Chicago has a great architectural history. Frank Llyod wright worked in and around Chicago, Meis van Derrow (sp?) applied his geometry here, Louis Sullivan did much of his work on early stone skyscrapers here, the iron and glass skyscaper was popularized here. Still, the pinnacle, literally and figuratively, of the Chicago architecture scene remains the Sears Tower.

The Sears Tower rests on the western end of downtown Chicago. Completed in 1973 after three years of construction, the Tower cost in excess of $150 million to build. At the time of its completion the Tower was the tallest in the world at 1,454 feet (443 meters) above the ground¹. Twin radio towers rise above the building for a total height of 1,707 feet (520 meters).

Visiting the Sears Tower

The Tower is a popular toursit destination, receiving about 1.5 million toursits per year to its top floor skydeck. Prior to arriving at the skydeck, while in the queue for the elevator, visitors travel through a gallery of photographs, movies and other artwork about Chicago and the Sears Tower. Despite the clever design for waiting in line, the real destination for tourists remains the Skydeck. 1,353 feet (412 meters) above the ground, the Skydeck offers a panoramic view of the Chicagoland area. To the east lies Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago. The southern view shows the South Loop area, Soldier Field (home to the Chicago Bears of the National Football League) and the south city. The western view shows the spread of the city as well as spectacular views of sunset on the city. The north view shows the Chicago River, the Northern Skyline, in the distance is Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. On a clear day four states can be seen².

The Skydeck fees are $6.75 for adult admission, $4 for children, and $4.75 for seniors over 65. The Skydeck is open daily from 9am to 10pm, October through February; 9am-11pm, March through September.

Working in the Sears Tower

The Tower holds 4.5 million square feet (418,064 square meters) of floor space. This makes the Sears Tower the second largest building in the world by volume³. The building was developed to hold more than 12,000 occupants. The Tower contains offices and retail space, with a food court, of course. There are no residential units in the Sears Tower. The tallest residential building in Chicago is the Hancock Building.

Maintainence

For a building that weighs 222,500 tons (201,849,000 kg) the building has run smoothly since its opening. The Tower is faced with around 16,100 bronze tinted windows. These are cleaned by 6 roof-mounted robotic window washing machines. Exterior maintenence on the building is very difficult due to the unpredictable nature of the winds from Lake Michigan. The robotic machines have regular maintence and safety checks to be sure that they will remain securely attached to the Tower. The glass window panes are also regularly checked for stability. Harsh winters and high winds have caused several windows to be replaced.

Inside the Tower runs 2,000 miles (3,220 km) of electrical cable and 43,000 miles (69,200 km) of telephone cable. Individual upgrades for many units have left surveyors a little uncertain as to exactly how much additional technical support the bulding has received (fiber optic support, coaxial cables, etc). While individual tenants know the current capabilities of their individual facilities, how the units have changed over time is not well recorded.

Traveling within the building is interesting. There are different styles of elevators depending upon the height to which they need to travel⁴. The elevators traveling to the skydeck and upper levels can travel as fast as 1,600 feet (488 meters) per minute. This top speed ranks as some of the fastest elevators in the world. At these speeds passengers travel from the ground floor to the Skydeck in less than one minute.

Tips on visiting the Sears Tower

Every season can afford great views if the sky is clear. Alternatively, if there are low flying clouds, the skydeck will be virtually enpty and the view of clouds beneath is amazing. Mid-winter, fall and early summer provide the best show. The city covered in new snow is outstanding from the Tower. The changing of the leaves can be seen in fall, or the new green leaves of early summer. Summer is the busiest season. Lines are long and form early in the day. Plan on arriving an hour before the skydeck opens to get an early trip up. Also in summer, kids are out of school and families visit downtown during the day. Waiting can get a little tense for families with children, food court notwithstanding. There is currentlt no time limit for a trip up to the Skydeck.

There are great views of the Sears Tower from areas around the city. The John Hancock Building on Michigan Ave. is the city's second tallest building. On the Hancock's top floor is a great restaruant and bar, with a nice view of the Sears Tower. From ground level the tower is best seen from the West and South. There are many new bars and restaurants in the city's revamped West Loop area with nice views.

Despite the touristy nature of the place, many Chicagoans visit the Tower. For the city, the Sears Tower is as significant as the Field Museum of Natural History or the Chicago Art Institute. Chicago's passion for architecture and city pride collide in the Sears Tower. Its popoularity is a testament to Chicago's spirit.