The construction cost about US$150 million,[18] equivalent to $860 million in 2021 dollars. In 1969, Sears, Roebuck & Co. was the largest retailer in the world, with about 350,000 employees. Competition beyond its traditional rivals such as Montgomery Ward arose from emerging retail giants including Kmart, Kohl's, and Walmart. Willis Tower, formerly (1973–2009) Sears Tower, skyscraper office building in Chicago, Illinois, located at 233 South Wacker Drive, that is one of the world’s tallest buildings. Willis Tower History Video. Sears executives decided to consolidate the thousands of employees in offices distributed throughout the Chicago area into one building on the western edge of Chicago's Loop. A second observation deck on the 99th floor serves as a backup. Planning begins, and a location on the Western edge of the Loop is chosen. Sears asked its outside counsel, Arnstein, Gluck, Weitzenfeld & Minow (now known as Arnstein & Lehr, LLP) to suggest a location. Guests can enjoy interactive and educational attractions that highlight the iconic building and celebrate Chicago’s sports, architecture, history, food, music and people. Take a look! In the 2015 film Jupiter Ascending, the tower is featured prominently as the place where Caine and Jupiter await a spaceship to lift them off the planet. The Chicago Franchise frequently features locations where the tower is visible in the distance. Skydeck is the highest observation deck in the United States. [40] In response to the perceived threat of an attack, the building's largest tenant at this time, Ernst & Young, moved to North Wacker Drive in early 2009. In 2009 the building was renamed Willis Tower after the Willis Group Holdings, the global insurance broker who calls the Tower its Midwest home. Prominently displayed on the exterior Jackson Blvd. [6], In 2015, the Blackstone Group purchased the tower for a reported $1.3 billion, the highest price ever paid for a U.S. property outside of New York City. The glass ledges in the Skydeck are on a raised platform 18 inches higher than the rest of the 103rd floor or 1,349 feet, six inches above the Wacker Drive entrance, 1,355 feet, six inches above the Franklin Street entrance and 1,367 feet above lower Wacker Drive/Lower Level 1. In the 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon, it is featured in a number of scenes. Follow. 5 talking about this. [85], In Sufjan Stevens' 2005 album Illinois, the tower is referenced in the track "Seer's Tower.". May 28, 2014 - Cracks develop in the protective coating on a glass sightseeing ledge. WCPX-TV 38 analog, 3630 kW, Ion Media Networks (Analog Broadcast discontinued as of June 12, 2009. Tours. ", eighth-tallest freestanding structure in the world, List of buildings with 100 floors or more, List of tallest buildings and structures in the world, List of tallest buildings in the United States, List of tallest freestanding structures in the world, List of tallest freestanding steel structures, "Blackstone Group Purchases Landmark Willis Tower in Chicago", "Five things you need to know about pioneering architect Fazlur Rahman Khan", "A Day with United Management: Elite Status, Mileage Devaluation, and Increasing Change Fees", "Morgan Stanley moving second office to Willis Tower", "Inflation Calculator – Find US Dollar's Value from 1913–2015", "A CASE STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT, RE-FINANCINGS AND SALE OF NORTH AMERICA'S TALLEST BUILDING", "A Look at the Finer Points of the Sears Tower Sale", "MetLife to Complete Sale of Chicago's Sears Tower", "Sears Tower bomb plot leader Narseal Batiste jailed", "Sears Tower to Lose Largest Tenant - The Chicago 77", David Roeder. 6 years ago | 5 views. After breaking ground in 1970, it took three years to complete the tower. Enter your dates to find available activities Check availability All categories. ), WPWR-TV 50 analog, 5000 kW (Analog Broadcast discontinued as of June 12, 2009. Largest Tenant. The Sears Tower was the first building to use this innovative design. Besides, the tower became a symbol of hard work and hope. Sears asked its outside counsel, Arnstein, Gluck, Weitzenfeld & Minow (now known as Arnstein & Lehr, LLP) to suggest a location. The Wacker Drive lobby reopened in July 2019 and features an art installation by renowned artist Jacob Hashimoto titled “In the Heart of this Infinite Particle of Galactic Dust, 2019”. After 18 years, Sears Roebuck and Company sold the tower and moved out of the building. A history of shared values. [60], Annually, since 2009, the Willis Tower has hosted SkyRise Chicago, the world's tallest indoor stair climb, as a charity event benefiting Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where participants can (legally) climb the Willis Tower's 103-story staircase. The building leans about 4 in (10 cm) to the west due to its slightly asymmetrical design, placing unequal loads on its foundation. [8][needs update]. [29], As the maturation of the mortgage approached, Sears renegotiated the loan in 1994. 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