in RP and most times I am DT in about 35-45 minutes including parking ....that is hardly bas traffice for the second busiest DT in the nation



you know who thinks the traffic is bad is all the shmucks who drive in from the burbs and then bitch they actually have to have there pasty, doughy asses walk a whole 2 blocks.....


jeezus mary end jozef......take the fuggin train

When somebody wants to plop down a 2000 foot building next to you, I think you should have a bit of a say in it.

Not if you live downtown. EVER! :bash:

Not if you live downtown. EVER! :bash:

It's still a neighborhood. You can't just silence the public voice.

you know who thinks the traffic is bad is all the shmucks who drive in from the burbs and then bitch they actually have to have there pasty, doughy asses walk a whole 2 blocks.....

and the ones complain are the same ones who live downtown, hop into their suvs and drive three blocks to the grocery store, NOW THATS ANNOYING!
:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno::ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:
I know a place where these idiots can go without traffic congestion...a place called KANSAS!

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT RAISES MY BLOOD PRESSURE ITS THOSE IDIOTS!:mad: :mad2: (now if you will excuse me I need to go take my LOTREL!)

it may be your work computer,
i dont see them at my work, but i can see them at home,
not sure why.

if your company blocks certain websites, the pictures hosted at those websites won't come through.. took me awhile to figure that out too. have to recheck forums whenever i get home from work at night

and the ones complain are the same ones who live downtown, hop into their suvs and drive three blocks to the grocery store, NOW THATS ANNOYING!
:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno::ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:
I know a place where these idiots can go without traffic congestion...a place called KANSAS!

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT RAISES MY BLOOD PRESSURE ITS THOSE IDIOTS!:mad: :mad2: (now if you will excuse me I need to go take my LOTREL!)

You're right! One of the things that SOARS wants to push through is more short term parking for "quick errand" places. It's complete BS. But the people of the neighborhood still have an important voice and that should not be ignored.

And if you think about it, combine the TRIPLED occupancy of the Spire(you can't even call it a spire anymore, I'll go with drillbit) along with the existing congestion that Navy Peir causes and you are talking about a traffic nightmare. Aren't we supposed to address congestion problems instead of giving a free pass to create more?

My main issue is still the design.

But the people of the neighborhood still have an important voice and that should not be ignored.

Ignoring/silencing them is one thing. And I don't think anyone here advocates doing so. Allowing them to decide what's best for the rest of the city is another thing.

SOAR does have a good level of power in the 42nd, but I doubt that they alone could dictate the outcome of this project.

and the ones complain are the same ones who live downtown, hop into their suvs and drive three blocks to the grocery store, NOW THATS ANNOYING!
:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno::ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:
I know a place where these idiots can go without traffic congestion...a place called KANSAS!

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT RAISES MY BLOOD PRESSURE ITS THOSE IDIOTS!:mad: :mad2: (now if you will excuse me I need to go take my LOTREL!)

this is a hilarious post,
yes much has changed in the city since i was a tyke
when i see this i just laugh,

its funny to see the suburban mentality INSIDE A CITY.
im surprised they are EVEN in the city,

to me it seems that MOST
leave during the CRITICAL nesting period where they brood
and hatch their eggs in naperville or libertyville or whatever godforsaken exurb they chose inbetween their single years and their empty nest years,

SOAR does have a good level of power in the 42nd, but I doubt that they alone could dictate the outcome of this project.

WE need MORE SOAR and less EYESORES....

is SOAR just a near north phenom?

personally if we REALLY wanted to start something BIG,
it would be the NEXT SOAR,

which would be I GUESS be?!!???? in lincoln park!!!????

You're right! One of the things that SOARS wants to push through is more short term parking for "quick errand" places. It's complete BS. But the people of the neighborhood still have an important voice and that should not be ignored.

^ Do those provincial fuck-wits ever travel? Have they spent any time in New York, or most European cities? What nonsense. I laugh and pity these people.

What they need to do is rally around a transit system for Streeterville. Wow, it's shocking how people just don't get this stuff.

Bring on the higher gas prices--Americans don't deserve cheap petroleum

^ Do those provincial fuck-wits ever travel? Have they spent any time in New York, or most European cities? What nonsense. I laugh and pity these people.

What they need to do is rally around a transit system for Streeterville. Wow, it's shocking how people just don't get this stuff.

Bring on the higher gas prices--Americans don't deserve cheap petroleum

hmm that is shocking!!!!
I thought SOARS what good.....
atleast we arent the SOURCE OF CHEAP GAS,
then we would be fuckd forever,
in venezuela gas is cheaper than pisssssss....

and yes
i also cant wait until a gallon of gas is more expensive
than a unit of blood
or a bottle of water

and the ones complain are the same ones who live downtown, hop into their suvs and drive three blocks to the grocery store, NOW THATS ANNOYING!
:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno::ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:
I know a place where these idiots can go without traffic congestion...a place called KANSAS!

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT RAISES MY BLOOD PRESSURE ITS THOSE IDIOTS!:mad: :mad2: (now if you will excuse me I need to go take my LOTREL!)

Yeah..because there is a better/easier was to pick up groceries, than driing your car, right......:ohno:

Yeah..because there is a better/easier was to pick up groceries, than driing your car, right......:ohno:

^ I get groceries all the time without a car. It's easy as pie. I don't see your point at all (of course, my walk to the grocery store is shorter than your walk from the parking lot to the entrance).

All it takes is a creative use of land. One giant mega-grocer to serve tens of thousands vs. smaller grocers interspersed throughout the city that are more pedestrian-friendly.

A car is not something we are entitled to, esp those living downtown.

Walk.

Yeah..because there is a better/easier was to pick up groceries, than driing your car, right......:ohno:

Umm...Yeah...Its called walking! (I really hope you don't live in downtown Chicago and have that mentality, not that I would be surprised:ohno: ) This IS the BETTER way to get groceries; better for you, better for the environment, better for traffic, BREAK THE CAR ADDICTION!...This kind of lazy ass American attitude infiriates me :mad: (ooops... time for another LOTREL!)

If all of these people love thier car so much, why do they live in streeterville??Most of the people in this area are single or couples with no children. How much fucking groceries can these people buy. Walk a few block for Christs Sake.

I agree that these people should rally around getting better transit in the area.

More renderings originaly posted by spyguy in SSP

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/451/csuporce1.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1039/csupua5.jpg

Those renderings changed my mind... nice building.

Those renderings do look great, and really show how the new curve will look great from the street and how the details of how th efloors go together will look great. If they just do something to make the top look a little more finished off it'll be a 10.

^These need to be shown to the critics, I think they will have a change of heart!:)

I love the way it looks now. Lets give the building thumbs up. I know the first one was more classy, but they could build something much worst on this site.
Imangine taking a boat ride starting at the beging of the river and the first building you would see is this one. Then Donald Trump maybe the aqua the waterview and so on. The river front is going to be amazing. I do agree it needs something on top is too flat. I hope it does get build. Can someone tell me if the building is white.

...Can someone tell me if the building is white.
Don't know yet, but Calatrava does like his white.

More renderings originaly posted by spyguy in SSP

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/451/csuporce1.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1039/csupua5.jpg

Nice colorful renders

I'm very interested in seeing how the condo floorplans look. Are there any pics out there that anybody knows of?

looks more like a pentagon or hexagon now. i still like the previouse design better but i would'nt think of this as just settleing.

Wow, this building is SHARP

I like the new plans even better

I like how each individual floor protrudes out at the end of the twist.

It better allows you to see what a tiny peice of the magnificent "whole" each floor is, which in my opinion makes the building look bigger and grander.

More renderings originaly posted by spyguy in SSPhttp://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1039/csupua5.jpg

I don't think the spire is needed at all. The building texture is hypnotic. :okay:

It's magnificiant! The detail is awesome!

I can't imagine how awesome this building would look if it had lights running along those white support beams or whatever they are.

Lights running along the curved paths would be incredibly gauche .....pull away from the grandeur of this building and essentially make it look like an oversized xmas display

...We are doing a poll on NewcitySkyline (http://www.newcityskyline.com) regarding the design of the building and we are going to be sending the results to Mr Calatrava's office and the developer. We are also going to be asking our readers for their comments about the changes made to the new design and those will also be sent to Calatrava's office. So if you have anything to say about it or want to participate on the poll please go to our Polls page (http://www.newcityskyline.com/Polls.html) and cast your vote.

Go to the newcityskyline link and vote for/against the spire.

I like that website. It is fun and enjoyable.

Lights running along the curved paths would be incredibly gauche .....pull away from the grandeur of this building and essentially make it look like an oversized xmas display

HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure everyone fell in love with the spires, so it might look a little awkward without its hat, but that is a beautiful-looking structure right there. I can't believe it's going to hit 2,000 feet without the spires. 150 floors? Goodness gracious, that's awesome and unreal. So is this thing definitely going up now or what? Really happy to see this update.

^^ its 160 floors XD

I sure hope an accurate fan render is in the works...

and I hope this one gets approved, financed (as in sell units) AND built ._.

I just had a cool idea... What if we resurrect the Lindbergh Light and put it at the top of this baby? Just like the Palmolive Building originally was, it will have no competition for height.

^^ Or have a superpowerful light pointing straight up into the heavens like Luxor in Vegas. Maybe that could make up for lake of a spire.

^^ Or have a superpowerful light pointing straight up into the heavens like Luxor in Vegas. Maybe that could make up for lake of a spire.


Good idea.

Let me think about this one for awhile.

At 2000ft, wouldn't aviation lighting be mandatory? I'd prefer sweeping laser beams reminiscent of the Lindberg light that streaked across the Chicago night sky.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0612200229dec20,0,1966921.story?coll=chi-business-hed
INSIDE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Tower developer to set up shop in Chicago

BY SUSAN DIESENHOUSE
Published December 20, 2006

A new tenant scheduled to soon move into about 7,000 square feet on the 50th floor at 111 S. Wacker Drive could have a greater impact on the Chicago property market than this small amount of space indicates.

This will be the in-town home for Dublin-based Shelbourne Development Ltd. as it refines plans to build a 2,000-foot-high lakefront residential tower that could become the nation's tallest building.

The wood-paneled walls and luxury furnishings being installed will be a showplace for planning the 160-story, spiral-shaped structure designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that could cost close to $2 billion to develop.

At 2000ft, wouldn't aviation lighting be mandatory? I'd prefer sweeping laser beams reminiscent of the Lindberg light that streaked across the Chicago night sky.

Collision lighting is required on all buildings 250 feet taller than the ground around them, altough I think there are exceptions for short buildings in urban areas, this one certainly won't be covered by that.

Controversial skyscraper plan gets new look

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published December 21, 2006, 3:05 PM CST


Addressing criticism sparked by the latest plan for a 2,000-foot-tall twisting skyscraper along Chicago's lakefront, the project's developer and architect have quietly shopped an alternative version to Mayor Richard Daley, community groups and leaders of the city's architecture community, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The alternative design has a tapering, tip-like summit instead of the nearly flat dome in the proposal that was unveiled in early December and attracted a volley of criticism, people at the meetings said. They added that the tower's top has regained some of the whirring, twisting look that led Chicagoans to affectionately dub the proposed skyscraper "The Drill Bit." And now, they said, a thin shaft of light would shoot upwards from the tower at night, extending its presence into the sky.

People who attended the meetings also said that the tower's architect, Zurich-based Santiago Calatrava, made a presentation showing that the skyscraper would be far more slender than comparable supertall buildings such as Sears Tower. The move apparently was aimed at rebutting the view that the proposed tower has grown too bulky because Dublin-based developer Garrett Kelleher wants to nearly triple the number of units.

The skyscraper would be the nation's tallest building, eclipsing both the current titleholder, the 1,450-foot Sears Tower, and the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower in New York, scheduled for completion in 2011.

At least some in attendance found the latest version of the 160-story luxury condominium tower, which would be built at an empty site on the Chicago River's north bank at Lake Shore Drive, a significant improvement.

"It's like nothing else in North America," said Donna Robertson, dean of the architecture school at the Illinois Institute of Technology. "It's innovative. It puts Chicago on the map."

Daley also has been shown the alternative version of the tower, which is called "Version D," a spokeswoman for the developer said. It is not known how Daley, who is intensely interested in architecture, reacted. In 2005, the mayor ordered flamboyant New York developer Donald Trump to put a spire on top of his 92-story hotel and condominium tower under construction alongside the landmark Wrigley Building.

Kelleher filed his proposal with the city Dec. 8 and immediately encountered resistance, with many observers saying the design was far less attractive than the plans for the skyscraper unveiled in July 2005 and March 2006 by the project's previous developer, Christopher Carley of Chicago. Carley's versions were topped by a broadcast tower that also served as a spire, but Kelleher eliminated it, along with a hotel that Carley wanted to place on the tower's lower floors.

An influential community group, the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, expressed disappointment with the design and the proposed increase in the number of units, which it predicted would aggravate traffic congestion in the already-clogged area west of Navy Pier.

And Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), in whose ward the project would be built, said he was concerned about the project's size and its effect on traffic, adding a political obstacle to the economic hurdles the megatower faces.

The cost of the project once was estimated at $1.2 billion, but Kelleher's Shelbourne Development has not provided an updated figure. Kelleher assumed control of the project last summer after Carley's drive to build it faltered.

The groups shown the alternative version of the project include SOAR, the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects, according to people familiar with the meetings. Several of the groups saw the plans Wednesday in the offices of the associate architects for the project, Chicago-based Perkins + Will.

In addition, the Illinois Institute of Technology on Tuesday hosted a dinner party at which Calatrava and Kelleher presented the design to leading figures in the city's design community. Among those attending the event, held in Crown Hall, master modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's renowned temple of steel and glass, were Joseph Rosa, the Art Institute of Chicago's curator of architecture and design, and Ed Uhlir, the design director for Millennium Park, people familiar with the event said.

At the IIT meeting, people who attended say, the project's backers argued that the elimination of the hotel would lessen, rather than aggravate, traffic congestion. Without the hotel, fewer taxicabs would head to the tower, some present at the meeting said. In addition, they said, many of the tower's residents are expected to be affluent residents who would not live in Chicago during the winter months, further reducing the tower's effect on congestion.

The flurry of meetings is a prelude to a still-to-be-scheduled hearing before the Chicago Plan Commission, which could be held as early as January. Constance Buscemi, a spokeswoman for the Department of Planning and Developing, said city officials "still need to meet with the development team and look at the design in more detail." The city's Transportation Department is also scrutinizing the plans.

Kelleher wants to break ground by June.

bkamin@tribune.com





Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

this new design is not pretty. It looks more or less like a giant dildo

go to SSP and check it out.

this new design is not pretty. It looks more or less like a giant dildo

go to SSP and check it out.

No one (except BV) that we know of has actually seen the design. Everything over there are paint and photoshop hacks by forumers.

SSDD

No one (except BV) that we know of has actually seen the design. Everything over there are paint and photoshop hacks by forumers.

Agreed. Let's see the design first; by all accounts from those who've actually seen it, it's very promising.

So all the ones we've seen so far are not real?

^^ no, i seen the picture in the news paper and showing the new design. it's not fake. it's real

The new design renders are not released to the public yet. I somehow get the feeling though that this will be the best design of them all. Occupied floors up to 2000ft, tapering effect restored, and a powerful light pointing upwards, just like I wanted.

I just went to calatrava web site,and i notice that the old renders have been change to the new ones that all of us have seen. So these are real. I can't wait to see the new top of the building.

I just went to calatrava web site,and i notice that the old renders have been change to the new ones that all of us have seen. So these are real. I can't wait to see the new top of the building.

The renderings posted on Calatrava's site, and that where in the paper are the generation3 design. When I last posted I was talking about the photoshop/paint hacks of the gen3 design over at SSP that are trying to capture the feel of the gen4 design. It is this gen4 design (tapererd/rounded top) that have not been show to the public.

SSDD

How quickly you all have changed your minds. Massing is, undeniably, critical in architecture... but, it's not everything. God is in the details. Remember? Shame on you all for not trusting Calatrava's genius.

This version of the tower is even better than the original - and I can't wait to see fourth generation (if it exists) - she just gets more beautiful with each rendition.

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=19810-qqqx=1.asp

Trump slams Kelleher’s plans for Chicago residential tower

24 December 2006 By Niall Stanage
Irish property developer Garrett Kelleher’s plans to build the world’s tallest residential building in Chicago have come under fire from one of America’s most famous businessmen.

Irish property developer Garrett Kelleher’s plans to build the world’s tallest residential building in Chicago have come under fire from one of America’s most famous businessmen.

Donald Trump, who seeks the media spotlight as assiduously as Kelleher avoids it, told the Chicago Tribune that the Irishman’s plans amounted to ‘‘financial suicide’’.

Trump asserted that ‘‘the Chicago market is not good.

“There are many planned projects that won’t get built, and I predict this is one of them.”

Trump, most recently seen presenting the TV show The Apprentice, was reacting to an amended design of Kelleher’s project. Now called the Chicago Spire, the design of the massive skyscraper by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has been altered dramatically. Kelleher’s company, Shelbourne Development, announced earlier this month that the tower would have 160 storeys, an increase of more than 30 from the initial plan.

Although the building’s height (2,000 feet) remains unchanged, space that had been taken up by an actual spire will now be filled by the added residential floors. The building will also be broader and, whereas the original design had the tower appearing to ‘‘twist’’ through 360 degrees on its way to its summit, now the turn is only 270 degrees.

All of these changes mean that the Chicago Spire will have three times the capacity it had in its earliest stages. It will total about three million square feet, and will include 1,300 luxury residential apartments. An earlier plan to include a 150-bedroom hotel has been shelved.

The development company’s aim to sell the units at a price of about $1,000 per square foot has raised some eyebrows. The so-called Windy City has several other high-end buildings either constructed or under development.

Some real estate experts in the city have questioned whether there will be sufficient demand to make the Kelleher project a success.

By some estimates, the Spire will cost almost $2 billion to build.

Due to the fact that one of the other luxury buildings in which units are still for sale is a Trump Tower, Trump has a motive to denigrate the Spire.

Kelleher’s Chicago spokesman Thomas Murphy insisted that the project had sound financial foundations.

‘‘Garrett Kelleher is interested in marketing this project globally,” Murphy told the Chicago Sun-Times.

‘‘You look at the markets around the world, and you have to say that Chicago is underpriced and maybe it’s undiscovered.”

However, the new design for the Spire has not met with criticism merely from Kelleher’s business rivals.

Architectural commentators have also reacted negatively.

‘‘Calatrava’s latest design for the project, heavily tweaked to adapt to the specifications of its new developer, Garrett Kelleher, is a grim first step down the same path that took New York’s Ground Zero project towards its current state of dispiriting mediocrity,” Sun-Times architecture critic Kevin Nance wrote earlier this month.

‘‘The former Fordham Spire is now the Kelleher Calamity.”

Why is Donald Trump important? Ugh. Okay, so he's building another mega-tower in Chicago, and? Damn. You'd think he was the first damn person to do anything in this city. WWDD

And while reading that "article", I had the strangest feeling of dejavu. Did they copy and paste from previouis ones?

Just a hack, but the height is correct and based on the comments made, tapering like the old designs, rotating at the top to 360 and input about the bullet tip, this is best guess. If you're anything like me, I can't wait to see version "D".

http://www.boca-del-mar.com/publish/csd.jpg