sears tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies

8/14/2019 Sears Tower Unveils 103rd Floor Glass Balconies

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Sears Tower Unveils 103rd Floor Glass Balconies

Chicago's Sears Tower has opened a glassed-in viewing platform that is not for the faint of heart.

By Karen Hawkins, AP

Visitors to the Sears Tower's new glass balconies all seem to agree: The first step is the hardest.

"It's like walking on ice," said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, California, who said her heart was still poundingeven after stepping away from the balcony. "That first step you take – 'am I going down?'"

Kemp was among the visitors who got a sneak preview of the balconies Wednesday. "The Ledge," as thebalconies have been nicknamed, open to the public Thursday.

The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet (412 meters) in the air and jut out 4 feet (1.22 meters) from thebuilding's 103rd floor Skydeck. They're actually more like boxes than balconies, with transparent walls,floor and ceiling.

Visitors are treated to unobstructed views of Chicago from the building's west side and a heart-stoppingvista of the street and Chicago River below – for those brave enough to look straight down.

John Huston, one of the property owners of the Sears Tower, even admitted to getting "a little queasy" thefirst time he ventured out. But 30 or 40 trips later, he's got the hang of it.

"The Sears Tower has always been about superlatives – tallest, largest, most iconic," he said. "Today isalso about superlatives. Today, we present you with 'the Ledge,' the world's most awesome view, theworld's most precipitous view, the view with the most wow in the world."

The balconies can hold five tons, and the glass is 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) thick, officials said.

Sears Tower officials have said the inspiration for the balconies came from the hundreds of foreheadprints visitors left behind on Skydeck windows every week. Now, staff will have a new glass surface toclean: floors.

The balconies are just one of the big changes coming to the Sears Tower. The building's name willchange to Willis Tower later this summer.

Last week, officials announced a 5-year, $350 million green renovation complete with wind turbines, roof gardens and solar panels.

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Don't look down: Terrifying view from glass box balcony jutting out from skyscraper's 103rd floor

By Mail Foreign Service Last updated at 12:22 PM on 02nd July 2009http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196941/The-violent-country-Europe-Britain-worse-South-Africa-U-S.html

If you're scared of heights, it may be time to look away now.Not content with having the tallest building in America, the owners of Sears Tower in Chicago haveinstalled four glass box viewing platforms which stick out of the building 103 floors up.The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's Skydeck.

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Floating on air: Visitors get their first view from The Ledge, four glass balconies suspended from the103rd floor of Chicago's Sears Tower Designers say the platforms - collectively dubbed The Ledge - have been purposely designed to makevisitors feel as they are floating above the city.The reward is unobstructed views of Chicago from the building's west side and a heart-stopping vista of the street and Chicago River below - for those brave enough to look straight down.'It's like walking on ice,' visitor Margaret Kemp, from Bishop, California said. 'The first step you take youthink "Am I going down?"'

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Fearless: Anna Kane, five, spreads out on the floor of the 10ft square box which is 1,353ft up

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Spectacular: She also enjoyed amazing views out across the city'At first I was kind of afraid but I got used to it,' 10-year-old Adam Kane from Alton, Illinois, said as cloudsdrifted by below.'Look at all those tiny things that are usually huge.'

John Huston, one of the owners of the Sears Tower, even admitted to getting 'a little queasy' the first timehe ventured out on to the balcony. However, after 30 or 40 trips, he seems to have got used to it.

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Thrillseekers: The boxes jut out four feet from the building and were specifically designed to make visitorsfeel as if they are floatingEnlarge

'The Sears Tower has always been about superlatives - tallest, largest, most iconic,' he said.'The Ledge is the world's most awesome view, the world's most precipitous view, the view with the mostwow in the world.'The balconies are 10ft high and 10ft wide, can hold five tons, and have glass which is 1.5 inch thick.

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Unfazed: Although some adults felt dizzy after experiencing the Ledge, children seemed to take it in their stride

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Long way up: Even the floor of the platforms are glass - few were brave enough to look straight downInspiration came from the hundreds of forehead prints visitors left behind on Skydeck windows everyweek. Now, staff will have a new glass surface to clean: floors.Architect Ross Wimer said: 'We did studies that showed a four-foot-deep (1.2 metres) enclosure makesyou feel like you're floating since there's only room for one row of people, not two.'The Skydeck attracts 25,000 visitors on clear days. They each pay $15 to take an elevator ride up to the103rd floor of the 110-story office building that opened in 1973.

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Towering: A view of the Sears Tower (black building in the foreground). The Ledge is on the 103rd floor of 8

sears tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies

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