Willis Tower turns 50: 'It's the most Chicago thing you can think of'

Mike Lowe has more on the anniversary of a Chicago icon here: tinyurl.com/4yf44bvf

[@paulrubio3918]

First of all, this building will always be the Sears Tower for me. The name "Willis" just doesn't sound majestic enough. The Sears Tower is truly a defining icon in the Chicago skyline, especially when I'm coming back from a trip and I see it rise up above the city of Chicago. Happy Birthday Sears Tower! Congratulations on 50 years! This report was a great way to celebrate.

[@travisc8403]

50 years as the Sears Tower..nice

[@boogitybear2283]

I refuse to call it Willis. Willis was a character on Diff’rent Strokes!😂

[@mvp1116]

*Sears Tower

[@turboredcart]

SEARS!

[@maureencora1]

It's Always Be the Sears Tower For Me, Can I Get a Witness? (smile)

[@lilflashplays]

Same for me

[@doodledangernoodle2517]

Such a shame the Twin Towers couldn’t have celebrated their 50th birthday alongside the Sears Tower this year as well

[@dvferyance]

They would have had theirs in 2020 since they were built in 1970.

[@ArielSaturn]

As for today, they would have become 51 now (during their opening), Rest in peace to those people who was involved in that tragic event. At least One World Trade Center will turn 10 in 2024.

[@dvferyance]

@@ArielSaturn It turned 10 this year.

[@joseollero3788]

​@@ArielSaturnpor culpa de George w bush ya no están las torres gemelas

[@joseollero3788]

​@@dvferyancepor culpa de George w bush ya no están las torres gemelas

[@jasontomica8938]

Forget the willis tower, thank u sears tower!!!!

[@vauxican]

Hush

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

As a man born and raised in The Bronx since 1981, I feel it an honor to know that for the first 19 full years of my life, I grew up in a world where the Sears Tower coexisted with my Twin Towers! Oh, and just to show you that building engineers can have a sense of humor manifest into a permanent design.... The men who came up with the final exterior design of the Sears Tower were said to be inspired by the grouping of cigarettes as they were being pulled out of its carton. Picture a couple of cigarettes coming out its packaging, then look at the outer design... see it?😂❤

[@boogitybear2283]

I thought that was such a neat idea by using Cigarettes! I’m still sad the Twins are gone. Something about those 70s Skyscrapers were in a League of their Own!😊

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

@@boogitybear2283 Indeed! And you'll never believe this. Minoru Yamasaki, the man who designed the original Twin Towers, had the foresight to incorporate a similar design for an office building that's still standing! Look up The BOK Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's roughly half the size of the Towers. Same exterior slit windows design. Even similar lobby designs with warm light marble like the old WTC. It has stood for roughly 50+ years. A single reminder of the 70's esthetic that keeps the old World Trade Center alive.

[@joseollero3788]

​@@boogitybear2283Ojalá hagan las torres gemelas otra vez

[@KaraMiaSantaLucia]

I’ll never forget calling my Mother on 9/11 while she was working on the 66th floor of the Sears Tower. I told her to get the hell out of it, I’ll also never forget admiring the Twin Towers overlooking the bay in NJ in the late 90s. I’ve seen them as a teen, I’ve seen them fall (on tv), I’ve visited Ground Zero and visited the Memorial Tower. ❤️ NYC

[@KaraMiaSantaLucia]

@@joseollero3788there is a Memorial Tower, new station and memorial fountain/falls that is etched all names who perished where the Twin Towers once stood.

[@murphycreationsvideos]

One of my favorite skyscrapers of all time, I love it's black glass aesthetics.

[@boogitybear2283]

The most iconic building in America! I hope it stays around as long as the Earth exists!!

[@joseollero3788]

Seguro que si hay que cuidar todos los edificios de la nación eeuu

[@coreyrowe4119]

The Sears Tower is 50, there's no such thing as the Willis Tower!

[@EternalEyeofRa]

The most Chicago thing I can think of to celebrate this iconic building is to always call it what made it iconic in the first place, The Sears Tower.

[@craigs1437]

A scene from the movie "Ferris Buellers Day Off" was filmed in this building via Observation Deck, back in 1985.

[@BM-yi7up]

Never. Always the Sears Tower. 🎉

[@The_best_days_are_yesterdays]

It's Sears Tower then, it's the Sears Tower now, it's the Sears Tower forevermore. 🎂 Happy 50th!

[@turboredcart]

My first apartment had a view of it. I watched the lights come on at night- and go off

[@ntatenarin]

Happy birthday, Sears Tower! We love you!

[@scottkane3776]

Sears thought it was older than that

[@JoseMartinez-df2db]

That building looks just like the Sears Tower! How is that possible?

[@lilflashplays]

Cuz it is lol 😂😂😂😂😂

[@lilflashplays]

@Commando_VR I know it’s the joke can you read?

[@lilflashplays]

@Commando_VR mk then you would know I was going wit the joke, clearly I had the laughing emoji

[@ernestconnell8087]

What you talking about Willis

[@chrispnw2547]

Before the Willis (Sears) Tower, the John Hancock building was 'the' Chicago landmark. The new owners of the building have to be given credit for the upgrades and repositioning of the property for a broader audience. The tower is Chicago's Empire State building and a deserving landmark. 401 N Wabash Ave. will be seen in the same light in the future AFTER some small changes are made to the exterior to remove some last-minute ill conceived modifications.

[@ChristopherTrott]

Sears Tower

[@Chosen1Crown]

Time to build a taller skyscraper

[@KSoloLoso]

Ahhh the sears tower 😊 happy birthday

[@pearlguy6351]

Wow I didn’t know it’s was built while World Trade Center was being built at same time 😢

[@joseollero3788]

La torre Sears se terminó después que el anterior WTC

[@AnixCo1990]

Originally the Sears Tower was supposed to be around 5.5-6 million square feet. Unfortunately the faa put a limit on its height, 1,450 ft so that meant scaling back the square footage to only 4.5 million square feet.

[@wll1500]

They could have achieved that footage if they had designed the building without setbacks, but certain tenants wanted smaller rentable floors

[@AnixCo1990]

@@wll1500 I’m aware that they made the upper floors smaller in order to attract more tenants. They still could’ve kept the same design just make the base a bit bigger. And add more floors, the Sears Tower could’ve been around 250-260ft at its base. And around 2000ft high at its roof line, currently has a 225x225ft base.

[@Itravelbackintime]

Sears Tower has the highest roof in America that even would look down at the newer 1 WTC in NYC.

[@PauloSergioMDC]

Sears Tower. Sears Tower turns 50; it's the most Chicago thing ever.

[@joewojtecki9991]

Da Sears

[@raydemos1181]

What does Willis stand for, is that Gary Colemans brother on the tv series Different Strokes,,,,,,,,,what you talking about Willis

[@davidstout6051]

I would have thought any number of things would be the most Chicago thing one could think of- Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, Art Institute, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, State Street, the “L” , Holy Name, the Loop, etc.

[@jamescook4116]

To a national or international audience, the Chicago Skyline defines the city. The Sears Tower is still the crown jewel of that skyline. Simple as that.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

Sears Tower: “I was Sears Tower born. I was Sears Tower bred. When I die I’ll be Sears Tower dead!”

[@BaseballPlayer0]

who's the blonde girl who jumped @ the end there in the glss ledge

[@calvinrivera5463]

what's with the shorter stubbier antenna?

[@calvinnickel9995]

Sears Tower.

[@vauxican]

Hush

[@margaretneanover3385]

Jusr wondering the timeline set off the true said time.

[@jonmckenzie8952]

Sears& Roebuck closed in Maryland 😮! Does the average citizen know why?😢(appliances and clothes).

[@joseollero3788]

Como mola

[@cocoaorange1]

I that it had free admission back in the day, I was 5 then.

[@cocoaorange1]

I meant think.

[@joseollero3788]

Hay que cuidar la torre Sears de Chicago

[@j.louisrodriguez2025]

As a chicagoan now living in texas it will always be the sears tower stop the bs.

[@joseollero3788]

Cuidemos del edificio

[@tropicalblum]

SEARS Tower!

[@lawrencemoore3863]

If you say Willis Tower,("What you talking about Willis" ), it is the least Chicago thing you can say,if you say the Sears Tower it's the most Chicago thing you can say

[@juangarcia-gv2jy]

I like the name Sears Tower better.

[@sarahvictoria2009]

I still say Sears Towers...

[@vauxican]

I don’t care

[@jonmckenzie8952]

😢, the Twin towers in (New York was changed $!)…$! Where does business get done? I need an office (@ Royal Farms).

[@eprofessio]

I’m going to buy the naming right to that tower. I’m going to name in honor of Chicago the absurd name left below.

[@turboredcart]

Too bad it isnt large enough to house all of the migrants. Tho WGN studios could house 40 of them. and it is SEARS TOWER

[@emeraldkimble7602]

The World Trade Center was tallest for twenty eight r years more

[@Mrd9960]

No it wasn't, The Sears Tower was always the tallest in the world, not the Twin Towers.

[@joseollero3788]

​@@Mrd9960la torre Sears dejo de ser la más alta del mundo en 1996

[@Mrd9960]

@@joseollero3788 Sorry Jose, I don't understand Spanish, can you type english please? Thanks

[@latenightlogic]

Stop calling it by its official name. Nobody in the real world does.

[@redmanr5522]

I say we rename it, the Steve Wilkos tower! in honor of Chicago native, and at one time, a police officer. Sears, Willis, forget that! Big tall and proud!

[@autobahnfrancisco236]

Estuve en la Sears Tower en Junio 2019, fui dos veces al observatorio, majestuosa e imponente. Me conozco la historia , también fui al AON Center como al John Hancock.. EEUU 🇺🇸 sigue siendo la capital del mundo y sus oficinas están en Nueva York y Chicago, saludos

[@joseollero3788]

Pero NY tiene más rascacielos que Chicago?

[@autobahnfrancisco236]

@@joseollero3788 NY tiene más

[@The_Quaalude]

The most Chicago thing i can think of is murder 😂

[@Ralphboy626]

Worlds tallest? I don’t think so.

[@luccaa7c790]

It was during 1974-1998 gap.

[@TheUzamaki1234]

I think murder capital actually

[@CGarrett]

That's New Orleans. Chicago is safe compared to there

[@TheUzamaki1234]

@@CGarrett I agree which is very unfortunate.

[@JoseMartinez-df2db]

So you’re one of the uneducated. 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@TheUzamaki1234]

@@CGarrett 20+ shot In Chicago for Juneteenth celebration. Just sad events playing out.

[@Jackyliu009]

No it's not the most Chicago thing 😂😂😂

[@jittcrazy1882]

Lmao too bad the company blows to work for

[@fpcooper95]

A beautiful tribute video, great job! ❤ 60655 🫶🏾

[@lewfrmovaeast071]

*Sears Tower