Chicago’s Must-See Sights: Part 3

On April 25, we started a series of Chicago’s must-see sights to highlight a few of our favorite attractions and historical landmarks. Chicago is home to many significant historical sites that have created the rich traditions among the city and its people. Attending NECA 2014 Chicago gives attendees the opportunity to see some of the places that make Chicago a city a place to remember.

What Chicago skyscraper housed the headquarters of world-wide retailer Sears Roebuck and Company ?

Today’s feature is all about the Willis Tower.

In 1969 worlds largest retailer, Sears Roebuck and Company, wanting a more centralized location for their whopping 350,000+  employees, hired Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill to design and build what would become the largest and most recognizable office building in the world, the Sears Tower.

Construction of the iconic skyscraper began in 1970, ending 3 years later when the final beam was put in place in 1973. Signed by the 2,000 construction workers and thousands of Sears employees and Chicagoans, 12,000 people autographed the final beam completing the then tallest building in the world. Clocking in at a massive 108-stories or 1,451-feet, construction of the Sears Tower used enough concrete to build an eight-lane, five-mile long highway. In 1988 Sears Roebuck and Company sold its corporate headquarters and in 2009, global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings bought the then Sears Tower renaming it: the Willis Tower.

Stepping out on the ledge, In 2009 Willis invested in a multi-million dollar renovation to the Chicago Sky Deck, adding a new innovative feature called The Ledge to the building. Featuring a series of glass bay windows nested 103 stories high, the Ledge is a popular spot among tourists looking to capture daring selfies and a must-see attraction for 2014 NECA Chicago attendees.