The Illinois (mile high tower) as the state capital?!

2362 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by ChicagoNight, May 19, 2007

Chicago103

Discussion Starter · May 10, 2007 (Edited)

Chicago should build it and beat out the Burj Dubai, the design of the Burj almost looks like a rip off of The Illinois anyways.

I was reading about Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for the mile high tower, The Illinois. It would have been a mixed use building and according to a few sources I found its office space was meant to house the entire Illinois state government, I guess Wright intended the state capital to move from Springfield to Chicago into his tower as the primary tenant, hence the reason it was to be called "The Illinois". I suppose the governor's official residence could be a penthouse apartment at the very top, that alone would make me want to aspire to run for Governor of Illinois !!!!

I know this is pure fantasy at this point but just think seriously about it for a second, if there was the political will with the state government fully behind it as the primary financeer (the state government running a profit off of selling condos on the upper floors and renting out retail and other office space) what kind of controversy would something like this cause? Would downstaters be pissed that Springfield would be adandoned as the state capital? Would people complain about the taxpayer money needed to build this? Would there be a number of Chicagoans and Illinoisans proud of the fact that the state government would take on such a visionary project? I would. Imagine what the interior would look like if it was Frank Lloyd Wright inspired, imagine the legislative chambers with a Wright design.

Also does anyone know where exactly this tower was supposed to be built? If not where should it be built? Wolf Point (I dont know if the site is big enough)? Northerly Island? One idea I have is the vast vacant land along the river north or south of Roosevelt Road. The rendering almost looks like its situated in Grant or Lincoln Park.

Imagine:

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Nat76

· #2 · May 10, 2007

Financial, engineering, and practical considerations aside, in a post 9/11 world, why would you ever want to put all of your state govenment (executive with administrative departments, legislators and their staff, judges and their clerks) in one building?

If something were to happen (God forbid), you might as well make the state a federal district overnight. There would be no state government left.

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MRichR

· #3 · May 10, 2007

Would downstaters be pissed that Springfield would be adandoned as the state capital?

Big yes. exactly what would we do with the 400 foot domed building in Springfield, along with the other millions of square feet of state office space in Springfield and Chicago? The capitol is fine where it is, and is an ENORMOUS job base in Springfield and central illinois. This is a gigantic state, and having the capitol in the middle of the state makes sense in many, many ways.

Would people complain about the taxpayer money needed to build this?

HUGE yes. Have you seen the financial condition of this state? Waste of money does not begin to describe what this project would be.

Would there be a number of Chicagoans and Illinoisans proud of the fact that the state government would take on such a visionary project? I would.

My guess is you'd be one of maybe a few dozen. The other 13 million or so people in Illinois don't really care what the sausage factories known as state government buildings look like.

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Chicago103

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 10, 2007

MRichR said:
Big yes. exactly what would we do with the 400 foot domed building in Springfield, along with the other millions of square feet of state office space in Springfield and Chicago? The capitol is fine where it is, and is an ENORMOUS job base in Springfield and central illinois. This is a gigantic state, and having the capitol in the middle of the state makes sense in many, many ways.

HUGE yes. Have you seen the financial condition of this state? Waste of money does not begin to describe what this project would be.

My guess is you'd be one of maybe a few dozen. The other 13 million or so people in Illinois don't really care what the sausage factories known as state government buildings look like.

I like the state capital building in Springfield very much and dont want it to be moved, however if there was an opportunity to build The Illinois I would make an exception for that. I am not for taxpayer waste or anything but I find it sad that there is little vision or architectural will in this country. I take pride in what our state capital building looks like today even if it does cost more money than if they housed the government in a sterile office park and the legislative chambers looked like conference rooms at a Holiday Inn. Architecture is a spice of life to me and grand government architecture has been a staple since ancient times.

That being said I realize this is all just a fantasy and there are a gazillion impracticalities in such a project, however I think having an anchor tenant in the state government makes it more feasable than if it was just a stand alone private development. Also, I would like to reiterate in any other event I would want the state capital to remain in Springfield. It does raise an interesting question of what would happen with the State Capital building in Springfield? Would it become a museum like the other old state capitals, maybe the City of Springfield and County of Sangamon could house their offices in it. Encourage office growth in downtown Springfield instead of in outlying office parks. Maybe of the University of Illinois at Springfield could take over the capital building and other offices and have a downtown campus, perhaps renamed Abraham Lincoln University. The current UIS campus could become a housing development/office park planned community. So Springfield's economy would have to be restructured around the University and the tourism industry associated with Lincoln. Those are just a few ideas tossed around in my head.

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Adrian Smith fan

· #5 · May 11, 2007

Nat76 said:
Financial, engineering, and practical considerations aside, in a post 9/11 world, why would you ever want to put all of your state govenment (executive with administrative departments, legislators and their staff, judges and their clerks) in one building?

If something were to happen (God forbid), you might as well make the state a federal district overnight. There would be no state government left.

is that a good thing :lol:

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ChivDevil

· #6 · May 11, 2007

Chicago103 said:
I suppose the governor's official residence could be a penthouse apartment at the very top, that alone would make me want to aspire to run for Governor of Illinois !!!!

Come on now! We all know that the top penthouse would be reserved for the one and only, King Daley !

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Chicago103

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 19, 2007

A more imporant question to ask regardless of whether or not the state government would be the anchor tenant do you think this mile high tower will ever be built? I think it should someday and make Chicago the undisputed home of the WTB once again. Also if it is built at some future date would it break the record as the building that is completed the longest after the architect's death (Frank Lloyd Wright)? I think it should remain true to Wright's vision in design both interior and exterior, the problem is that he obviously didnt determine detailed designs of the interior. Imagine the lobby, the offices and all the condos having Frank Lloyd Wright interiors.

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ChicagoNight

· #8 · May 19, 2007

i hate the fact that dubai gets a bigger building too, but its just not chicago's time yet. chicago beats dubai in overall city grandness, density and completeness anyway.

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