Step Out on the Ledge of Sears Tower
Friday, July 10th, 2009
The tallest building in the United States is now taking heights to a whole new level. The Sears Tower is opening up "The Ledge" on the west side of the Skydeck. The enclosures are four feet out from the building and are made up of just one and a half inches of glass. The idea for the new observation areas were sparked by the millions of impressions left on the Skydeck windows by people trying to look down to the streets below. This is not the first glass enclosure to provide a great view. There are similar viewing areas at the Grand Canyon and the CN Tower. Stepping out on The Ledge will be part of the regular Skydeck admission which now runs $14.95. The new view will be opened to the public in June. The Skydeck offers interactive attractions and educational opportunities including some designed especially for the children that visit.
Visitors with any amount of a fear of heights will probably want to skip The Ledge. The three layers of 1/2 of glass will sit 103 stories off the streets below. The new balconies were designed to be retractable so that they will not protrude out and interfere with window cleaning.
The Sears Tower was first opened in 1973 and was the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion. It is still the tallest skyscraper in the United States and also the fifth tallest freestanding building in the world. It has carried the Sears name since it was first opened but the name will change in 2009. Insurance broker Willis Group Holdings, Ltd leased a large portion of the building and the building will be renamed the Willis Tower.
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