Spire One Step Closer To Phallic Glory

By Louis in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 20, 2007 8:18PM

Thursday, the controversial Chicago Spire received approval from the Chicago Plan Commission, bringing it one step closer to a reality on the Chicago skyline.

The design has continued to change from the original Fordham Spire's pyramid like shape topped with a TV tower, to a flat top twizzler, and finally onto its current rounded top incarnation. The design shown to the Plan Commission was slightly different than the one shown last month to Streeterville residents. Architect, Santiago Calatrava has removed a couple twists in the 150-story condo building's continually evolving design.

With the design phase coming to a close, the next step is actually building the thing. While most illustrations and mockups at this point have the Spire looking like a shining white beacon on the lakefront, the actual materials have not been decided on. The Tribune has correctly pointed out that the Chicago Trump Tower's silver skin isn't as elegant as appeared in early renderings, so hopefully the Spire can pick a material that suits it. Calatrava did mention wanting elements of stainless steel reminiscent of Chicagoist's favorite Chicago building, Inland Steel at 30 W. Monroe. We can't complain there.

The Tribune jokingly compares the Spire to a soft serve ice cream cone, but there have been continuous, juvenile snickers around the Chicagoist office as to the building's true likeness. Are you ready to accept this as the new symbol of Chicago, it now seems inevitable?