wow 2000 replies! 1 for every foot!
cheers guys

Thanks bnk, for the info, however i think the orientation of the blue print is north to the left, the perimeter of the excavation looks to be a slurry wall, at least 6' thick, and almost impossible to install under LSD, plus note the chillers and pumps are located to the south, (discharge/intake piping) and nearest source of water, the Chicago river.

Thanks for the reorientation; it makes allot more sense now.

will is be the tallest in the US?

yes

Sorry I haven't posted any pics in the past couple weeks...I'm surprised more people haven't posted...I guess I've got somewhat of a responsibility...I'll be in my condo on Saturday and I'll put up a couple throughout the week (then off to London/NY/SF for a month so next update after that will be in October :) )

Sorry I haven't posted any pics in the past couple weeks...I'm surprised more people haven't posted...I guess I've got somewhat of a responsibility...I'll be in my condo on Saturday and I'll put up a couple throughout the week (then off to London/NY/SF for a month so next update after that will be in October :) )cool....and yes you do have a responsibilty! :cheers: you have a great vantage point.

cool....and yes you do have a responsibilty! :cheers: you have a great vantage point.
Ooooh, and pretty please, a camera that takes a shot every day at noon CST/1300 CDT?

:|

:cheers1:

PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE!

:poke:

Mike

Couldn't you install a webcam???

PLEASE!!!pretty:soon:

yes pleeeeeeeaaaaase install a web cam,someone please I can't wait for a webcam!

If I had to make a (very uneducated) guess, I'd say between 6 and 8 million. Unlike most penthouse apartments, the square footage will be pretty limited at the top...plus that's really the upper end of the current Chicago condo market price...20 million is way too much for Chicago

Yes the highest priced condos at the moment are going for that sort of price but these condos aren't in the CS. The supply of apartments above 550 metres in N America is non existent. Somebody's reservation price for a 550m+ apartment is going to exceed the going rate for top condos at the moment simply because of exclusivity. There is no competition, there are no other Spires (atm) providing views of 550m+. Bidders for the apartments have no choice but to outbid their rivals to secure condos. I'm sure this will inflate prices above $8 million.

You could probably get higher views by erecting a tree house in KVLV-TV, N Dakota.

$6-8 million is too low for the top penthouses in a building like this. Projects like Waterview, Trump, Mandarin all have prices between $10-20+ million.

I gotta say, I'm not really a fan of this building

It looks really cool up close with the curves, but from far away i dont like how it just looks like a big torpedo

I dunno, I guess we'll see how it turns out.

I gotta say, I'm not really a fan of this building

It looks really cool up close with the curves, but from far away i dont like how it just looks like a big torpedo

I dunno, I guess we'll see how it turns out.

It's hard to imagine what it's going to look like in reality. Since all the renders from far away are way underscaled. As in the Spire would only be 1500' if scaled properly. And of course we know it will be 2000'. I think it will look better than the renders.

So the renders are scaled down? I did not know that. Hey, here's to being taller than your renders suggest! Go Spire!

Yep, it appears renders are scaled down.

In the following image I've stacked two Lake Point Towers on top of the original. LPT is 197m tall, so that makes just under 600m, and CS is spec'd at 610m. Now, LPT is slightly in front of CS but not by enough to throw this comparison out.

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/5760/csheightpg2.jpg

And, the wide shot:

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8563/csheightwiderk0.jpg

The best reference to use is the North Pier Apartment Tower. Which is just across ogden slip. At 582ft. But that is pretty close. :p

And, the wide shot:

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8563/csheightwiderk0.jpg

Simply amazing! Way to go Chicago! Just think the extended Lake Point towers shown the rendering would have an astounding 210 stories yet would still be 19 meters shorter than Chicago Spire!

Here it is using North Pier Apartments as a reference.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6207/asdfdx2.jpg

The best reference to use is the North Pier Apartment Tower. Which is just across ogden slip. At 582ft. But that is pretty close. :p

Sure, I did consider it, but LPT is 197m tall which stacked three high is as close to 600m as you need. NPT is 177m which makes things a little trickier.

Further, even though LPT is about 150m in front of CS, my stacked LPT is only 591m (3 x 197m) which is 19m short of CS at 610, which will more than make up for the distance between them.

CS is red circle.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/7251/cslptdh3.jpg

The question remains: why scale the render down? Or did the just make a mistake? I can't see why you'd scale it back on purpose.

^^ Maybe it looked disproportional. Maybe they wanted to surprise everyone. Maybe they're just screwing with people like us!

Edit: More likely, though, some kid made those renders and just wasn't paying that close attention.

It's hard to imagine what it's going to look like in reality. Since all the renders from far away are way underscaled. As in the Spire would only be 1500' if scaled properly. And of course we know it will be 2000'. I think it will look better than the renders.


i hope it will too. But to me it just looks like a missile or something in the renders from a distance. I almost think it would look better if the top was just flat lol

An observation deck would be better.. :ohno: for the world's second tallest building

Here is a correctly scaled rendering: (it was photoshoped to the right sizes I believe)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/delta2094/2896_5Edit.jpg

Nice pic, Kngkyle. That thing is a monster :)

I envy you Chicago. Toronto dosen't have 1 freakin supertall. It's a dirty shantytown compared to your city.

Wow! I'll say the same thing I said about the Dubai project, "The wind doesn't blow in Chicago?" The base is not massive or voluminous enough to take the strain of the constant movement of this thing. It's absolutely beautiful, but the exterior shape actually looks like it would promote rotation in the wind off of the lake. Just like a verticle windmill! All that weight on such a relatively small base.:cheers:

^^ No, Calatrava has said that the design of the building *lessens" wind impact.

What a city - is Chicago!!! 10/10.

The "spire" will add even more depth to it's already great skyline!!!

I wish we could get something like that here in OZ. :cheers:

Who ever makes the pictures on the construction site, i have a question for you:

Can you photograph the space beneath the highway to look iff there is some activity that links the two patches off ground that are left and right off the highway?? I would be pleased.

Cheers :cheers1:

Here is a correctly scaled rendering: (it was photoshoped to the right sizes I believe)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/delta2094/2896_5Edit.jpg

HOLY F*CK! Look at the size of that thing! - and there's me thinking these kind of projects are only possible if some megalomaniacal ruler forces it *cough* *cough* :|

Wow! I'll say the same thing I said about the Dubai project, "The wind doesn't blow in Chicago?" The base is not massive or voluminous enough to take the strain of the constant movement of this thing. It's absolutely beautiful, but the exterior shape actually looks like it would promote rotation in the wind off of the lake. Just like a verticle windmill! All that weight on such a relatively small base.:cheers:

The diameter at the base is about 216' I believe. (Might be off by a couple feet). The base of the sears tower is 225'. It's not that small. But because it is so tall it makes it look tiny.

I wish it still had the decorative bit at the top. Anyways-great tower!:)

It always reminded me of
http://www.trengovestudios.com/images/icicles.jpg

I still like the current one, but i also like this one, but I like the design with the top that looked like it was from Lord of the Rings.
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3740/5041476jm.jpg

I still like the current one, but i also like this one, but I like the design with the top that looked like it was from Lord of the Rings.

I am also one of the few people who also like that design too. It was a very unique design and still it kept the spiral. Though I must say I really love the current design even better. Either way I'm still glad this is getting this built in my back yard. :cheers:

that render is nice...but add the Trump and Overview and damn its awesome

that render is nice...but add the Trump and Overview and damn its awesomeoverview? I think you mean Waterview :lol: But you are right, two more gleaming glass towers will be amazing in addition to the CS.

that render is nice...but add the Trump and Overview and damn its awesome:lol: :lol: yeah its Waterview. funny typo.....and I agree. We need more renders with those 2 buildings. It would make a big difference, but I honestly dont think any renders will do this building justice.

Looks like a Dick :lol: But realy nice tower :banana:

The Big Three.

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/77/worldstallestdiagramnj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It's strange that the twisting of the spire creates the illusion that it is leaning.

Weird!

Isn't Moscow taller?

I am also one of the few people who also like that design too. It was a very unique design and still it kept the spiral. Though I must say I really love the current design even better. Either way I'm still glad this is getting this built in my back yard. :cheers:

Same, I like the final design more, but the spiral was really quite striking in the first (well actually it still is but you know what I mean)

Only problem is.. Chicago will have to listen to all those 'hilarious' double entendres for a while.

Isn't Moscow taller?

yes, but the diagram is old

I think the thing that will make this building look amazing will be its windows. All the renders show a bland color and its not reflecting off anything. In real life each window will be reflecting different colors and I think it will look amazing.

I think the thing that will make this building look amazing will be its windows. All the renders show a bland color and its not reflecting off anything. In real life each window will be reflecting different colors and I think it will look amazing.

to true,....can't wait to see it!!!

I still like the current one, but i also like this one, but I like the design with the top that looked like it was from Lord of the Rings.
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3740/5041476jm.jpg

my first chois

since this tower has no discernable "decorative spire", I wonder if it will have the worlds hightest inhabited floor or roof. Anyone know?

^^ um.. have you heard of the Burj Dubai? lol



I like that other version above better also, with the flat top it doesnt look so much like "a big dick" like some other people have said :lol:

then it will look like an untwisted twizzler

since this tower has no discernable "decorative spire", I wonder if it will have the worlds hightest inhabited floor or roof. Anyone know?

If this structure is built finish by now yes it will have, in fact it will have almost all the tallest titles.


Sadly the upcoming Burj Dubai as HWDP mention has a highest roof of up to 768m and highest inhabited floors at 701m.


The LMR alone is already taller than this drill bit monster

^^ What the heck is the "LMR"?

Update from haaryc ( SSP ):

View from above
[ full series - zoomable - http://picasaweb.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/400NLSDCSHeli ]
http://lh5.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/RtLObW-1l3I/AAAAAAAAE68/9u99LUDCW3M/P1020015.JPG?imgmax=512

Always want to have just the right size bit handy.
http://lh6.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/RtLOym-1l5I/AAAAAAAAE7I/t7e4pR9ybUA/P1020019.JPG?imgmax=512

i imagine once this thing is completed and once we can actually see the glass it will look pretty good.

No offense to anyone but in the renders it looks like a giant female 'toy'.

That comment is getting old. check the posts, its been commented at least 50 times. Your not the first to come up with that :bash:

Sorry, i just registered..i dont feel like going back 100 pages, ill edit that comment out though.

That comment is getting old. check the posts, its been commented at least 50 times. Your not the first to come up with that :bash:

calm down, he's new on SSC ;)


btw, welcome Nike12 :)

New to the site or not, all of the immature fifth grader comments are getting old.

I didnt expect one little comment(that i have edited out btw) to cause so many problems on a website! Comments like these are not 'old' to me since i just discovered this site today.

No offense to anyone but in the renders it looks like a giant female 'toy' :lol:

No offense to anyone but in the renders it looks like a giant female 'toy' :lol:
Very original.:hahano:

Don't bother with SSC if you can't handle the idiots. They are in abundance here. Just use Skyscraperpage. There are multiple people on SSP who are actual construction workers for the projects in Chicago. It is a much more informative and intellectual site. Just a FYI for those getting furious over moronic comments on this and other threads. The only advantage of this forum is it is much more international. SSP is mostly Americans.

Don't be so dreary! But CS is really wonderful. It's a great symbol of our time. Time of changes.

Don't be so dreary! But CS is really wonderful. It's a great symbol of our time. Time of changes.
It's not that you said that, it's that it has been said more then a hundred times since it was announced.

You are too captious. Technical details - not the only subject of this forum.
And as to CS - what mechanism for it's steadiness will be used? Pendulum, counterbalance,...?

wow i didnt know guys get PMS too :lol: seems like some of you want to cry because of some newbies comment
:rofl:
Nice tower btw

wow i didnt know guys get PMS too :lol: seems like some of you want to cry because of some newbies comment
:rofl:
Nice tower btw
Huh?

If this structure is built finish by now yes it will have, in fact it will have almost all the tallest titles.


Sadly the upcoming Burj Dubai as HWDP mention has a highest roof of up to 768m and highest inhabited floors at 701m.


The LMR alone is already taller than this drill bit monster
is it going to have the tittle of the world's second inhabited floor??

In my conjecture I will speculate 'lmr' is land mobile radio, meaning a huge guyed antenna tower is taller than 2000 feet. I only thought TV towers were taller than 2000 feet

Am I the only one who notices that the diagonal creases create the illusion of the tower leaning to the right?

^your not alone.lol
LMR= Lift Motor Room. normally located at very top of a skyscraper. room that houses lift mech.
there are NO guyed masts over 610m, only 3.
being KVLY/KTHI @ BLANCHARD-629M
KXJB TV @ GALESBURG-628M
KXTV/KOVR @ WALNUT GROVE-624M
then there are 27 masts @ 609.5m tall. all in US. then another 30 at 600m high.

Am I the only one who notices that the diagonal creases create the illusion of the tower leaning to the right?

Quite interesting indeed, I too have noticed that.

I don't think this building fit's well in the skyline of chicago.
But the building itself is beatifull.

my first chois
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3740/5041476jm.jpg


Mine too.

By the way why is the water in that canal beside's the building site of the chicago spire so green?? The water look's very clean, it look's like you can drink from it.

No offense to anyone but in the renders it looks like a giant female 'toy' :lol:

I'm proud of the fact that we are the only city in the world with a giant 2000' dildo. Imagine how many more female tourists will "come" to chicago in order to pay homage. I'm looking forward to the masses. :lol:

By the way why is the water in that canal beside's the building site of the chicago spire so green?? The water look's very clean, it look's like you can drink from it.I'm surprised so many people are posting this. The river is actually extremely polluted, but there are many efforts being made to clean it up and it is really working. www.chicagoriver.org is a great organization doing such work.

Am I the only one who notices that the diagonal creases create the illusion of the tower leaning to the right?

^your not alone.lol

Isn't that gonna create a problem for the skyline?

I'm surprised so many people are posting this. The river is actually extremely polluted, but there are many efforts being made to clean it up and it is really working. www.chicagoriver.org is a great organization doing such work.

While it is polluted no doubt I would say for an urban river it is pretty darn clean. They even did test a few months back on if fish were safe enough to eat and they found that occasional catch could be eaten from the river (if one wanted to, yuck) and that the mercury and other toxins were below daily suggested intake. I wouldn't put river fish in my weekly diet though by any means. It is not an Alpine spring but I would take my chances over swimming in the Yangtze or even Thames.:lol:

Leaning tower of chicago...

The water look's very clean, it look's like you can drink from it.
LOL, hahahaha

Unless you want diarrhea for a week I strongly suggest not drinking the river water. :-]

No, like nomarandlee said it's surprisingly clean, I wouldn't drink from it though.

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/news_images/1000%20Calatrava%201.jpg

http://www.tropolism.com/chicago-spire.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/141/325334832_637ea6a8e6_o.jpg

http://media.npr.org/news/images/2005/july/27/chicago_spire200.jpg

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1903/070420calatrava2zq3.jpg

http://rehmeier.de/wp-content/chicago_spire_1.jpg

http://www.dezeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/21.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2560/csnabypieruk7.jpg

The Big Three.

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/77/worldstallestdiagramnj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It's strange that the twisting of the spire creates the illusion that it is leaning.

Weird!




What is the name of the tower in the middle, and where is it being built?

russia tower in moscaw next to the federation tower

That is the Russia Tower being built in Moscow. It will be 612 meters.

Below is a photo of the area surrounding the Chicago Spire site, circa 1963.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1671/800px05231963chicagorivse2.jpg

interesting

any shots of this place from 1920-1930's?

WQow, Chicago made a big change!
No comparison to today

^^ lol, you gotta love the LSD S-curve!

dats a curve....would love to drag knee one dat bad boy:nuts: :lol:

Pictures from yesterday (28th), taken around 2pm:

Click here for all pics (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07)


There were visitors on the site, and I also got a terrific video of the workers taking a rebar column and dropping it into one of the caissons - I'll post the video soon after I reencode it.

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0689.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0689.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0690.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0690.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0692.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0692.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0695.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0695.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0697.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0697.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0704.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0704.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0705.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0705.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0709.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0709.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0711.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0711.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0715.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0715.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0724.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0724.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0728.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0728.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0729.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0729.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0730.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0730.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0731.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0731.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0735.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0735.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0738.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0738.JPG

Click here for full pic (http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/IMG_0740.JPG)
http://ryan.tliquest.net/pictures/Chicago/8-28-07/small/IMG_0740.JPG


...and videos coming soon :)

-eventhorizon

From SSP

Any sane local would tell a person not to jump off a Chicago River bridge. But in this specific case, given what I've learned about the Chicago River, I would say, really, don't jump into that river.

First of all, the health issue. The State of Illinois, along with such illustrious people as the Lieutenant-Governor and the Friends of the Chicago River, have sworn to "make the Chicago River swimmable by 2020." Think about this for a minute. This initiative started in 2003, which means they're expecting it to take 17 years of concerted efforts to clean up the river before anyone could safely swim in it. This gives you some idea of the state of the river's water quality.

While various points along the river are currently designed for "full immersion uses," the head of the Friends of the Chicago River says, "These stretches now have far too much bacteria."

Over the course of decades, slaughterhouses, tanneries, rolled steel plants, boat manufacturers, lumberyards, and graineries have lined the Chicago River and emptied their waste right into it. There's a photo from 1911 of a stretch of the river that ran next to the stockyards. This stretch was called "Bubbly Creek" because the stockyards used to fling their offal -- yes, that's cow parts -- into the river. As the stuff decomposed, the gases bubbled to the surface, giving it its name. But in this picture, the sewage is so thick, it's crusted over, and a chicken is even standing on top of it. Flash forward 90 years, and this is the river you're considering diving into.

Yes, it's cleaner than it used to be. The City built the Sanitary and Ship Canal, which diverted water from Lake Michigan into the Chicago River at a rate of six billion gallons per day. This huge onrush of water turned the river into the other direction, so that it emptied instead into the Mississippi River. It also flushed out the pollutants into the Mississippi, which drains into the Gulf of Mexico, and hello New Orleans! This cleaned up the river, but then in the 1930s the US government made the city build a dam to slow the river's flow, and that turned it into a sewer pit again. In the 1960s, people started cleaning up the river once more, and there's been quite a bit of progress, but there are still industrial metals trapped in the sediment and bad things in the water, as we'll see.

The Illinois EPA determines whether it's safe to swim in water by the level of fecal coliform bacteria. When it comes to swimmability, they don't test for metals or pesticides, just fecal coliform bacteria. Too much of this, and no swimming is allowed. And the Chicago River has too much. Way too much, judging by the fact that people think it will take seventeen years to get rid of the bacteria. To get technical about it, if more than 200 observations of fecal coliform bacteria are present in 100 ml of water, AND if more than 10% of the samples over a 30-day period contain more than 400 observations per 100 ml, then no swimming is allowed.

People also like to go boating and fishing on the Chicago River. This is called a secondary or recreational use. The Illinois EPA didn't test for this category of use, so I can't say whether it's safe to do that or not.

The Illinois EPA does test to see if it's safe to eat the fish you catch, and if fish can even live in the waters in the first place. These tests are called fish consumption and aquatic use tests. For these assessments, different people use various methods in different parts of the state, but basically they look at the fish to see if they're healthy or diseased, they look at the vegetation on the riverbank to see if that looks good or if it's dying, they look at the number of bugs in the river mud, and they test the water chemistry. It's in these assessments that you get records of heavy metals, pesticides, oil and grease, mining runoff, stuff like that.

They evaluate the Chicago River and Calumet Basin as one area and here's how it scored:

Aquatic Life -- Poor
This means that it would be difficult for aquatic life to survive in this environment.

Fish Consumption -- Poor
This means that for at least one species of fish, human consumption of any kind is banned.

Indigenous Aquatic Life -- Mixed good and fair
I don't trust this more lenient assessment, given that the ratings are worse in more general categories.

Primary Contact (swimming) -- Nonsupported
No swimming! Too much poo!

Specifically, evaluators found in the various branches and channels of the Chicago River excess algal growth, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorous, zinc, nickel, and PCBs. These things come from sewage overflows, storm and urban runoff, channelization, "municipal point sources," and "source unknown."

Still want to swim in the Chicago River?

Below is a photo of the area surrounding the Chicago Spire site, circa 1963.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1671/800px05231963chicagorivse2.jpgthis photo is amazing, considering what the area (especially the south side of the river) looks like today.

that photo is cool. I had no idea that LSD was like that.

Oh man I remember that hidious S curve well. What horrible traffic tie-ups that used to cause before they smoothed it out.

^^ lol, you gotta love the LSD S-curve!

The 60's DID rock.

^^ old farts :lol: :lol:

Don't forget about the Dave Matthews Band "accidentally" draining their tour buses' sewage tanks into the river as they crossed over one of the bridges a few years back.

interesting

any shots of this place from 1920-1930's?

I have two pictures.. one from the 30's.. believe it to be 1937 when the LSD bridge opened.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/netviper1998/spirelocation1937.jpg

And just to show the change from 1963 to 1968...

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/netviper1998/spirelocation1968.jpg

Fantastic pics, LST looked alien in that context.

Any pics from the east looking back at the city from that era?

Cool old pictures, looks really devoid in this area.

Aww, all the people from Chicago are getting nostalgic. I wouldn't be suprised if I read the phrase "Back in my day..." or " In the good ol' days..."
But seriously, great pictures. Nice contrast between the time periods. Let's focus on some current updates now.

great updates, seems the foundation is progressing very well

Below is a photo of the area surrounding the Chicago Spire site, circa 1963.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1671/800px05231963chicagorivse2.jpg

^^ lol, you gotta love the LSD S-curve!

Oh man I remember that hidious S curve well. What horrible traffic tie-ups that used to cause before they smoothed it out.

My family has many old encyclopedias from the '30s through the '60s, and I remember looking at the aerial pics of the lakefront in the articles on Chicago and being completely perturbed by that sharp corner/curve in Lake Shore Drive. I'd always wondered if people had to come to a complete stop, like at an intersection, but I see that it actually is a curve. I guess they just slowed down a lot to get through it.:nuts:


The Chicago Spire is my absolute favorite building going up atm. Twisting buildings are just wonderful in my view. This building looks fabulous and I can't wait to see what it is actually going to look like in the Chicago skyline. It should be great!

It's terrible how people have to make everything sexual.
This building has the best design EVER!

Woah! The Chicago Spires is one amazing structure to rise in an already amazing skyline! I love the spire-design a lot! Kudos to the designers!:banana:

Wow, that highway has also changed nice!

thanks for update...wo

delited

^^ Uh, is there a post somewhere up there?

^^ Uh, is there a post somewhere up there?

It's vanhenrik, let him go. He's special. :lol:

anybody have the date for pricing and floor plans to be released? Any speculation what the top floors will go for?

^^ my guess is $14-22mil for the top.

^^ my guess is $14-22mil for the top.

I thought we are all chipping in?

i'll put in 4 grand.

^^ my guess is $14-22mil for the top.I would guess higher, maybe 20-35 million dollar range. However it all depends on sq feet, and it looks like it might be pretty small up there.

^^ thats what i thought. the square feet cant be more than 2000 can it?

^^ thats what i thought. the square feet cant be more than 2000 can it?the world's highest and most expensive studio!!!

Time to start saving nickels.

when is this going to rice ?

I should imagine it'll be a while yet before you start seeing a core, especially for a project of this size.
Im looking forward to it rising though aswell :)

nice building :cheers:

the world's highest and most expensive studio!!!

What if it's a duplex or triplex?

I'm hearing positive things about the Russia Tower, so lets see if we can start a Petition going and send it to Kelleher and Calatrava to add a 3 meter spire to the top of the Spire, just to steal it's thunder! What do you think?

What if it's a duplex or triplex?then it would be the world's best bachelor pad. :cool:

May be

I'm hearing positive things about the Russia Tower, so lets see if we can start a Petition going and send it to Kelleher and Calatrava to add a 3 meter spire to the top of the Spire, just to steal it's thunder! What do you think?

Actually the Roof of the Spire is about 100 meters higher than Russia tower. It is the 3 "wings" of the Russia tower that go higher.

I should imagine it'll be a while yet before you start seeing a core, especially for a project of this size.
Im looking forward to it rising though aswell :)

i think it might take 6 month befor we are seing this rices ower streat level

Won't this building top out before the Russia Tower though?

Won't this building top out before the Russia Tower though?

I heard it should be done in 2010.

so the US will have the third tallest building for the next 5 years at least or something?

Won't this building top out before the Russia Tower though?

no i think russia tower is faster

^ well, this is where russia tower is now :

http://foto.rambler.ru/public/hamsterw/3/CIMG2250/CIMG2250-webbig.jpg


The chicago spire is moving faster currently

I'm hearing positive things about the Russia Tower, so lets see if we can start a Petition going and send it to Kelleher and Calatrava to add a 3 meter spire to the top of the Spire, just to steal it's thunder! What do you think?
hell yeah. i totally agree.

hell yeah. i totally agree.

I heard that instead of spire there going to be a huge light projector going straight into the sky. I think it is more cooler than another spire just because we want to compare with other tower. It sounds very funny actually - all this comparing and changing the height by 2 meters. We should take pride in the appearance of this tower the first this kind of design in the world - 360 degrees turn, not a stupid number. Someone will always build higher.

^^ i know. your right.

it still bugs me though.

The reason for its height because it the first highrise building to hit 2000ft in US, which is such a nice number, I doubt there will be any changes to it.


Also Russia tower I heard last time has proposed a 640m one... So we may never know, RT might just go higher...


Btw not only will CS be the 3rd tallest building upon completion (Assuming RT is faster), its also the world 4th tallest free standing structure at that time :)

hell yeah. i totally agree.

a spire like the one on the Two Prudential Plaza maybe would look nice

at 2 thousand feet up you couldnt even tell there is a 2m spire up there.
it not going to happen tho.

the spire of TPP is 23m tall as far as i know ^^

I still don't think it fits Chicagos skyline.
It would look 10 times better if in Kuwait, Tokyo or even Paris.

Thats my opinion.:)

I still don't think it fits Chicagos skyline.
It would look 10 times better if in Kuwait, Tokyo or even Paris.

Thats my opinion.:)

This is exactly the attitude that drives some of the monotonous, uninspired arechitecture in some places in the world.

Chicago has been about taking risks, albeit pragmatically (if you can understand the concept). Does the John Hancock Center fit into Chicago? It certainly didn't when it was built, but it is now the most beloved building in Chicago (arguably).

If you don't experiment... If you don't take risks... What do you hope to accomplish?

Why must all of the buildings in a city "fit in"?

any new photos?

The reason for its height because it the first highrise building to hit 2000ft in US, which is such a nice number, I doubt there will be any changes to it.


Also Russia tower I heard last time has proposed a 640m one... So we may never know, RT might just go higher...


Btw not only will CS be the 3rd tallest building upon completion (Assuming RT is faster), its also the world 4th tallest free standing structure at that time :)At that time??? Let's see, Burj Dubai, Russia Tower, ????, Chicago Spire?? Where's the third?

^^
He must be talking about the Guangzhou TV Tower which is 610 meters. The same height with Chicago Spire.

If there is going to be a spire - it should be pretty big, to have a harmony with the rest of building. Once you are talking about "big" it means problems with FAA. Since the limit is 2000 ft in US. So I have no idea how it is going to be.

Yeah, the maximum height of any spire on the Spire, fictional or not, could only be 63 feet tall, due to the FAA restriction based on the TV mast in North Dakota being 2063 feet tall.

:nono: The restriction IS 2,000 feet. The KLVY mast is taller than that only because it's Grandfather-claused-in.

^^ Oh alright. Thanks for clearing that up. I learn something that I thought I knew everyday.
How about we petition the FAA? Lets see if we can raise the restriction to 3,000 feet or something ludicrous like that, so we can usher in a new age of hypertalls all across America!

^^ I'm in.

^^ me three

Well if that's the route that you want to take . . . you've got to prove that a 3,000' tall building is no more of a threat to air-traffic than a 2,000' building . . . and good luck with that!!

Let's get a handful more 2,000 footers first.

^^
He must be talking about the Guangzhou TV Tower which is 610 meters. The same height with Chicago Spire.

It's about a feet taller, that why CS ranked 4th


And regarding wat depressio said, the height restriction would mean the American architecture has reach its highest or saturation point. Centauries later when other buildings around the world has hit a few km in height, Amercian tallest is still at its 2000 ft. It's a sad senario... :ohno:

i doubt that in a few "centauries" the hight restriction will remain at 2000 ft.

And to call 2000Ft restriction - a "saturation point of architecture" is ludicrous, show how much one knows about architecture...

If there is going to be a spire - it should be pretty big, to have a harmony with the rest of building. Once you are talking about "big" it means problems with FAA. Since the limit is 2000 ft in US. So I have no idea how it is going to be.

Just call it an antenna :banana:

Who cares man, we Chicagoans are the ones who started it all.

so will this building be the third or second tallest building for the next 5-10 years?

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/531/csversionfcentralnightft3.jpg


Damn this picture is so beautiful. Can someone add the trump and waterview to this picture?

so will this building be the third or second tallest building for the next 5-10 years?

ummm..I dont think anyone could truthfully answer that question,
but Id guess that it will be in the top 5 in the world for the next 10-15 years
hopefully.

so will this building be the third or second tallest building for the next 5-10 years?

3rd tallest in 10 years. but for a short time it probably will be the 2nd tallest

I really think this particular building deserves a sticky. It is to be the tallest building in the English-speaking world, and English is the undisputed Lingua Franca here. That, coupled with the fact that I found this thread on the second page should stabilize my argument.
I urge the administration to consider my suggestion.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1793/csfinalsmallerkz0.jpg
Yeah this pic is amazing. the thing that makes it even more amazing is the fact that the Spire is smaller here that it will be in real life, take the tall building to the right of the Spire, that is about 200m tall so if you put 3 of those on top of each other that makes almost the final hight. just measure with your fingers and you can tell how much taller the Spire will be in real life than in this render.

And to call 2000Ft restriction - a "saturation point of architecture" is ludicrous, show how much one knows about architecture...

That is for height only btw, perhaps i fail my point to further clarify my statement.


Lets hope this restriction will be remove within our lifetime, I do really hope to see a ultratall in US like the proposed 701m tall Chicago WTC back a few years ago.

^^ Yeah basically the Chicago Spire represents the absolute legal pinnacle of architecture in the United States. But as previously mentioned, let's get some more 2,000 footers in here and see how long the gov't can stand the pressure of a free market.

Good ol' America!

I really think this particular building deserves a sticky. It is to be the tallest building in the English-speaking world, and English is the undisputed Lingua Franca here. That, coupled with the fact that I found this thread on the second page should stabilize my argument.
I urge the administration to consider my suggestion.

Sorry have to disagree with this one. If this deserves a sticky then so to do many other projects. Just because this is in Chicago or the USA doesn't put it at the top of the heap.

If forummers post often enough this should stay on the front page for the next couple of years, thats good enough.

Now that we've discussed the legality of the Chicago Spire and the KLVY Mast, as well as the possiblility of a sticky for this thread, let's start seeing some updates. I'd like to see how the caissons are progressing.

i did my best with just paint

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1211/1311714153_b11678ffa8.jpg?v=0

Damn this picture is so beautiful. Can someone add the trump and waterview to this picture?

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6997/chicago200711animationdl4.gif

I found this picture in the Chicago skyline thread, it was posted by java_fun.
I hope I can help you with this picture, it's not 100% the same as the one you posted, but it'll do nicely I guess.

i did my best with just paint

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1211/1311714153_b11678ffa8.jpg?v=0

Thats an older design though. Not the one being built.

this design grows on you

i was just trying to show the correct height

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6997/chicago200711animationdl4.gif

I found this picture in the Chicago skyline thread, it was posted by java_fun.
I hope I can help you with this picture, it's not 100% the same as the one you posted, but it'll do nicely I guess.

I found the location of this building a little bit away from the herd (rest of the buildings). I guess they really make this special then. I found the design way too advance. It will be interesting to see the progress of the construction.

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6997/chicago200711animationdl4.gif

I found this picture in the Chicago skyline thread, it was posted by java_fun.
I hope I can help you with this picture, it's not 100% the same as the one you posted, but it'll do nicely I guess.

thanks, this picture is great.

Which one of those new buildings is the waterview?

thanks, this picture is great.

Which one of those new buildings is the waterview?

The first one to pop up to the left of Trump.

Sorry have to disagree with this one. If this deserves a sticky then so to do many other projects. Just because this is in Chicago or the USA doesn't put it at the top of the heap.

If forummers post often enough this should stay on the front page for the next couple of years, thats good enough.

Well I never mentioned Chicago OR the US in my original post. I think that, since this is an English-speaking forum, and because this building will be the tallest building in the English-speaking world, it is of adequate significance to justify a sticky. Again this really has nothing to do with being tallest in just the US, much less Chicago.

^It's a moot point. I mentioned a while ago that this one won't be stickied.

For those of you concerned about the spire "sticking out too much" or being "isolated": Chicago has a history of surrounding buildings that stand out from the crowd with company to create clusters. Big John, Sears, and Aon all stood out like sore thumbs at one point, but were eventually surrounded with buildings that are different, but complimentary to them. I'd put my money on another supertall in the 1500 or so range being built across the river in LSE, plus a couple other tall guys in the locale of the spire to eventually compliment this magnificent structure. Yes, at first it will stick out a bit, but it's not too far from the aon cluster of the jhc cluster. Other futuristic, innovative designs that compliment the spire will be built- rather sooner than later if we get the olympics.

^^ agreed. But as of now are there any developments for that area?

http://lh5.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/Rth7x2-1mOI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/cVuVSzqPUew/IMG_2375.jpg?imgmax=512

http://lh4.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/RtgR9m-1mKI/AAAAAAAAFCY/OdP_LmETx1w/P1020261.JPG?imgmax=512

http://lh6.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/RtgR9G-1mJI/AAAAAAAAFCQ/i8nAe-26OAs/P1020250.JPG?imgmax=512

http://lh5.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/RtgRX2-1mII/AAAAAAAAFCE/1tq2UIKGn2g/P1020241.JPG?imgmax=512

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/delta2094/100_9106.jpg

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6207/asdfdx2.jpg
This is the REAL height of the building.

I see a lot of construction that is going on on the site. Looks good to me.

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/747/CS11.jpg

Nice computer rendering of the future panorama

^It's a moot point. I mentioned a while ago that this one won't be stickied.

I agree with that. Other forumers will not be happy with this move (I guess "it will develop a dark force inside them" is a better interpretation:lol: ). For example, your rival New Yorkers may find this insulting because of their Freedom Tower (the symbol of 9/11 memorial), Russians with their Russia Tower (the tower that will dominate the New Moscow skyline) and even Mecca's Abraj Al-Bait (it will play a big role to this city and serves as a time clock guide to its pilgrims). Soon, Shanghai Center and Al Burj will crush in (talking about sticking these stickies). However, this is just my opinion so don't be hating. ;) :okay:

I agree with that. Other forumers will not be happy with this move (I guess "it will develop a dark force inside them" is a better interpretation). For example, your rival New Yorkers may find this insulting because of their Freedom Tower (the symbol of 9/11 memorial), Russians with their Russia Tower (the tower that will dominate the New Moscow skyline) and even Mecca's Abraj Al-Bait (it will play a big role to this city and serves as a time clock guide to its pilgrims). Soon, Shanghai Center and Al Burj will crush in (talking about sticking these stickies). However, this is just my opinion so don't be hating. ;) :okay:

Exactly. Giving CS a sticky opens the floodgates. Where is the line eventually drawn?

Uh. . . like I said: the English-speaking world.

depressio
It's not an English-speaking world forum. It's an international forum.

. . . of people who speak English?

no... world development section is stands for summation of important development news from all world (read - local sections). you have own chicago highrise development section where you can stick it and where it's done already. so as there is moscow development section where we can stick russia tower thread on our own.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6207/asdfdx2.jpg
This is the REAL height of the building.

I see a lot of construction that is going on on the site. Looks good to me.[/QUOTE]



So, are you saying that the tower won't be 2,000 feet? And that it will be shorter than the Freedom Tower?

What is that ugly looking building next to it?

.
So, are you saying that the tower won't be 2,000 feet? And that it will be shorter than the Freedom Tower?

What is that ugly looking building next to it?
Hahahaa
That's not a real building, it's the building but three of them stacked on each other to show the comparison.

And the Chicago Spire will be 2000 feet and taller then the Freedom tower.

What he is showing in that picture is that in the renders the spire is SHORTER then what it will be in real life. So 2000 feet is where that render should really be at, not how it is shown there.

Hahahaa
That's not a real building, it's the building but three of them stacked on each other to show the comparison.

And the Chicago Spire will be 2000 feet and taller then the Freedom tower.

What he is showing in that picture is that in the renders the spire is SHORTER then what it will be in real life. So 2000 feet is where that render should really be at, not how it is shown there.

Thank you. :D This is exactly my point: to show that the tower will be higher than it is showed on this picture.

please someone do some pictures of the working site...i need updates for this beauty!

when can wee see mour construktion photos ?

You can't put three buildings above each other to display the height of CS, and forgetting that CS is much more in the back from the viewers standpoint and has to seem smaller!
The building you piled up three times is more in the front and consequently bigger!

The solution is: You gotta put the building so many times above each other, according to their different distance to the viewer and real height! Prob 2,5 times?

^^ The Lake Point Tower is 197 meters, and so 3 stacked is 591 meters, which is pretty dang close to 610 meters. And we estimated that any discrepancies were negligable due to distance between the two. I think we discussed this subject on page 103 or 102. Go forth and check it out.

Daguan - what's the other tall building in that render?

Depressio - can't agree with you there; the non-English speaking forums on SSC are far more frequently used (have a look at the number of posts/threads on the forum homepage) than those of the English speaking forums. If you start at Chicago, where do you stop?

Daguan - what's the other tall building in that render?

Lake Point Tower. However the building is not that tall. Another poster altered the image by stacking two on top of the original to show the approximate height of Chicago Spire. In the photo below, Lake Point Tower is the black, curvy building in the foreground. Chicago Spire will rise to the left of Cityfront Place (brown, square building):

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3679/lakepoint7nm9.jpg

Daguan - what's the other tall building in that render?

Depressio - can't agree with you there; the non-English speaking forums on SSC are far more frequently used (have a look at the number of posts/threads on the forum homepage) than those of the English speaking forums. If you start at Chicago, where do you stop?

I did this building on top of another building for comparison. there is nothing that stands by the future Spire

You can't put three buildings above each other to display the height of CS, and forgetting that CS is much more in the back from the viewers standpoint and has to seem smaller!
The building you piled up three times is more in the front and consequently bigger!

The solution is: You gotta put the building so many times above each other, according to their different distance to the viewer and real height! Prob 2,5 times?

Uh actually CS and Lake Point Tower are nearly the same distance from the camera in that shot, so it's pretty accurate.

I like the version with the flat roof the most, but this one will be amazing when completed, I'm sure.

America is untouchable in terms of skyscrapers:
the tallest res. building in the world (Chi Spire)
the tallest hotel in the world (Las Vegas Tower)
the tallest office building in the world (FT)
...and a lot in between! Dozens of new supertalls, and much more.

Thank god Chicago invented the greatest thing ever.


I feel so horrible that there will be no observation deck, but maybe everyone on SSC could donate a few bucks and buy out the highest floor. It's going to be so strange to see something bigger than the ST.

One day, maybe in spring, I'll visit Chicago. I've been waiting to go for years, but never had a chance. I've been wanting to poke the JHC; her and 3WTC will be best buddies.

I'm the guy who stacked the three Lake Point Towers, and it is pretty close to the actual height taking into account the 100 meter difference in perspective. It was quick and dirty to show how far out the official renders were. Better comparisons have been done since I did that.

People should quit moanin' about small discrepancies or create their own pics. Jeez!

Another impressive landmark of Chi-Town!

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3679/lakepoint7nm9.jpg

wats the name of the tower to the right in that picture ?

^^ its just 2 posts above you!!!
damn, just look a little.

I'm the guy who stacked the three Lake Point Towers, and it is pretty close to the actual height taking into account the 100 meter difference in perspective. It was quick and dirty to show how far out the official renders were. Better comparisons have been done since I did that.

People should quit moanin' about small discrepancies or create their own pics. Jeez!

dont feel bad cus a few people dont appreciate the hard work you do. others think its great that they get to see a closer comparison of how tall the building really will be. but, people like me, just don't bother commenting on the picture

http://lh6.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/Rt6rWm-1nFI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/1vQEbQq1CeU/P1020422.JPG?imgmax=640

http://lh6.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/Rt6ppm-1nDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/7QEYHlfIZGA/P1020440.JPG?imgmax=640

http://lh5.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/Rt6qlW-1nEI/AAAAAAAAFPI/7idtWed18lY/P1020432.JPG?imgmax=640


how far a way in the prices are they ?

That car will be flat if that thing rolls over it!:lol:

http://lh6.google.com/harry.r.carmichael/Rt6ppm-1nDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/7QEYHlfIZGA/P1020440.JPG?imgmax=640




how far a way in the prices are they ?

What kind of function does that thing have?

What kind of function does that thing have?

Pulls the caisson liner free so it can be pulled out with a crane.

And why should have be pulled out?
What function did the piling have? To explore the ground conditions?

Looking good.

And why should have be pulled out?
What function did the piling have? To explore the ground conditions?

Because, the caisson liner that you see in the photo is just a temporary liner.

After they start drilling a caisson, they put the temporary liner into position, then they continue to drill until they are deep enough to put the permanent "rock can" into position. The rock can is the long tube that you've seen in past photos.

After the rebar cage is positioned and the hole filled with concrete, the temporary liner is pulled and used on other holes.

That car will be flat if that thing rolls over it!:lol:

I wouldn't park my car or even a tank next to that thing, that guy must be a nutter.

I wouldn't park my car or even a tank next to that thing, that guy must be a nutter.

lol :)

I wouldn't park my car or even a tank next to that thing, that guy must be a nutter.
And the guys whom work in construction have a thing about their pickup trucks, too!

Anyways, my thoughts on that are more towards maneuvering that thing down downtown Chicago streets to the job site.

:lol: :hahaha: :lol: :hahaha: :lol:

:rofl:

Mike

Excellent ! Construction updates finally go on ! Seems like Chicago will restore it America´s tallest building title inmediately after surpassing New York´s Freedom Tower !

Why didn't they just dig everything out and then start all the construction?
Isn't it much more difficult to dig around all those concrete caissions, as just digging a big hole??

how deep are they philing ? end how dep are they going to dig for the baisment ?

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6997/chicago200711animationdl4.gif

I found this picture in the Chicago skyline thread, it was posted by java_fun.
I hope I can help you with this picture, it's not 100% the same as the one you posted, but it'll do nicely I guess.
:banana: I like it!

Why didn't they just dig everything out and then start all the construction?
Isn't it much more difficult to dig around all those concrete caissions, as just digging a big hole??
The problem here is all of the water that surrounds the site. They likely have to do things in a similar manner to the WTC complex in NYC (with a watertight perimeter wall) before they start digging below the water line and that caissons can be drilled and filled before then.

I forget the exact depth (and correct me if I am wrong), but I STR that the bedrock is about 60-75 meters below the surface there.

Mike

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3679/lakepoint7nm9.jpg

wats the name of the tower to the right in that picture ?

Blue/white box is River East Center (residential, hotel, entertainment)
Brown box is Cityfront Place (residential)

The problem here is all of the water that surrounds the site. They likely have to do things in a similar manner to the WTC complex in NYC (with a watertight perimeter wall) before they start digging below the water line and that caissons can be drilled and filled before then.

Exactly. A cofferdam will be constructed 78 ft (24 m) deep and 104 ft. (32 m) wide to create a watertight work space and will later provide the foundation for the core of the building.

I forget the exact depth (and correct me if I am wrong), but I STR that the bedrock is about 60-75 meters below the surface there.

34 caissons will be drilled 120 ft. (37 m) into the bedrock below the surface.

Also of interest...

Initial reports estimate units (600-8,000 square feet) will sell at or above $2,000 per square foot. Therefore the cheapest unit will run US$900,000 with larger units at or above US$16,000,000.

Oh geez 900,000 per unit . . . ridiculous! I wonder how much it would be to buy out a floor.

Oh geez 900,000 per unit . . . ridiculous! I wonder how much it would be to buy out a floor.

My friend, dont consider this like your mother's highrise condo. For many (including me) $900K for a small apartment is lots of money. However, as Spire is going to be an iconic building by its height, location and design, having a unit in Spire will be like (and, is going to be marketed as such) as if having a place/ownership in a world renown building. Think about how much people would bet if even a small section of White House, Buckingham Palace, Sydney Opera House, etc. you name it, was put on for sale. Think Spire prices in this context.

Also, like anything, this is relative. For those whose net worth at least in double digit millions, it is an expense not investment to allocate such money for a unit even at those prices.

As for my own curiosity about Spire's sales is that I know it will be marketed worldwide and world has enough rich to buy at prices asked for Spire. The big question is how much attractive this place will be for the world's riches and how fast/slow sales will be going?

I had read somewhere that Aqua was already 95% sold by the end of this summer. It was a 'wow' for me! Although it is different and similar at the same time, I wonder if Spire will have that type of sales performance. If it does, everyone will have to take hats off especially for the developer and architect of Spire for their vision and courage.

Just out of the topic a bit.

Whats happen' with that project next to Cityfront Place?, what is its name?

As for my own curiosity about Spire's sales is that I know it will be marketed worldwide and world has enough rich to buy at prices asked for Spire. The big question is how much attractive this place will be for the world's riches and how fast/slow sales will be going?

Shelbourne has received over 800 inquiries from 'serious, interested buyers' all over the world. I imagine a key part of the marketing effort will be focused on cities/countries with a substantial economic connection to Chicago.

i should know this but is the gold facade staying or is it back to blue or what?

i should know this but is the gold facade staying or is it back to blue or what?

It is NOT gold.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/art/chi-0909_kaminbestsep09,0,3120522.story

Spotting the architectural stars and events of the season

By Blair Kamin
September 7, 2007

Chicago Spire Interiors

Star architects typically design condominium towers exteriors and leave the interiors to decorators, but Calatrava is playing an unusually active role in shaping the Spire's nearly 1,200 units. He has crafted everything from floor plans to doorknob handles, which should make the skyscraper a rare instance of "total design." The Zurich-based architect will be in Chicago on Sept. 26 to preview his plans, whose staggering variety has helped push the opening of the Spire's sales center back from Sept. 27 to January.

do you know of any possible petitions requesting an observation? We could definitly get a lot of signatures.

do you know of any possible petitions requesting an observation? We could definitly get a lot of signatures.

No. It's not going to happen. Stop thinking about it. Get over it. And by all means lets stop talking about it. It has been beaten to death already here.

And my post was deleted just because i mentioned about OD


Wth is going on? Its not like i am whining why is there no OD in CS?

Because it's private property! The developer has the right to do whatever the hell he wants with it! This is not a government building -- a petition is not only useless, it is inappropriate!!

Because it's private property! The developer has the right to do whatever the hell he wants with it! This is not a government building -- a petition is not only useless, it is inappropriate!!

Never herd anything so true. Let us stop thinking about OD because it WONT happen and just concentrate on how beautiful this skyscraper is going to be:)

I won't go so far as to say an OD won't EVER happen, but it sure as hell won't be the doing of the public. However I can't see how it could really happen without a major overhaul as an OD would most likely require its own elevator.

My friend, dont consider this like your mother's highrise condo. For many (including me) $900K for a small apartment is lots of money. However, as Spire is going to be an iconic building by its height, location and design, having a unit in Spire will be like (and, is going to be marketed as such) as if having a place/ownership in a world renown building. Think about how much people would bet if even a small section of White House, Buckingham Palace, Sydney Opera House, etc. you name it, was put on for sale. Think Spire prices in this context.

Also, like anything, this is relative. For those whose net worth at least in double digit millions, it is an expense not investment to allocate such money for a unit even at those prices.

As for my own curiosity about Spire's sales is that I know it will be marketed worldwide and world has enough rich to buy at prices asked for Spire. The big question is how much attractive this place will be for the world's riches and how fast/slow sales will be going?

I had read somewhere that Aqua was already 95% sold by the end of this summer. It was a 'wow' for me! Although it is different and similar at the same time, I wonder if Spire will have that type of sales performance. If it does, everyone will have to take hats off especially for the developer and architect of Spire for their vision and courage.

I was always surprised to read how this tower is going to be completely residential. An iconic tower like this one is obviously going to command exorbitant rents. For someone willing to invest that kind of money in what is, despite the huge positives, still a relatively small condo they would really have to be incredibly rich, or foolhardy. With great wealth its natural to expect people to spend their millions on mansions with huge amounts of land, where that kind of money can really be put into use. Owning a trendy city condo perhaps for business yes, but not one to spend the millions on. But, according to the developers this tower completely viable. However, we shall see.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/art/chi-0909_kaminbestsep09,0,3120522.story

Spotting the architectural stars and events of the season

By Blair Kamin
September 7, 2007

Chicago Spire Interiors

Star architects typically design condominium towers exteriors and leave the interiors to decorators, but Calatrava is playing an unusually active role in shaping the Spire's nearly 1,200 units. He has crafted everything from floor plans to doorknob handles, which should make the skyscraper a rare instance of "total design." The Zurich-based architect will be in Chicago on Sept. 26 to preview his plans, whose staggering variety has helped push the opening of the Spire's sales center back from Sept. 27 to January.

A three month delay on the sales center? I have to see these units detail and layout. I hope they are nothing short of breathtaking. I do wonder though, with Calatrava having complete control of design, how much will the overall cost increase? Doesnt he have the tendency to be over budget with his projects because of his anal attention to detail? Nonetheless Im very anxious to see what he cooked up.

What is the deal with SSP? I'm tired of getting the darn "Page is not found" message...

What is the deal with SSP? I'm tired of getting the darn "Page is not found" message...

ssp is getting server upgrades i think. But yea i know its killin me since i primarily stick to SSP.

What is the deal with SSP? I'm tired of getting the darn "Page is not found" message...

trust me, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't true :(

^^ Let's not be negative toward SSC. I consider SSC and SSP sister websites. Both have their pro's and con's.
Now does anyone have any CS Update pics? I need my daily dose of construction photos.

you're right. but, its so pathetic, I got so used to it. I can't believe how pathetic I am, cuz easily 90% of my internet time was spent on SSP. I don't even know what to do with all this time.

I'm so excited to see the previews of the spire units come end of september. I mean, no one has any idea what they could look like. I'm visualizing....a lot of....hmmmmmmm.... whiteness? Yeah, I'll guess whiteness. Maybe he'll surprise me

p.s. ssc strikes me as representing a higher percentage of people from world countries. But everything concerning ssc/ssp is, of course, off topic. Sorry. I don't condone this ^^

do you know of any possible petitions requesting an observation? We could definitly get a lot of signatures.

As with any other private development, the option to include any attractions such as an observation deck is at the discretion of the owner(s). While the subject may have been raised during the design phase, Shelbourne probably dismissed the idea since this building will be marketed as an exclusive, cachet place to live. I doubt multi-millionaires and billionaires will be thrilled at the thought of hundreds of people running around with cameras, binoculars and fanny packs.

Regarding a petition, inevitably one will be started (if not already) but any attempt will be a waste of time. Shelbourne is under no legal, civic, or social obligation to consider any petition. More importantly, the final design has been approved, materials ordered, and construction has started. To alter the plan to include an observation deck would require additional regulatory approval, thus delaying the project and increasing construction costs.

Basically, one must accept Chicago Spire will not have an observation deck and move on (or get obscenely rich by the time condos go on sale).

Does anyone of you know what a high floor apartment (550m+/1700feet+) in the CS will cost?

Why? Are you planning to rent a 550 meter apartment? I wish I could!
Personally, I don't know, but I'd put an estimate at about 2 million dollars. The lower apartments were 900,000 dollars, so double that and then some. That number could be off though.

das eney one hae photo update of the plot ?

Why? Are you planning to rent a 550 meter apartment? I wish I could!
Personally, I don't know, but I'd put an estimate at about 2 million dollars. The lower apartments were 900,000 dollars, so double that and then some. That number could be off though.

There were no actual price figures given. The $900,000 was just a forumers guess.

We need 1000 people and everyone spends 2000 dollars.
We make an OD with an entrance fee of 15 dollars, just small groups due to the elevator capacity.
We need 150.000 visitors to be amortized.
Lets say we take 5 years to do that...
These are 82 people per day...
This means 7 people per hour (from 10am. to 10pm)
After refinancing the 2 million dollars, everyone gets 1 Dollar per day, 30 dollars per month!


Isn't it a fantastic idea :banana:
After five years your are amortized and have an OB for free :-)

We all could become rich so easily!:cheers:

^^
:lol:

OD can't be worth 2 million dollars. You are buying a whole floor at the top level so imagine the price tag for that. Probably, at least 4 - 6 apartments per floor so you are paying at least 14 - 16 million dollars plus taxes, condo fee, hidden fees, etc. :)