On this date in 1971, the Sears Tower opened, the tallest building in the world. more ›

The Willis Tower Skydeck is hosting a Valentine's Day Breakfast on "The Ledge," the thrilling (or scary) glass skyboxes installed in 2009. more ›

Notre Dame researchers want to turn your house into a power plant. Their vision for producing electricity is a bit different than the coal plants already in the City...it involves some very high-tech paint... more ›

Yesterday, police stated that a man with a semiautomatic handgun and several rounds of ammunition attempted to go up to the skydeck at Willis Tower late Friday afternoon. The man, Christopher Irving, was carrying the gun and ammunition along with some magazines in a backpack when security officers searched through his belongings and prevented the man from entering Willis Tower. more ›

Do you want to recreate Bueller's historic day of hooky? If not, what other Chicago icons could be turned into bar crawls? more ›

The owners of Willis Tower have hired two brokerages to market the nation's tallest skyscraper in the search for an investor or an outright sale of the building. more ›

Police took an unnamed 60-year-old man into custody in connection to a threat he allegedly made against the Tower Formerly Known as Sears. more ›

Former President George W. Bush, in town to promote his book Decision Points, said that Sears Tower was "a genuine target" of terrorists on September 11, 2001 and praised Mayor Daley for his response in evacuating downtown the day of the attacks. more ›

Yes, it’s the 25th anniversary of the Bears’ 1985 Superbowl victory. And yes, that might have been the greatest team in NFL history. And, sure, while this is a Bears town, football glory has all but disappeared since Walter, the Fridge, Samurai Mike and the Punky QB left the stage. But really, why the breathless anticipation every time two of these geezers are in a room together? Can’t this city move on? more ›

The Sears tower was the tallest building in the world until 1997. But it was still the tallest building in the Western hemisphere since its completion in 1973. However, New York will once again take the title when it completes the new World Trade Center in 2013. But nobody can take away our title of having the first skyscraper climber. more ›

• According to a new report, the Mag Mile is seeing its lowest vacancy rate in seven years.
• One hard-working pooch for the Chicago Customs and Border Protection office sniffed out 23 pounds of opium last week.
• A CTA Red Line conductor is under scrutiny for pulling his train into a smoke-filled station during Sunday's track fire.

Two rounds of severe thunderstorms rolled through Chicago yesterday, causing damage throughout the area including 1,100 fallen trees and many broken windows. As of this afternoon, tens of thousands are still without power. The first round of storms moved through Chicago around 4:30 p.m. with the later storm hitting around 9 p.m. Strong winds clocked in around 70-77 mph in the first storm left their mark on the buildings downtown. Although no one was injured, several windows at the Sears Willis Tower blew out. Chicago Battalion Chief Michael Gubricky reported that "a window on the 29th floor in an air conditioning mechanical room and a window in an unoccupied office on the 25th floor blew out," in addition to a window in an unoccupied offices on the 12th and 28th floors cracking. One office worker sums up his experience inside the Willis Tower during the storm: more ›

Bruce Graham, the architect who designed two of Chicago's tallest and most iconic buildings, died this weekend at his home in Hobe Sound, Fla. He was 84 and died due to complications from Alzheimer's disease, according to Crain's. Graham designed the Willis Tower - formerly known as the Sears Tower - which was the world's tallest building from its opening in 1974 until 1996. At 1,451 feet, it's still the tallest building in the U.S. He also designed the 100-story John Hancock Center, which opened in 1970. He helped design the green-glass high-rise Inland Steel Building, located at 30. W. Monroe, in the 1950s. Graham, originally from Bogota, Colombia, was a senior architect at the famous firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, from 1951 to 1989. more ›

A construction accident at Jackson and Wacker - right next to the Willis Tower - killed one utility worker and injured another this afternoon. The accident occurred around 1:45 p.m. after a report of an explosion. Peoples Energy said there was no explosion but two workers were working on a gas main. Fire Media Affairs spokesman Quention Curtis said, "They were pumping air through the system when something went wrong. It blew the pipe apart and it hit them." Streets around the area were closed to traffic and several CTA buses were rerouted. more ›

Whether or not you still have sore feelings about one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks being renamed by the Brits, there is at least one good thing coming from the switch: the building will receive an upwards of $300 million green makeover. more ›

Mega-airline United Airlines is looking at a relocation to the Willis Tower and the City is doing everything it can to lure the new business into downtown. To help lure the business (and its nearly 3,000 workers) from its current Elk Grove digs, the City is also putting together around $25 million in incentives. No details have been discussed publicly. Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) - who's ward includes the Willis Tower - told the Tribune, "The final numbers haven't been presented to me." According to Fioretti, that incentive money would come from - where else - a TIF fund. [Tribune] more ›

After a weekend of watching music's future at Pitchfork (and remember when we talked to P4k's Chris Kaskie about the festival back in March?) , this week's entry to the Chicagoist Podcast series takes a bit of a look backwards. more ›

Not one to miss an opportunity to pander to publicity, Mayor Daley had some choice words for the media at the naming ceremony for the newly-minted Willis Tower. Asked if he would be calling the iconic skyscraper 'Big Willie', Daley told the press "'Big Willie', Willis Tower, yeah. You know why? Because they stepped up to the plate." The mayor used the comments as a chance to trumpet his glorius transformations in how Chicago works. "There has to be change in government and business," the mayor said. "And you have to realize that change is good." more ›

This morning's ceremony to rename the Sears Tower to its new name - The Willis Tower - has come and gone but the argument over what to call the building will linger for a long time. Still, these pictures don't lie: it finally happened. more ›

American Landmark Properties of Skokie is finally taking steps to recognize an iconic, if lesser-known Chicago personality. That's because today American Landmark Properties has made official the name change of the Sears Tower to the Willis Tower. And Chicagoist couldn't agree more - nearly six years since the death of Chicago busker, musician and artist Wesley Wiliis, he's finally getting his due in the form of a landmark office tower bearing his name. more ›

The day many have dreaded - and even more have dismissed - will finally arrive tomorrow. The Sears Tower will cease to be and instead, in a ceremony, the building - the tallest in the U.S. of A. - will become The Willis Tower officially. Last week, while Prescott and I were teetering over The Ledge, reader Melody - who works in the Tower - sent us an email saying: more ›

The Sears Tower will receive a $350 million face lift over the next five years to reduce its energy consumption by 80 percent. The building will also receive a new neighbor--an environmentally friendly 50-story luxury hotel, located at Jackson and Wacker. The initiative could create 3,600 new jobs and Sears Tower could become the tallest building to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. more ›

In an interview with the Tribune Monday, the chairman and chief executive officer of Willis Group Holdings Ltd., Joe Plumeri, said there were a few things he wishes he’d done differently to ease the upcoming name change of the Sears Tower. Among them was downplaying the “Britishness” of his 181-year-old, London-based company. Plumeri, who was born, raised and now resides in New Jersey, said he spends as much time running Willis from its New York offices as he does from London. more ›

Yesterday, WBEZ's blog held a photoshop contest to celebrate the Sears Tower's name change to the Willis Tower. The winner? A video! This mash-up comes from Connor Kalista more ›