Dallas Pool 31 Mar 06

Just out of curiosity, but how is this “less”? =)

Noah 31 Mar 06

Meh, it won’t look so great in person, not to mention it’s just got a tall pointy thing on top, not REAL floor space.

Edmundo 31 Mar 06

They’re always building somethign ultramodern every time I’ve been to Chicago.

Well, it’s not like I go there every week!

Joe 31 Mar 06

That’s gonna steal the thunder from Trump’s new tower in Chicago.

Matt 01 Apr 06

Everyone, check this out:

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/application-fluff-hot-air/

Make sure to read the bio.

-Matt

Adam 01 Apr 06

Bah, keep your NYC comments in NYC. You guys will always be the worlds city… and personally, I want nothing to do with your 9 million people, over-crowded parkways and attitude. I suggest you come to Chicago and try to eat a world famous polish, complete with hot peppers, sucka.

Matt 01 Apr 06

Well, let’s not make this into an NYC vs. Chicago fight— because I think it’s clear NYC would win.

But seriously, this could turn ugly, quick.

(Almost as ugly as the Sears Tower).

-Matt

Matt 01 Apr 06

My formatting got messed up! It was supposed to say:

Almost as ugly as the Sears Tower

-Matt

Adam 01 Apr 06

Yeah, its an ugly tower. But hey… we still got one! (1 for me, 0 for you)

Matt 01 Apr 06

OK, I give up. It was mock HTML code with “one more” as the first tag, and “/one more” as the last.

-Matt

Adam 01 Apr 06

Our HTML skillz own you too, playa. DHH is my neighbor.

Matt 01 Apr 06

OK, there’s no way I can beat that comment. No possible way.

Props to you, my western friend.

-Matt

Adam 01 Apr 06

No, my friend, props to you.

WmD 01 Apr 06

Awesome I loved this project the moment I saw it. Granted, there are very few Calatrava works I don’t like.

Symphony hall in Atlanta, bridge in Dallas, residential tower in NYC, WTC transportation hub in NYC, now this…he’s makin’ his way to the US in full force.

Adam Michela 01 Apr 06

First thought? Trojan “Twisted Pleasure” condom.

Erik Mallinson 01 Apr 06

Unicorn Horn?

Josh Williams 01 Apr 06

File this away in other reasons Dallas sucks. I mean, Dallas has uh… the Trinity River Project. And Fair Park. Yeah, it pretty much sucks.

Fort Worth, on the other hand…

brian 01 Apr 06

April fools?

mswimm 01 Apr 06

Whoops.

Stupid april fools gets me every time.

Also on a lot of cold medicine today. Sorry Guys.

Anonymous Coward 01 Apr 06

Not April fools. This is actually going to happen.

mswimm 01 Apr 06

I realize it’s actually going to happen. I assume the pun is that they are excited about it.

Cargo 01 Apr 06

I am a big fan of Christopher Alexander but I disagree with him on that point, maybe I just can’t get around my love of skyscrapers. Cities need tall buildings, I know Pattern Language lays out a beautiful ideal city with nothing over four stories but it just feels like that would be centerless. His model is Europe which is great and Paris is a beautiful city but it still has church spires and a few towers like Eiffel and Montparnasse.

John Zeratsky 01 Apr 06

Nope, not a joke. The Bloomberg article is dated March 29 and, um, I don’t think Bloomberg *does* April Fools jokes.

scott 01 Apr 06

That is an ugly tower.

No ….i mean really ugly

Do you think they can find a paper bag big enough to cover it ?

cheers

scott

Matt 01 Apr 06

Wouldn’t an advantage be to fit more “stuff” in an overcrowded area (like NY- not sure about Chicago), by building up instead of out? That’s how I see it…

-Matt

Paul 01 Apr 06

SWEEEEEET!

Go Santiago! Few architects are more inovative.

No more trips to Milwaukee just to see a Calatrava!

Nonny 02 Apr 06

If I can see this thing from my window,
does my property value go up or down?

If it blocks Navy Pier?

*sigh*

Benjy 02 Apr 06

I love the design and love the idea of a new icon for Chicago’s skyline (especially one that steals Trump’s thunder). If only I had the $$$ to afford to live there when built…

lisa 02 Apr 06

it’s really ugly and scary looking. can you say ISENGARD?

Icelander 03 Apr 06

RS is full of crap. Tall buildings are a necessity unless you want to start implementing population controls. People need places to live, and there’s only so much land area. So you either start killing people or build upwards.

How can a tall building destroy open space when, since there’s obviously demand for the space, people will either stack the square footage up or spread it out, eating up more open space?

If you want to see a blight on the landscape, look at any Corporate Park. Bland three-story boxes surrounded by parking lots and unnatural open space marked with ‘no trespassing’ signs, placed far, far away from the people who commute there, and kept at a nice, cool 70 degrees year round, even when they’re empty. And inside; wall-to-wall cubicles. The ugliest skyscraper is beautiful compared to those monstrosities.

Suburbia is an unsustainable lifestyle. Cities are less energy dependent than the suburbs, but you won’t hear most people saying that. No no no, you mustn’t lose your 3,000 square foot house and your three car garage and your hour long commute and your drive to the grocery store.

Pete Baker 03 Apr 06

Unicorn Horn!

chi-town architectural lover 05 Apr 06

I love this tower design, and how dominant it will be. It will finally change the skyline for Chicago, which is already the most beautiful in the world (no one can deny that). We needed something that was completely different (not dark and boxy like everything else downtown). I applaud the designer and the city council for being bold!

Denny 07 Apr 06

Steph- it is across the river from the Swisshotel, butting up against Lake Shore Drive.

I think it looks cool, and is better than the alternative (two block condos-40 and 60 stories).

I get a nice view of it from my office in the Aon.

Marketing Man 07 Apr 06

I’m very happy for Chicago, NYC should take notice on the city that invented the skyscraper. Fordham spire is an iconic elegant building that will bring Chicago’s skyline to the front runner of best skyline in the world. With completion of Trump hotel and tower and Fordham spire it in my book will be the best skyline in the world. The Freedom tower on the other hand in NY should be scraped and hire Architect - Santiago Calatrava to build something taller thn Burj Dubai!

Ford 08 Apr 06

RS is the typical NIMBY who is trying to bring suburban life to the city. He lacks basic logic, like how suburban sprawl and lowrise buildings are MANY times worse for the environment both directly and indirectly. Oh well, I like to believe these kinds of people don’t really exist.

Fordham Spire has already beaten WTC’s symbolic 1776 crap so they might as well start over and create something memorable there instead of what is planned.

Joshua 08 Apr 06

I honestly don’t understand why some of you say “it’s an ugly building” everywhere else I have gone to on the net are in love with this building (as am I) it’s a thing of beauty. It fits well with Chicago’s skyline and the slender swirling shape of it is absolutely amazing. This for sure is already way better then the planned Freedom Tower. I can’t wait until FS is built, it’s going to look fantastic in the night time.

sean 10 Apr 06

nyc is alot of bull crap chicago and hong kong have the best and the tallest skylines ever .everybody from nyc hates the fordham spire but everyone in chicago lovesit. And they are planning another skyscraper in chicago called the chicago world trade center

Ford 10 Apr 06

^That’s actually just a fake proposal (Chicago WTC).

JOHN 11 Apr 06

matt- the fordham spire will have an electic feel to our wondeful city. the clear victory that chicago has over NYC is that we have a skyline that’s at least 10 times better than NYC. not to mention chicago’s a much better sports town and has better FOOD!!! chicago 3, new york 0. i think its clear who the victor goes to. now this can get really ugly really quick, almost as ugly as the 200million dollar payroll the yankees have and UR 2006 NEW YORK KNICKS!!! ouch sorry for that. cheers!!!!! GO WHITE SOX!!!

Jim 18 Apr 06

John Hancock Center (BIG JOHN) - GREAT!
Aon Building - OK.
Sears Tower - GREAT!
Trump Tower Chicago - Beautiful!
Fordham Spire - Interesting + Great!

Freedom Tower - A LET DOWN.

The Twin Towers were the best symbol NYC had.
Miss the Twin Towers as much as New Yorkers.
New York deserves BETTER!

WTC was better before they blocked the view of them with World Financial Towers.
The view from across the Hudson was spectacular in 1973.

Rodolfo Rodas Emmanuel 20 Apr 06

Was Up
The Chitown is the Modern city of the 21st Century. I just call it the “World’s Best American City” so if you have time come by my hood in chicago, maybe if you’re a rapper you can write some lyirics while sitting in my porche.

Paul 20 Apr 06

Lets get 1 thing strait.
Those no minds in the club that decides what the Worlds Tallest is. There should only be 2 numbers. Simple - Easy!
1 - Height to roof of highest occupied floor.
2 - ANYTHING ELSE THATS ABOVE THAT!
SIMPLE - YOU SKYSCRAPER BUILDING YAHOOS.
Who is to say Sears Towers antennas aren’t spires?
They are just functional Spires.
They look as part of that building as any other topper.
That blob on a canvas is considered art.
If there is a cone shape on top of a skyscraper and inside is not quote “FLOOR SPACE” it counts as antenna / spire.
So the giant Sears Tower is 1,450 and 1,700!
So ST beats Petronas and Taipei 101.

JRJ 21 Apr 06

This building is amazing. I have always thought it is BS that the Petronas Towers beat out the Sears tower because it has “spires” not antennas. The Fordham is Chicagos way of saying,”You want to get technical with spires? We’ll show you a (bleep)ing spire.” As for the Freedom Tower, NYC and our nation as a whole deserves better. The current design doesnt match what it is supposed to represent.

Mike 21 May 06

First of all, those who criticize this building definately don’t know a great inovative design when they see one. This is probably the best architectural advancement the city of Chicago has seen in the last 20 years. The only thing I would improve to this building is making the building itself 100 to 200 feet taller, which would truly lure more attention to the already beautiful Chicago sky line. With this development the city is really making an awesome upgrade for 21st century architecture. Once the Fordham spire is completed, many will be proud of this futuristic landmark, I know that I will. Not only will this be great for the city of Chicago, but it also will be an exciting time for the U.S.

Mike 21 May 06

First of all, those who criticize this building definately don’t know a great inovative design when they see one. This is probably the best architectural advancement the city of Chicago has seen in the last 20 years. The only thing I would improve to this building is making the building itself 100 to 200 feet taller, which would truly lure more attention to the already beautiful Chicago sky line. With this development the city is really making an awesome upgrade for 21st century architecture. Once the Fordham spire is completed, many will be proud of this futuristic landmark, I know that I will. Not only will this be great for the city of Chicago, but it also will be an exciting time for the U.S.

Mike 21 May 06

First of all, those who criticize this building definately don’t know a great inovative design when they see one. This is probably the best architectural advancement the city of Chicago has seen in the last 20 years. The only thing I would improve to this building is making the building itself 100 to 200 feet taller, which would truly lure more attention to the already beautiful Chicago sky line. With this development the city is really making an awesome upgrade for 21st century architecture. Once the Fordham spire is completed, many will be proud of this futuristic landmark, I know that I will. Not only will this be great for the city of Chicago, but it also will be an exciting time for the U.S.

Mike 21 May 06

Sorry, I accidentely posted my my paragraph two times too many,I really wanted to post it once. Unfortunately,I was having a computer problem. If any thing the paragraphs repeating each other makesmy views even more effective. You probably get the idea already. The Fordham Spire rocks!!!

Mike 21 May 06

Sorry, I accidentely posted my my paragraph two times too many,I really wanted to post it once. Unfortunately,I was having a computer problem. If any thing the paragraphs repeating each other makesmy views even more effective. You probably get the idea already. The Fordham Spire rocks!!!

Mike 21 May 06

Sorry, I accidentely posted my my paragraph two times too many,I really wanted to post it once. Unfortunately,I was having a computer problem. If any thing the paragraphs repeating each other makesmy views even more effective. You probably get the idea already. The Fordham Spire rocks!!!

Mike 21 May 06

Sorry, I accidentely posted my my paragraph two times too many,I really wanted to post it once. Unfortunately,I was having a computer problem. If any thing the paragraphs repeating each other makes my views even more effective. You probably get the idea already. The Fordham Spire rocks!!!

Mike 21 May 06

Sorry, I accidentely posted my my paragraph two times too many,I really wanted to post it once. Unfortunately,I was having a computer problem. If any thing the paragraphs repeating each other makes my views even more effective. You probably get the idea already. The Fordham Spire rocks!!!

Mike 21 May 06

OOPPS!!!

Carlos 24 May 06

Is this really going to be built? Anybody know the groundbreaking date? Did they reach their sales goal? I used to live in Chicago but now live in Minnesota. I now appreciate Chicago and it’s architecture in a way I never have before. To build this tower would be another crowning acheivement in Chicago architecture. I’m really not a a big fan of New York as I think Chicago is a much better city in every way possible except for the attention it (New York) gets. And obviously the architecture between Chicago and New York City is an interesting one, but one where I would rate Chicago as better. And despite the Freedom Tower being built, the Fordham Spire would end the debate on which city has the best architecture—Chicago.

DJ 30 May 06

Im in love with this tower. A thing of beauty. Here’s a quick update: Two weeks ago, they started reservations for their VIP list. So far they have 92 out of roughly 300 units reserved. Units are reportedly going for $1,200 per sqft (Not much for NYC but record setting for Chicago). They stopped reservations as of now and should start again within the next month. This is a very good number considering they havent started the public reservations. This may already be known but the roof height is 1,600ft with the spire reaching 2,000ft. A french hotel operator (Crillion, I think) has supposedly signed on to take the first 20-30 floors. There were rumors of a restaurant near the top. The floorplans are being finished up by interior designers DeStafano+Co. He (Carley, the developer) said he would release financing details in the coming months. Theres more Im forgetting but theres something for you guys, for now. There are bound to be a couple hiccups with this project. Nothing of this scale goes through with a couple problems so expect a couple. Considering all things, with this project having been announced only 11 months ago, this is MAJOR progress. I would take it seriously. Financing will make or break this but its looking up from here. Later.

DJ 30 May 06

Oh yeah, Carley says he wants to break ground later this year. Prob 4th quarter. I personally dont see it hapening until Spring ‘07. I also think there will be limited retail…I think. The developer is in talks to have it lit at night. The alderman of the ward is concerned that it would attract terrorists. Flawed logic. If they wait until the daytime, you cant miss a 2,000ft building. Nighttime illumination shouldnt be a concern. This project coupled with Trump (U/C 1,362ft inc. spire), Waterview (U/C 1,050ft), Mandarin Oriental (proposed 930ft) and several other high profile projects, the Chicago skyline should be a sight to see come 2010.

RAVI 01 Jun 06

Whatever you all may say, its a geometry worth decoding. I failed. Can anyone explain the floor plans and how the same are twisted! Ravi

Jacquez M. 01 Jun 06

I think this Fordham Spire which they shoulda named da “Dreamsickle Skyscraper” will put Chicago back on the map. My father works for the company which plans to build it and says that condos inside this building would rangr from $600,000 to $5,000,000 easily. And people in New York want to compete with Chicago…With this building we would easily knock they butt off the map..ha ha ha Viva Chicago baby..n go White Sox!!!

Dalton 01 Jun 06

My name is now on the interested list to receive a unit as they release. I travel often to NY, London, Miami, LA but I call Chicago home… THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD! The only down fall to Chicago is the cold weather but my condo in Miami allows me to escape that :o)
Chi-town; not as crowded as NY, not as pricey as LA, but still has everything and more that any city could offer� and don�t even get me started on our food!

Martin 08 Jun 06

^ Dude, when people think of American Cities they definitely think of New York before Chicago.

Dalton 11 Jun 06

Good point martin� not sure when I said the opposite though??

I was merely voicing my opinion between the two cities� I hope that�s ok? At no point did I state that the world recalls Chicago over NYC.

NYC is a great city, a great place for one to visit, go to school, tour and possibly do an intern. However, I myself would never want to live there full time; it�s far too crowded, congested and astronomically priced. I believe Chicago to be a heavenly alternative; giving you virtually all the good without a �surplus� of the bad. And with the Fordham Spire adds even more of the good!

Chi-town already has the greatest skyline in the nation and second in the world only to Hong Kong, China! With all the new projects currently under construction we just might reclaim the #1 spot by 2011.

Mine Boobi 24 Jun 06

Dalton, when you say “do an intern”, surely you are referring to Washington, D.C.

Anonymous Coward 24 Jul 06

ok

Hopkins 25 Jul 06

Yea I live in Seattle and have been to New York and Chicago on several occasions…Chicago just has a magical feel to it, New York has a souless feel to it. Chicago better food, less people, better architecture, better sports(anyone ever heard of MJ?), somewhat affordable for a major city, also considered one of the top 10 international and influential cities in the world. LA, LVG, NYC are nice towns but souless, Chicago has soul…not really sure what that means, just how i feel…Fordham Spire will probably never get built which is very sad but im sure some other developer will plan something bigger and better……..and go SEAHAWKS!!!!

psychosymatic 27 Jul 06

hey i work on some of these buildings downtown doing construction layout so i get a little inside scoop on what is being planned etc. well just a little info the top of any structure in the U.S. can’t exceed 2000 feet (FAA regulations) but bigger is sometimes better but this building along with the others under construction and being planned will surely leap-frog chicago in front of any U.S. city
………and go CUBS although they do suck this year.

Danny 03 Sep 06

First of all for Martin^ people first think of New York before Chicago when it comes to american cities because they feel sorry for the 9/11 attack. Dalton you’re wrong about that #1 spot in 2011, because in Dubai, United Arab Emirates they are gonna build a building 800 meters tall. I think the Fordham Spire is awesome anyway. Chicago invented the skyscraper and it’s the best city to put the Fordham Spire in, it would be like a candle in the city. New York can never beat Chicago in something they invented. It has a better look than the Freedom Tower, and is going to be taller. I wouldn’t be suprised that Calatrava designs a building here in Chicago taller than the Burj Dubai before finishing the Fordham Spire, because Chicago always looks for the best of the best, just like they did when the WTC and Sears Tower where under construction. Chicago had the tallest building from 1973 to 1996 and now I think it’s gonna be a future plan from Calatrava. For all you new yorkers don’t even dream of a building like this in New York because you’re never gonna see nothing like this, only if you come to Chicago. Chicago is the best city to live in, it’s like a country on it’s own . We don’t need nothing from any other state, we depend on ourselves. Chicago is the best place to live than any other city. Miami: too many hurracanes. Los Angeles: too expen$ive. NYC: too crowded. Chicago: HEAVEN!!

Tom 18 Sep 06

I have a partial view of where I think the Fordham Spire will be build. Can anyone tell me whether it is the vacant lot on the East or West of LSD? If it’s on the West side, there is something going on there today involving a stream of water that looks like it’s coming from a fire hose. I’ll have to walk down and check it out.