Battle for the Tallest Building in the USA

For most of the last century the fight to have the tallest building in the USA has raged between New York and Chicago.  And, the fight continues.

At the moment the distinction belongs to Chicago’s Willis Tower, which is 1,450 feet high. 

But that is soon to be eclipsed by the 1,776-foot One World Trade Center in New York that is now under construction.

Chicago had hoped to get it back with its plans for Chicago Spire, a 2,000-foot tower designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava slated to overlook Lake Michigan. But financial problems have stalled construction since 2008 on the proposed luxury residential building.

Most recently, Anglo Irish Bank Corp. moved to foreclose on a defaulted mortgage valued at about $77 million including interest and other unpaid charges held by the developer, Shelbourne Development, according to a recent filing in Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill. Lorig Construction Co. of Des Plaines, Ill. earlier filed suit seeking about $512,386 for what it alleged was unpaid work on the project.

So another victim of the GFC is another tall building in the USA ... what a shame.


Francesco ...