The Windy City's Sky-High Status: How Many Skyscrapers Can Chicago Possibly Handle?
Chicago: The city of broad shoulders, deep-dish pizza, and...well, a whole lotta skyscrapers! But just how many is "a whole lotta"? Buckle up, because we're about to take a hilarious dive into the world of Windy City high-rises.
Counting Up Like a Tourist on a Segway Tour
There are two main ways to count skyscrapers, and it all depends on how strict you wanna be. Think of it like counting siblings: do step-siblings count, or are we going full-blood only?
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The "That Looks Pretty Tall" Method: This method involves squinting at the Chicago skyline and saying, "Yep, that one definitely goes up there," on repeat for a solid hour. Highly scientific, undeniably fun, and guaranteed to get you some confused stares from pigeons. By our estimates, this method yields a result somewhere in the ballpark of "more skyscrapers than you can shake a selfie stick at."
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The "Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Says So" Method: Now, for the folks who fancy themselves counting sheep with hard hats, we present the official definition. A skyscraper, according to these fine arbiters of high-rise-ness, needs to be at least 150 meters (that's 492 feet in freedom units) tall. Using this fancy method, Chicago boasts a respectable 137 skyscrapers. Not bad, right? That's more skyscrapers than there are days in a non-leap year!
But Wait, There's More!
The story doesn't end there, friends. Chicago is like a teenager going through a growth spurt – it just keeps adding more high-rises! As of today, there are a bunch of new skyscrapers either under construction or just waiting to get their permits stamped. So, that number 137? It's likely to keep on climbing faster than a squirrel up a flagpole.
So, Why All the Skyscrapers?
Why all the sky-piercing ambition, Chicago? Well, there are a few reasons:
- The Great Chicago Fire of 1871: This fiery episode forced Chicago to rebuild upwards. Seems like looking on the bright side (way up on the bright side) paid off!
- Land, Land, Glorious Land (But Not That Much of It): Chicago isn't exactly sprawling like Los Angeles. Building tall helps maximize that precious real estate.
- Because They Can: Let's face it, Chicago has a competitive spirit. If New York City can have a bunch of skyscrapers, Chicago can have a bunch of skyscrapers, and maybe even a few more (just for good measure).
The Final Tally: A Skyscraper Spectacle
So, how many skyscrapers does Chicago have? The answer, my friend, is a glorious "enough to make your neck hurt from looking up". Whether you're counting by the squint test or the official ruler, Chicago's skyline is an impressive display of architectural ambition. And with more on the way, it looks like the Windy City will continue to reach for the stars (or at least the clouds) for a long time to come.
