July 27th, 2005
The Skyscraper Obsession
Today’s New York Times (registration required) had a good article on our desire to building higher and higher–even to dizzying heights.
Chicago is jumping on the skyscraper bandwagon again as well. NPR has the latest on this new structure, which will be situated on the lakefront near Chicago’s Navy Pier (new home of The TFM Show® in 2006). A critique by Chicago Tribune Architecture Critic Blair Kamin is included. (Real Audio or Windows Media Player required for NPR clips.)
One Response to “The Skyscraper Obsession”
Is it just me or……
Are we being terribly stupid about urban development?
Being from Chicago, I am acutely, even painfully aware of the recent spate of announcements surrounding this and other big buildings in our so-called Second City. Sure some of this is an attempt to alleviate an innate inferiority complex inherent to Chicago. We USED to have the busiest airport, tallest building and championship sport teams (of course not counting baseball) - but recently the city has been trying to recapture some of those lost bragging rights.
Trump (with the first winner of his “Apprentice” program) is building a monstrosity on the former site of the Chicago Sun Times. Originally planned to be the World’s Tallest Building (WTB), Trump’s building plans have been modified numerous times. Once can only hope the same will be true of the Fordham project.
The announced concept for the 2,000 ft Fordham spire, in my humble opinion, is a perfect example of “ego architecture” and completely inappropriate. It manages to totally ignore the site, the city and Chicago’s rich architectural tradition.
One of the true natural resources and gems of our city, Chicago’s lakefront is intended for all the people of Chicago - not just those who can afford a $5 million dollar condo. To build such an obvious “ego” building on a site that is physically and visually detached from the central business district (The “Loop”) is the (pardon the pun) height of hubris.
Montgomery Ward (the man who built the retail company that bore his name) invested much of his personal fortune to insure the lakefront was maintained as park and public areas. Burnham, another early “father” of modern Chicago, helped layout and design much of the present lakefront parks and waterfront. I’m sure if it is possible to return from the grave - Ward and Burnham will do so to stop this travesty.
Even our current Mayor Daley made a midnight raid on a choice piece of lakefront property (Meigs Field Airport) to create a bird sanctuary and expand the public lakefront area to the south.
According to the press release - “The Fordham Spire will have 200 to 250 condos ranging from $600,000 to $5 million on top of a 20-story hotel.” But Crain’s Chicago Business reports the Chicago condo market is a bit clogged and 24% of the luxury condo units built downtown in the last five years haven’t sold yet - that doesn’t include those slated to be brought on-line in the next three to five years (including Trump’s massive project).
So who needs it? Apparently, real estate developer Christopher Carley - the man behind the project - has an inferiority complex equal to Chicago. He evidently needs to prove his is bigger.
Finally - as far as the Tribune’s architecture critic - he is living proof of the old saw - “Those who can, do….those who can’t, become critics”
My 2¢
hero, July 29th, 2005 at 8:08 am
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