CHICAGO | General Developments

[TimeAgain]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

Just because the current owners decided to prostitute the name of the greatest skyscraper in north america for money does not mean i need to call it that. Just like i would never call the Hancock anything else either.

I never get this. Sears isn't the name of some rarefied artist, it's just the name of another money grubbing corporation. It's not any better, intrinsically, than Willis.

It's an office building. Naming it after a corporation that isn't even in it is silly. I maintain that the problem people have with calling it Willis Tower is that the name is just plain terrible. If it were called United Tower or something cool, people would have no problem switching. Willis just sounds bad.

[Via Chicago]

i think chicago is kinda unique in that it created so many iconic buildings and sports stadiums tied to original tenants and its hard to change habits that have been around for 60+ years.

and yea, whether people admit it or not, the way a name rolls off the tongue or the image it conqurers in ones mind eye is probably more important than the name itself. "united center"...it just happens to work. theres no universe where Guaranteed Rate Field is ever going to roll of the tongue.

[J_M_Tungsten]

Not the best shot, but the Hawks training facility, and UC expansion.

[LouisVanDerWright]

The Centrum project in Wicker is a three phase project that will include a pedestrian link from Milwaukee to Division through the little plaza on Milwaukee. The name is Wicker Park Connection. Another very tall TOD was also proposed in the parking lot behind the newish building next to the CVS as well.

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

i think chicago is kinda unique in that it created so many iconic buildings and sports stadiums tied to original tenants and its hard to change habits that have been around for 60+ years.

and yea, whether people admit it or not, the way a name rolls off the tongue or the image it conqurers in ones mind eye is probably more important than the name itself. "united center"...it just happens to work. theres no universe where Guaranteed Rate Field is ever going to roll of the tongue.

United Tower would be much better and appropriate. Willis is just a lame word.

[XIII]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

United Tower would be much better and appropriate. Willis is just a lame word.

Willis is a direct competitor to Aon.

I'd always assumed that buying naming rights to the one building taller than the Aon Center in Aon's hometown was a way to tweak Aon management.

[Chi-Sky21]

Originally Posted by TimeAgain

I never get this. Sears isn't the name of some rarefied artist, it's just the name of another money grubbing corporation. It's not any better, intrinsically, than Willis.

It's an office building. Naming it after a corporation that isn't even in it is silly. I maintain that the problem people have with calling it Willis Tower is that the name is just plain terrible. If it were called United Tower or something cool, people would have no problem switching. Willis just sounds bad.

Sears is the name of the company (money grubbing or not) that built it. They were the ones with the vision for it and put it all together for the worlds tallest. THAT deserves the credit of the name. In fact i am no expert but what other Iconic building of the stature of world tallest has changed it name? You think they would change the name of the Empire State building? Chrysler building? Rockefeller Center?

[TimeAgain]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

Sears is the name of the company (money grubbing or not) that built it. They were the ones with the vision for it and put it all together for the worlds tallest. THAT deserves the credit of the name. In fact i am no expert but what other Iconic building of the stature of world tallest has changed it name? You think they would change the name of the Empire State building? Chrysler building? Rockefeller Center?

None of those are named after companies. The Chrysler building is named after Walter P Chrysler and the Chrysler company never owned it and wasn't involved in the construction. It was designed by Walter P Chrysler for his children.

[Mr Downtown]

PanAm ---> MetLife.

AT&T ---> Sony ---> 550 Madison.

Is-tan-bul was Constantinople . . .

[Chi-Sky21]

Originally Posted by TimeAgain

None of those are named after companies. The Chrysler building is named after Walter P Chrysler and the Chrysler company never owned it and wasn't involved in the construction. It was designed by Walter P Chrysler for his children.

I know that. Still does not matter to me. Always will call it Sears. They should "namemark" it so they could not change the name!

[Justin_Chicago]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

The Centrum project in Wicker is a three phase project that will include a pedestrian link from Milwaukee to Division through the little plaza on Milwaukee. The name is Wicker Park Connection. Another very tall TOD was also proposed in the parking lot behind the newish building next to the CVS as well.

When do you think the condo/townhome portion will start?

[Chi-Sky21]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

PanAm ---> MetLife.

AT&T ---> Sony ---> 550 Madison.

Is-tan-bul was Constantinople . . .

ok ok ok ....Barring any civilization changing hagia sophia / blue mosque type of changes......

[JK47]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

United Tower would be much better and appropriate. Willis is just a lame word.

The Standard Oil Building sounds much better than the Aon Center and yet few people use the former.

[ChickeNES]

Originally Posted by TimeAgain

I never get this. Sears isn't the name of some rarefied artist, it's just the name of another money grubbing corporation. It's not any better, intrinsically, than Willis.

It's an office building. Naming it after a corporation that isn't even in it is silly. I maintain that the problem people have with calling it Willis Tower is that the name is just plain terrible. If it were called United Tower or something cool, people would have no problem switching. Willis just sounds bad.

I just like to pretend that the full name of the building is Wesley Willis Memorial Tower.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by danielschell

We keep mentioning "phase" but this is a new development, not a phase of Centrum Wicker Park next door. Same developer and architect (Centrum/Hirsch) but separate projects. Sorry to be that guy; I'll take the rest of the day off.

Actually, it is the same project.
The 1664 Div building (hereafter referred to as phase 1) was rolled into the PD at the request of the DPD.

Because the underground parking for phase 2 (the tower) is accessed through the underground parking for phase 1, Patsy Scudiero wanted it on the same zoning lot.

[Kumdogmillionaire]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Is there a list somewhere of objects whose names cannot be changed, even by their owners? Do you usually enter Sears Tower through the Market Street entrance, or walk over from the Ravenswood Line?

It seems like an odd attitude to take on a forum that otherwise exhibits an Asperger's-level obsession over changes to marketing names—or a six-inch change in height figure—for new buildings.

That's a really inappropriate comparison Mr. Downtown. In the future don't be so distasteful and ableist

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

ok ok ok ....Barring any civilization changing hagia sophia / blue mosque type of changes......

The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia are two different mosques. The Turkish name of the Blue Mosque is Sultan Ahmet Camii.

This is the inside of the Blue Mosque:

Blue Mosque interior
by me

This is the interior of the Hagia Sophia:

Hagia Sophia interior
by me

[Freefall]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

In fact i am no expert but what other Iconic building of the stature of world tallest has changed it name?

All 3 of the tallest buildings in Chicago have gone through a name change. Aon center used to be called Standard Oil Building and then Amoco Building. And President Trump Tower used to just be called Trump Tower.

I know the John Hancock was considering a name change at one point. Not sure of the status of that.

[TSSTaylor]

I'm MOST fascinated by the fact that so many Chicagoans insist on this exact phrasing....."It will always be the Sears Tower to me" (Said in Da Bears style accent)

[Kumdogmillionaire]

Originally Posted by Freefall

All 3 of the tallest buildings in Chicago have gone through a name change. Aon center used to be called Standard Oil Building and then Amoco Building. And President Trump Tower used to just be called Trump Tower.

I know the John Hancock was considering a name change at one point. Not sure of the status of that.

But Trump tower still has the same name... So 2 of the major 4 have no had name changes. No one calls it President Trump Tower, unless I'm missing some poorly veiled sarcasm

[Busy Bee]

^That name will come down too. Just give a year or two...