Sears Tower Now Willis Tower - So What?
Thursday July 16, 2009
I do not get all the hand-wringing about the Sears Tower officially changing its name today to the Willis Tower. Sears moved its offices out of Chicago and essentially blew off our city for the suburbs years ago. What do we care if its name is pulled off the tower? It's not like they took the building with them. Really, I don't think there's anything more to see here except maybe the new ledge. Move along, folks.
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© Jennifer Roche The Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower, elevator buttons will likely stay the same despite the "radical" building name change.
Comments
The most common argument is that what other cities change the name of their iconic skyscrapers? After all, Chrysler moved out of the Chrysler Building in NYC in the ’50s.
Who associates the “Sears” in Sears Tower with Sears, Roebuck & Co any more? They don’t. People know the building as Sears Tower because that is the historic moniker by which it was commissioned. The name is still ever present in thousands of postcards, newspaper articles, journals, books, TV programs, even signage from the past 35 years. Willis also sought $3.5 million TIF subsidy from Chicago. What could that money have been better used for? Sorry, but this “Sears left Chicago” argument is so trite, it’s obviously just a fallback for those who “don’t get it.”
Ah, the “you don’t get it” argument. The salvation of those who can’t believe someone would not see the world as they do. But, in fact, Randall, you and I see it the exact same way. The city is on the make. Follow the money indeed as you have. Why are you so surprised when the city’s true underbelly is revealed? You “get it,” but yet you are surprised by it? I grant you that part I don’t get. I’m much more bothered by the physical demolition or massive alterations to landmarks, like the debacle that Soldier Spaceship is, than I am about name changes.
I’m a sucker for nostalgia. I hate the loss of the Sears moniker.
Actually, I am not surprised. Scandals and corruption are what define this state. I mean Willis Group Holdings is now the subject of a class action lawsuit, so they’re already continuing our proud tradition since moving into the namesake tower. As far as the “don’t get it” remark, I was merely quoting the very first words in this article. No accusations made. No need to be defensive.