Chicago Spire by Santiago Calatrava Canceled After 15 Years

The Chicago Spire, a 610-meter twisting tower designed by Santiago Calatrava, will not be built. After over 15 years of delays and a stalled construction site, the project has been definitively abandoned. Instead, in late 2022, construction will begin on two asymmetrical residential towers, 267 and 233 meters tall, designed by David Childs and SOM, set within a new urban park on the lakefront. The Spire was originally commissioned in 2005 as the Fordham Spire, intended to surpass other skyscrapers in Chicago's skyline. Calatrava drew inspiration from Native American campfires, with each floor rotating around a central pillar to create a spiral form. The project faced financial troubles from the start, including the resignation of developer Christopher T. Carly in 2006 due to lack of funds, and public ridicule from Donald Trump. The 2008 financial crisis and the near-bankruptcy of lender Anglo Irish Bank further doomed the project, despite union support to combat unemployment. The Spire's cancellation marks the end of a long saga for what was once envisioned as the tallest building in the United States.