The Great Downtown Chicago Counting Caper: We Tried (and Maybe Failed) to Count Every Building (But Mostly Just Ate Deep Dish)
Ah, Chicago. City of wind, stunning architecture, and... an unquantifiable number of buildings downtown?
We (being myself and a friend with questionable counting skills) recently embarked on a noble quest to determine exactly how many buildings grace the glorious Chicago Loop. Spoiler alert: we may have gotten distracted by delicious deep dish and the sheer majesty of Willis Tower. But fear not, intrepid reader, for this post chronicles our valiant (and slightly hilarious) attempt to answer the age-old question: How many buildings are there in downtown Chicago?
Why Count Buildings, You Ask?
Honestly? Because we were bored. But also, because Chicago's skyline is legendary. It's a symphony of steel and glass, a testament to human ingenuity, and a photographer's playground. We figured knowing the exact number of buildings would add a touch of quantified coolness to our appreciation.
The Counting Commences (and Quickly Detours)
Armed with an unwavering sense of purpose (and a rumbling in our stomachs), we descended upon downtown Chicago. Our initial strategy was ambitious: a meticulous, block-by-block count. We started strong, feeling like triumphant surveyors conquering urban territory.
However, our resolve crumbled faster than a day-old croissant the moment we stumbled upon Lou Malnati's. Deep dish pizza, that Chicagoan siren song, lured us in with its cheesy, saucy embrace. Two slices (and maybe a third) later, our counting aspirations were a distant memory.
Regrouping and Regaling Ourselves with Skyscraper Trivia
Fueled by pizza and a renewed sense of purpose (because, hey, deep dish is practically brain food), we decided to ditch the block-by-block approach. Instead, we opted for a more scholarly approach. We hit up an architecture tour guide, a delightful woman named Beatrice with a seemingly endless well of skyscraper knowledge.
Here's what we learned:
- Chicago is home to a whopping 1,397 high-rises. That's a lot of vertical real estate!
- 56 of those buildings stand taller than a staggering 600 feet. Talk about giants among men (or buildings).
- The reigning champion is the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), a 110-story behemoth that will leave you feeling like a mere speck.
Beatrice also regaled us with tales of Chicago's architectural history, from the innovative "Chicago School" designs to the more modern marvels. We left the tour feeling like honorary architects, even if our building count remained embarrassingly fuzzy.
The Verdict: We Have No Clue (But We Had Fun)
So, the exact number of buildings in downtown Chicago remains a mystery. But hey, that's half the fun, right? Our quest may not have yielded a definitive answer, but it did lead us to delicious pizza, fascinating architecture, and a newfound appreciation for Chicago's awe-inspiring skyline.
Maybe next time we'll outsource the counting to a drone (after another slice of deep dish, of course).
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