CHICAGO | Beitler Telecom Tower | 2,000 FT / 610 M | NEVER BUILT

[aaron38]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but unless the plan was to broadcast to the Michigan shoreline, why would you put a broadcast tower in the Loop where half the coverage goes out over water?

Wouldn't it be better to put a 2000 foot broadcast tower in say Schaumburg or Naperville, considering the growth of the exurbs out in the collar counties?

[Steely Dan]

^ that might be true, but i'm certainly no expert in broadcasting technology.

in any event, if schaumburg or naperville or any other burb ever had the sheer audacity to one-up the city like that, we would have to blow that shit up

[HK Chicago]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but unless the plan was to broadcast to the Michigan shoreline, why would you put a broadcast tower in the Loop where half the coverage goes out over water?

Wouldn't it be better to put a 2000 foot broadcast tower in say Schaumburg or Naperville, considering the growth of the exurbs out in the collar counties?

Coverage is directional, rest assured the broadcast is focused west.

[Lecom]

** Deleted for copyright infringement **

- Dylan Leblanc

[some_stupid_nut]

No point in shooting me down. I know its never gonna happen, but I like the Miglin-Beitler Skyneedle, hehe. Beitler should think about that again.

[BVictor1]

It's baaccckkkkk..........

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...i-business-utl

INSIDE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Broadcast tower plan off the ground again
BY SUSAN DIESENHOUSE. Tribune staff reporter Blair Kamin contributed to this report
Published November 29, 2006

Developer J. Paul Beitler's long struggle to build an ultratall, iconic Chicago tower just got a new lease on life.

For years, Beitler has been trying to develop a $325 million, 2,000-foot-high broadcast tower designed by star architect Cesar Pelli to serve a new generation of digital broadcast technology.

By 2009, the federal government will require television broadcasters to transmit signals digitally. Today, analog technology pervades the airwaves.

In 2005, Beitler proposed building near Navy Pier the tower he touted as one of the world's tallest structures. It would have been close to another possible Chicago icon: the proposed $1.2 billion, 2,000-foot-high lakefront residential spire designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that would rise above Chicago's tallest building, the 1,450-foot-high Sears Tower.

But having two soaring structures dominate the shoreline didn't seem to fly with city officials or Streeterville neighbors. So, Beitler started talking to spire developer Christopher T. Carley about mounting the broadcast equipment atop his tower.

Last summer, however, Irish developer Garrett Kelleher, intent on building the Calatrava design, bought the spire site from Carley.

Now, the tower's top seven floors most likely will house luxury condominiums rather than digital broadcast facilities, a Kelleher spokesman, Chicago attorney Thomas J. Murphy, said Tuesday.

"We're 99 percent sure we won't do a broadcast tower," Murphy said in an interview. It's a "business that we don't know anything about."

Also, he added, broadcasters can now use antennas on the Sears and Hancock towers.

In addition, for aesthetic reasons, the proposed Calatrava spire will have underground, rather than surface, parking, Murphy said. Without a separate garage, Kelleher could more closely conform to Calatrava's vision of a design that focuses on one elegant high-rise, Murphy explained.

That decision clears a path for Beitler to again seek to build a separate 2,000-foot-high broadcast tower elsewhere.

In September, he agreed to take a 99-year ground lease from Sunbelt Management Co. of Delray Beach, Fla., on a 50,000-square-foot site at Illinois Street and Columbus Drive.

Beitler said he has financing commitments, and next month expects the city's major English- and Spanish-language broadcast outlets to sign lease agreements. By April, he plans to seek City Hall approval.

"Current broadcast facilities are adequate but antiquated," he said.

[Chi_Coruscant]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

That decision clears a path for Beitler to again seek to build a separate 2,000-foot-high broadcast tower elsewhere.
In September, he agreed to take a 99-year ground lease from Sunbelt Management Co. of Delray Beach, Fla., on a 50,000-square-foot site at Illinois Street and Columbus Drive.

Beitler said he has financing commitments, and next month expects the city's major English- and Spanish-language broadcast outlets to sign lease agreements. By April, he plans to seek City Hall approval.

I am not sure if my brain is functioning properly but is he planning to plop down 2,000ft broadcast tower on that lot?

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

It's baaccckkkkk..........

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...i-business-utl

INSIDE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Broadcast tower plan off the ground again
BY SUSAN DIESENHOUSE. Tribune staff reporter Blair Kamin contributed to this report
Published November 29, 2006

Developer J. Paul Beitler's long struggle to build an ultratall, iconic Chicago tower just got a new lease on life.

For years, Beitler has been trying to develop a $325 million, 2,000-foot-high broadcast tower designed by star architect Cesar Pelli to serve a new generation of digital broadcast technology.

By 2009, the federal government will require television broadcasters to transmit signals digitally. Today, analog technology pervades the airwaves.

In 2005, Beitler proposed building near Navy Pier the tower he touted as one of the world's tallest structures. It would have been close to another possible Chicago icon: the proposed $1.2 billion, 2,000-foot-high lakefront residential spire designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that would rise above Chicago's tallest building, the 1,450-foot-high Sears Tower.

But having two soaring structures dominate the shoreline didn't seem to fly with city officials or Streeterville neighbors. So, Beitler started talking to spire developer Christopher T. Carley about mounting the broadcast equipment atop his tower.

Last summer, however, Irish developer Garrett Kelleher, intent on building the Calatrava design, bought the spire site from Carley.

Now, the tower's top seven floors most likely will house luxury condominiums rather than digital broadcast facilities, a Kelleher spokesman, Chicago attorney Thomas J. Murphy, said Tuesday.

"We're 99 percent sure we won't do a broadcast tower," Murphy said in an interview. It's a "business that we don't know anything about."

Also, he added, broadcasters can now use antennas on the Sears and Hancock towers.

In addition, for aesthetic reasons, the proposed Calatrava spire will have underground, rather than surface, parking, Murphy said. Without a separate garage, Kelleher could more closely conform to Calatrava's vision of a design that focuses on one elegant high-rise, Murphy explained.

That decision clears a path for Beitler to again seek to build a separate 2,000-foot-high broadcast tower elsewhere.

In September, he agreed to take a 99-year ground lease from Sunbelt Management Co. of Delray Beach, Fla., on a 50,000-square-foot site at Illinois Street and Columbus Drive.

Beitler said he has financing commitments, and next month expects the city's major English- and Spanish-language broadcast outlets to sign lease agreements. By April, he plans to seek City Hall approval.

"Current broadcast facilities are adequate but antiquated," he said.

Folks, don't believe this for a second. Mr. J. Paul Beitler apparently is a desperate, desperate man. The Daley administration, SOAR and Natarus will undoubtedly laugh him out of Streeterville once again...

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Folks, don't believe this for a second. Mr. J. Paul Beitler apparently is a desperate, desperate man. The Daley administration, SOAR and Natarus will undoubtedly laugh him out of Streeterville once again...

yep. that was my reaction as well.

[X-fib]

Is Beitler proposing another 2000 foot super building or just some fancy broadcast tower? How are the Streeterville neighbors going to receive this?

[ih8spires]

I think Beitler's tower would be great in River North. Maybe near Ed Debevicis, Hooters, Coyote Ugly, and Hard Rock. It would spread out the skyline. I do not want it anywhere near the Chicago Spire.

[SimbyHeart]

That new broadcast tower proposal would be great along the L on Wabash lining up with Legacy and the 800+ Michigan avenue proposal.

[Rocket1]

Originally Posted by X-fib

Is Beitler proposing another 2000 foot super building or just some fancy broadcast tower? How are the Streeterville neighbors going to receive this?

Am I correct in thinking it's just a broadcast tower?


But is it hopefully something like Toronto's CN Tower?

Rather than some 2000' tall mast?

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by Rocket1

Am I correct in thinking it's just a broadcast tower?


But is it hopefully something like Toronto's CN Tower?

Rather than some 2000' tall mast?

It would be "like" CN Tower in taht it would have an observation deck . . .

[Rocket1]

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

It would be "like" CN Tower in taht it would have an observation deck . . .

Not a very appetizing design, IMHO.


Worthy of 1/2 a

[ComandanteCero]

bump?

[CGII]

Originally Posted by ComandanteCero

bump?

Dead. DEAD DEAD DEAD.

[Steely Dan]

oh shit, i forgot about this thread. i guess i'll have to move all the posts over here.

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by CGII

Dead. DEAD DEAD DEAD.

deader than dead. this thing has a negative % chance of gaining city approval - there will be rampant neighborhood and natarus opposition, and additional pushback from daley and dpd. and, i can't say i blame them - i think it's a bad location for a bad structure...i think beitler is totally nuts...

[Steely Dan]

^ perhaps this thing is deader than dead at this location, but this is now the 4th proposed location for this tower, and those are just the locations i'm aware of. beitler just keeps fishing it around on different pieces of land. maybe the city will eventaully bite on one of them.