Gotcha - the Loop (and the few outer blocks N & W to the river) are sort of like what you'd get if you transposed Downtown Manhattan onto Midtown's grid. Very tightly packed.

One big exception though is S Wacker, the street on the other side of Willis from Wells - S Wacker is comparatively broad and feels more like Ave of the Americas (plus, you have a set-back plaza on this face).

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Then you've got the landscaped parcel lot on the Jackson side (originally a placeholder for a second smaller tower), and just across the street another landscaped plaza (which was also originally a placeholder for a second (and third!) tower). So a whole lotta open space on this side.

I see, now you’re speaking my language.;) In any case then it should have a pretty cool dense effect. What I do like about the whole idea though is the much apparent architectural contrast that these two structures have with one another. Something modern, yet a tad futuristic.

Darn - you got back into it before I finished editing my post! - I was going to say that a better comparison to the base at Jackson might be Chrysler from Lexington (which is Midtown, I know...but we're talking Chicago here...)

Yeah, it’s all about visualizing the placement I suppose. Eventually when I’m able to visit Chicago I’ll get a clearer idea; hopefully by then this project will have amounted to something. In the meantime I think I have a good visual by comparing it to what I know.

ha!
 

I think that the planned plazas enhance the architecture of the building they front (and others). This is becoming an unsettling trend - maybe next we can build in the plazas in front of Equitable and IBM.....Oh Please, make it so...crying out to all developers and architects...destroy the IBM plaza and build, build, build, and make it high, high, high. Surround its ugliness with futuristic Jetsons designed structures.

a beautiful tower - maybe too beautiful.

adrian smith did a good job with the challenges of the site. a must-build for chicago.

^ Agreed that this is a must-build.

Plus it's actually realistic, unlike the Spire, which I have a feeling is......a goner

The best thing that this project will do to the site and the immediate area is that it will bring vibrancy to an area that is very very dead late at night. This hotel coupled with the existing nearby W hotel, the Marriott in the rehabbed old building at Wells/Adams that will open next year and the new residential highrise at VanBuren/Franklin will make this southwest corner of the loop a happening place.

Also the Sears/Willis Tower block is arguably the best situated site in the entire city of Chicago when it comes to transportation. It is near almost every CTA line, many bus routes, it is roughly equidistant to all downtown Metra/South Shore stations, near Megabus and Greyhound stations and it is near the Circle Interchange, the nexus of Chicago's expressway system.

Is this still a proposal or is it cancelled

Sears II
 

[edit] looks like the plan is for a bigger lobby - not the uber cool tower.

Feb 2017 Update: http://skyrisecities.com/news/2017/0...c-willis-tower
March 2017 Update: http://skyrisecities.com/news/2017/0...lass-ledgewalk

Yea, demolition of existing Sky deck entrance/courtyard is underway

EDIT: Just saw your other post :P

Both of those ideas in the link are horrible.

L.A. just put that tacky glass slide in the u.s. bank tower. Keep that tacky crap in the tacky cities aka l.a. and vegas.

I like the first idea, not a huge fan of the second. I’d love if they’d go in more of a Wilshire Grand route. It’d be amazing if they put a rooftop bar towards the top of the building instead of adding more attractions to the observation deck.

What a way to respond to Hancock's Tilt. They aren't playing games lol

Ugh please don't do the repelling or stair attractions. Why are they trying so hard.

When I was in Chicago last summer, I went to both the SkyDeck and 360 Chicago. (Thank God for CityPass) And honestly, I found the Ledge at SkyDeck to be a thousand times better than Tilt. Maybe it's because when I arrived in Chicago I went straight for Willis and did Hancock on my last day, and I was in that "I'm in Chicago for real!" kind of mindset, but I thought Tilt was pretty lame. I did like that thing at Hancock where you stepped out and the wind blew at you, and the fact that there are smaller crowds, but Willis definitely doesn't need that staircase. It looks like crap. I don't know about the entrance, though. I used CityPass to get from the street to the top in 5 minutes, but I think waiting outside in the July heat would suck. I think Willis should be like Top of the Rock in NYC where its three stories and you can get the same views from all of them. That would ease the crowds a lot better.

You mean like the 2 entire floors at the John Hancock Tower that has a restaurant and lounge/bar? I know it's not outside, but...you can get a 360 degree view and the views are incredible from pretty much all angles. Tilt is an interesting idea, but you would have been better off just going up to the lounge area (also a better deal than the Observation Deck). In my opinion, the 96th floor lounge offers the best views from a super high up place in Chicago - I prefer it hugely to Willis Tower's views any single second of the year.

Agreed. Nothing like seeing the whole cities grid system at night via street light while drinking a $10 beer.

LOL - the place is not cheap, but in all honesty it's by far my favorite high altitude observation area in the city. Even if you have to pay $10 for a beer, it still beats what you pay for the observation deck or Tilt or the SkyDeck in both potential price and the views.

Its my go to when I host out of town guests. You can pay $30+ dollars for the skydeck, or for the same amount get about 3 brews each while getting just as good of a view at any of the obs decks.

Haha. As they say for the Signature Room....
Your not paying for the food, your paying for the view. And its worth every penny.

But the fact remains that Willis is clearly the tourist favorite, if only, perhaps, because it's taller. I was there July 31-August 4. The general admission line when I was there was up to an hour and a half, and was going outside of the building. I had the fast pass, and it really would've sucked if I had to wait in that line. This was on a Monday afternoon. When I went to John Hancock, it was a Friday morning at 10:30, and I had the CityPass and everything, and there was literally no line. I walked into the building and straight to the elevator. It was great. Willis is clearly more popular, and the observation deck should definitely expand into another floor because of it.

Yeah, it's totally more popular, but the Signature Room/Lounge has better views for a better price. Of course, the lines for that can be long too but not like the Willis Tower. I would never suggest it over the Signature Room/Lounge though. I do agree though, maybe another floor but next time you're in town, go to the Signature Lounge - get up and walk around and take in the views. Look at the pictures above - the view along the lakefront is amazing and it's at a more edge part of the downtown area's highrise/skyscraper density so you get a better view. With Tilt I think you only get one view - and looking out over the lake completely, or looking up north along the lakefront while you see the beaches and Lincoln Park, looking West even. Best time to go is when it's light out and get up there a little before sunset so you can see both light and dark.

The AON building is suppose to get an observation deck too! I wonder when it will be ready?

One Grant Park would be geat if it had one too.

As a member of the Metropolitan Club, we have spectacular views from the 67th floor of the Willis.