Willis Tower View # 3 - Chicago
by Allen Beatty
Title
Willis Tower View # 3 - Chicago
Artist
Allen Beatty
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
The Willis Tower observation deck, called the Skydeck, opened on June 22, 1974. Located on the 103rd floor of the tower, it is 1,353 feet high, it is the highest observation deck in the United States and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Chicago. Tourists can experience how the building sways on a windy day. They can see far over the plains of Illinois and across Lake Michigan to Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin on a clear day. Elevators take tourists to the top in about 60 seconds, and allow tourists to feel the pressure change as they rise up. The Skydeck competes with the John Hancock Center's observation floor a mile and a half away, which is 323 feet lower. Some 1.7 million tourists visit the Skydeck annually. A second Skydeck on the 99th floor is also used if the 103rd floor is closed. The tourist entrance can be found on the south side of the building along Jackson Boulevard.
In January 2009, Willis Tower's owners began a major renovation of the Skydeck, including the installation of retractable glass balconies, which can be extended approximately 4 feet from the facade of the 103rd floor, overlooking South Wacker Drive. The all-glass boxes, informally dubbed "The Ledge", allow visitors to look through the glass floor to the street 1,353 feet below. The boxes, which can bear 5 short tons of weight, opened to the public on July 2, 2009.
I must admit I got dizzy and light-headed when I stepped onto the ledge.
This expansive view of the skyline takes in downtown Chicago with Lake Michigan in the background.
Uploaded
September 13th, 2018
Embed
Share
