CHICAGO | AON center | 1,136 FT / 346 M | 83 FLOORS | 1973 - Page 7

X-fib2 · #1 Posted **Dec 16, 2008, 6:05 PM**

Great pic Solarwind. Hard to believe that the building just to the left of AON, Pru 1, once dominated the Chicago lakefront skyline. Today it is just another 600+ footer!

panel · #2 Posted **Feb 18, 2009, 1:51 PM**

my crazy point of view (october 2008)

ethereal_reality · #3 Posted **Jun 3, 2009, 6:58 PM**

April 1974

When it was the Standard Oil Building and covered
in 43,000 slabs of brilliantly white Carrara marble imported from Italy.
(tallest marble-clad building in the world).

The building was refaced with granite in 1990-1992.

wrab · #4 Posted **Jun 4, 2009, 2:10 AM**

^ I remember that marble. It had a nice warm sheen to it. The granite up now is flat & cold by comparison.

Amanita · #5 Posted **Jun 4, 2009, 5:07 PM**

I've got some articles somewhere describing that structural skin graft. Unfortunately it had to be done, the marble had deteriorated so badly. It just doesn't hold up well against our cold climate.
Poor Aon :_(

sabino86 · #6 Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 5:34 AM**

Taken from the Sears Tower Skydeck, April 11, 2002.

ethereal_reality · #7 Posted **Jun 10, 2009, 9:21 PM**

Being reclad with granite in the early 1990s.
Note LSE as a golf course.

Tom In Chicago · #8 Posted **Jul 11, 2009, 11:39 PM**

This morning at 8am they helicopter-lifted a new antenna that now sticks out about 50' or so above the existing antenna array atop Aon Center. . . doesn't look bad I guess, but it's certainly noticeable. . .

J_M_Tungsten · #9 Posted **Jul 13, 2009, 7:37 AM**

Pics of the new antenna.

staff · #10 Posted **Jul 14, 2009, 6:21 AM**

Don't think I posted this one;

J_M_Tungsten · #11 Posted **Jul 17, 2009, 8:47 PM**

crazy shot my friend, WOW!! Also, does anyone have any info as to what the new antenna is for???

Teacher_AZ_84 · #12 Posted **Jul 21, 2009, 4:30 AM**

I love this building and its location is perfect. Of all the buildings besides Willis (ugh) and Big John, AON always comes to mind.

XLucky4LifeX · #13 Posted **Jul 23, 2009, 10:22 PM**

I love this building at night. Whenever I look at Chicago's skyline, it's the first thing I see. Looks very romantic. Very recognizable and visible.
Another thing I like about this building is how it changes it's look at some angles.
The name doesn't match the building, however.
The name is too cool for this building.

bnk · #14 Posted **Jul 24, 2009, 12:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by XLucky4LifeX

The name doesn't match the building, however.
The name is too cool for this building.

I do not know what you mean about that but to some older people still refer to it as the Standard Oil building or the Amoco building.

I think it is my second favorite supertall building in Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aon_Center_(Chicago)

wrab · #15 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 12:59 PM**

Chicago Tribune
Cityscapes
Blair Kamin
August 20, 2009

What's 'that thing' atop the Aon Center? Three guesses: A) an antenna; B) a Homeland Security device; C) one of Mayor Daley's cameras

Never as architecturally distinguished as the former Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center, the Aon Center at least presented a vision of clean vertical lines, rising with aloof calm beside Grant Park.

But now, as sharp-eyed skyline watchers have noticed, a nasty little carbuncle has appeared on the roof of the 1,136-foot tower. About 85 feet tall, it resembles a cylinder stuck atop a flagpole. And people are wondering what it is.

"Do you know what it is used for?" e-mailed Tribune reader Matt Bergstrom of Chicago. "It does look strange up there and kind of ruins the boxy shape I'd resigned myself to."

Added reader Rich Johnson from Oak Park: "Do you know what that thing is that was added onto the Aon Building? Is it an antenna, a weather reading device, a Homeland Security device, or another camera courtesy of Mayor Daley? Whatever it is, it doesn't look good."

It's a communications antenna. Erected in July, the antenna has three transmitters, one of which is leased to Chicago radio station WDRV, according to Brooke Houghton, a spokeswoman for Jones Lang LaSalle, the tower's property manager.

"It brings additional revenue to the building," Houghton said. "We don't think it takes away from the iconic stature of the building or the aesthetics of the skyline."

She dismissed the idea that the Aon Center's owners installed the antenna to make up for the departure of major tenant and Kirkland & Ellis, a Chicago-based law firm, to a new riverfront skyscraper at 300 N. LaSalle St. The Aon Center is 92 percent leased, Houghton said, and recently signed tenants including Microsoft.

Whatever one thinks of the antenna, it apparently has taken one distinction away from the Aon Center. The Emporis building database (emporis.com) describes Aon as "the tallest building in the world without any major antennae, spires, or finials at the top."

Perhaps a rewrite is in order.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....09/08/aon.html

ChicagoChicago · #16 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 2:04 PM**

I'm a little surprised that the city approved that piece of shit...

Mr Downtown · #17 Posted **Aug 25, 2009, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoChicago

I'm a little surprised that the city approved that

What city agency do you think has the power to approve or disapprove something based on how it looks?

hauchyi · #18 Posted **Aug 25, 2009, 5:26 PM**

It looks hideous from the ground, but actually is not too bad from John Hancock tower. I just hope it could be higher...

taken from yesterday

ChicagoChicago · #19 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 4:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

What city agency do you think has the power to approve or disapprove something based on how it looks?

Really? Are you honestly suggesting that this town doesn't have the power to police shit like this?

Zapatan · #20 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 4:33 AM**

I.

Love.

The.

Aon Center.

Period.