Chicago Spire Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Chicago Spire
Computer rendering of the building.
General information
Status	Never built
Classification	Residential
Location	400 N Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois
Groundbreaking	June 25, 2007
Estimated completion	2012 (est.)
Opening	2012 (est.)
Height
Roof	2,000 feet (609.6 m)
Technical details
Floor count	150
Floor area	3,000,000 square feet (278,709 sq. m)
Design and construction
Architect	Santiago Calatrava Perkins and Will
Developer	Shelbourne Development
Engineer	Thornton Tomasetti
Main contractor	Case Foundation

The Chicago Spire was planned to be a very tall skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. It was designed to be a residential building, meaning people would live there. However, due to money problems, the building was never finished.

What Was the Chicago Spire?
- Building Plans and Design
Why Was It Never Built?
- Attempts to Restart Construction
What's There Now?
- Future Plans for the Site
Images for kids
See also

What Was the Chicago Spire?

The Chicago Spire was meant to be one of the tallest buildings in the world. It was designed by a famous architect named Santiago Calatrava. The building would have had 150 floors and reached a height of 2,000 feet (about 610 meters).

Building Plans and Design

The design of the Chicago Spire was unique. It looked like a twisting tower, with each floor slightly rotated from the one below it. This would have given it a very modern and artistic look. The building was planned to have luxury apartments and amazing views of Lake Michigan and the city.

The groundbreaking ceremony, which is when construction officially begins, happened on June 25, 2007. The plan was for the building to be finished around 2012.

Why Was It Never Built?

Construction on the Chicago Spire started, but it stopped in 2008. This was because of a big financial crisis. The company building it, Shelbourne Development, ran into money problems. They could not get enough funding to continue building such a huge project.

Attempts to Restart Construction

For several years, there were hopes that the project might start again. In 2013, some companies showed interest in buying the land. The original developer also tried to get control of the property back. People hoped that the skyscraper could still be built.

However, in 2014, a court in Chicago made a final decision. The court ruled that the skyscraper would not be built. This officially ended the plans for the Chicago Spire.

What's There Now?

Today, the site where the Chicago Spire was supposed to stand is mostly an empty lot. There is a large hole in the ground from the early construction work.

Future Plans for the Site

There have been new ideas for what to build on this important piece of land. One idea is for another very tall building called the Gateway Tower. This proposed building would also be around 2,000 feet tall. It would be a condo building, similar to what the Spire was meant to be.

The site is still an important part of Chicago's future development.