When I first heard Friday that the Sears Tower, located near the beginning of Route 66 in Chicago, is building glass enclosures near the top floor so it seems you are walking on air, I offhandedly surmised it borrowed the idea from the Grand Canyon Skywalk and its horseshoe-shaped glass walkway.
My hunch was correct. From the Sun-Times, which broke the story:
It’ll be a walk on the high side as visitors on the observation deck step into glass enclosures that extend 4.3 feet beyond the building. Beneath their feet in dizzyness-inducing splendor will be the city itself, 103 stories below, with an inch and a half of glass between person and pavement.
The attraction, called the Ledge, should open by early June and is part of a multimillion dollar renovation of the tourist spaces at the nation’s tallest building, said Randy Stancik, Skydeck general manager.
He said the Ledge was inspired by glass-floored thrills at the Grand Canyon and Toronto’s CN Tower. The plan is to attract more Skydeck visitors, especially jaded locals who haven’t visited the tower in years. […]
The four enclosures are on the west side of the tower so you can look straight down to the ground. On other sides, downward views are interrupted by setbacks from the wider floors below.
Here’s an artist’s rendering of the Ledge.
The question inevitably arises: Is it safe? A secondary story reports that yes, the glass structure can handle up to five tons. Each enclosure will handle only four or five people at a time. Safe, but small comfort for anyone with vertigo or a fear of heights.
Well, I’m not going out on it, anyway. I see Sears Tower also raised the price to go to the 103rd floor to $14.95, up a buck. No extra charge for the balcony.
Name of tower changes to Willis this summer.
I just hope The Ledge will be open by the time I go to Chicago on 12th June.