bellinghman: (Default)
bellinghman ([personal profile] bellinghman) wrote2009-07-20 11:27 am

Next door to Willis

Our Chicago office is in a reasonably tall building - 200 South Wacker Drive, just over 40 floors. But it's somewhat overshadowed by the Willis Tower on the opposite side of the street, which is nearly three times the height, and the tallest building in the US.

The Willis Tower?

Well, they do expect people to take a decade or two to really get used to its new name. It used to be known as the Sears Tower.
ext_52412: (Default)

[identity profile] feorag.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 10:52 am (UTC)(link)
I note that a certain building in London is still known to most people as the Post Office Tower.

[identity profile] bellinghman.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 10:58 am (UTC)(link)
Not to mention the Nat West Tower.

(Though that was only renamed a decade or so ago.)

[identity profile] isihac.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
Whatchoo talking bout Willis?

[identity profile] mkillingworth.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Did that show even play in the UK? And OMG are we giving away our ages?

[identity profile] bellinghman.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
A quick Google indicates the show in question was 'Different Strokes'.

Oh yes, it showed over here, and thank you both for reminding me of it, even if I probably never watch more of it than it took to get the channel changed.

[identity profile] isihac.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 02:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, and yes.

*puts on slippers, grabs pipe and complains about the youth of today*

[identity profile] sbp.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, but it gets reruns on cable/satellite....

[identity profile] sbp.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Dang, you stole my joke.

[identity profile] jon-a-five.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 11:27 am (UTC)(link)
So why was it renamed?

There was a certain film with Bruce Willis in a tower...

[identity profile] bellinghman.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 11:37 am (UTC)(link)
Well, Sears sold the building about 15 years ago, and Willis Group Holdings, as leasors of a decent chunk of the floor space, apparently bought the naming rights recently.

And so, last week, it got renamed.

[identity profile] erikvolson.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Hereabouts, it's called "The Sears Tower" or "Big Willy"

[identity profile] bellinghman.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
The World's Biggest Willy?!

Yes, I know that skyscrapers are often accused of being phallic symbols (a little unfairly, the reason for their shape comes down to a mixture of economics and engineering), but isn't this somewhat over the top?
Edited 2009-07-20 15:55 (UTC)

[identity profile] alexmc.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 07:39 pm (UTC)(link)
was a bit confused as I read this because there is a new Willis Building (which is a tower) built just south of the Gherkin in London...

[identity profile] bellinghman.livejournal.com 2009-07-20 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Same Willis, different tower.