World's Tallest Skyscraper Proposed for Houston?

[Triton]

A billionare/realtor named Zaya Younan (never heard of him) wants to build the world's tallest skyscraper to bring back "the glory of the United States of America." He proposes a building so tall that "I want it to be the tallest for as long as I am alive", Younan told the Sun-Times. However, here's the question. Which city will it be built in? He either wants to build it in Houston (in the state where he has a large amount of reality), Los Angeles (where his company is located), or Chicago. He wants to go past 3,000 feet which is double-the-Sear's Tower. It could cost up to $4 billion.

For more discussion, here's the article.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Triton

[sevfiv]

Younan has the most Texas property in Dallas, but owns Norfolk Tower here in Houston (Shepherd/59).

http://www.younanproperties.com/

What's the deal with wanting to build something twice as tall as the Sears?

[TheNiche]

What's the deal with wanting to build something twice as tall as the Sears?

Unless he's absolutely set on bankrupting his company, it'll never happen. ...and even then.

[TJones]

Unless he's absolutely set on bankrupting his company, it'll never happen. ...and even then.

Yep, let him take a little peek at the numbers for the Dubai project going on, and he will shrink back and say, "Ok, let's just build a theme park."

Edited July 26, 2007 by TJones

[wxman]

The article doesn't elaborate on Houston. Not even once. Why Houston anyway? Kind of random. I don't think we have the economy to sustain a building that big anyway. Not to mention it would be a magnent for terrorists. No thank you. It seems that the earthquakes in LA would deter a project like this for them and Chicago, if you were building a big building, wouldn't you want it to stand out? There is a lot of competition up there.

[Mr. Chenevert]

The article doesn't elaborate on Houston. Not even once. Why Houston anyway? Kind of random. I don't think we have the economy to sustain a building that big anyway. Not to mention it would be a magnent for terrorists. No thank you. It seems that the earthquakes in LA would deter a project like this for them and Chicago, if you were building a big building, wouldn't you want it to stand out? There is a lot of competition up there.

I think you may have just answered your own question.

It certainly would stand out in Houston.

[wxman]

I think you may have just answered your own question.

It certainly would stand out in Houston.

Well maybe. I'm still not sure if it's a good idea. A building that tall would not look good in Houston I don't think. It would truely stick out like a sore thumb. You'd be able to see it in Huntsville. Were would you put something like that? That would make the Williams Tower look like a low rise.

[houstonmacbro]

I think you may have just answered your own question.

It certainly would stand out in Houston.

Well, seeing that we do can't seem to get past 74 stories, I doubt very seriously it will happen here in Houston.

Also, I thought in the states, the taste for super-talls had kinda wanned after 9/11 ...?

Edited July 26, 2007 by houstonmacbro

[wxman]

Well, seeing that we do can't seem to get past 74 stories, I doubt very seriously it will happen here in Houston.

Also, I thought in the states, the taste for super-talls had kinda wanned after 9/11 ...?

I thought JP was 75 stories? Not that it matters

Edited July 26, 2007 by wxman

[houstonmacbro]

74. 75.

I won't quibble over that.

[houstonsemipro]

This will never happen in Houston. Most likely the tower will be in L.A. or Chi-Town.

[RedScare]

Well, seeing that we do can't seem to get past 74 stories, I doubt very seriously it will happen here in Houston.

We?

Only 6 US buildings exceed 75 floors. One is 76, another 77. The other 4 are in Chicago (3) and New York. In other words, no one goes past 75 floors. This is not a Houston problem.

[GovernorAggie]

You people are right. The only thing that Houston can hope for--that makes sense--is Hines' 47 stories, but even that's really only 37 stories. Houston is much more sensical than these other poser cities. What do they know?

Seriously, if the guy wants to build the thing in Houston, let him. As you can see, he has said NOTHING in his article about the economics. This is only about status and bragging rights. Isn't that what was said on this very forum about what it would take to have a building constructed here of 800-900 feet or more, like the giants from the past oil boom? If I remember correctly, the forum economists and realists thought that anything taller than 40 stories begins losing its economic feasibility (or something like that). If he's trying to brag, let him brag. After all, that used to be one of the great things about Texas--the ability to brag and then back it up.

Now, we've become *too* realistic here (I personally think that the city is gun-shy from the energy bust in the 80s). Besides, who said that the guy wan't 3,000 feet of office space? 3,000 feet of condo space? Think outside the box fo a moment...maybe it'll be like CN Tower in Toronto or maybe like Freedom Tower in New York (not 1776 ft. worth of usable space).

I think that we should get out of our own way and let the guy take a look at us. If he decides that Houston can't host his trophy building, let him do that--it's his money. But we shouldn't say, "Mr. Younan, you don't wanna look at Houston. You'll just fail here."

After all, who among us would say to a person looking to hire for a job, "Yes, I know that you want me to manage this division in your company, but trust me, you don't want me. All I'm good for is crunching numbers. The increase in pay would be nice, but you don't want me--I'm not qualified." Most of us would at least go for the interview and let the company decide if we were qualified or not.

Sometimes outside eyes can see things that inside eyes can't.

Edited July 26, 2007 by GovernorAggie

[Trae]

Well maybe. I'm still not sure if it's a good idea. A building that tall would not look good in Houston I don't think. It would truely stick out like a sore thumb. You'd be able to see it in Huntsville. Were would you put something like that? That would make the Williams Tower look like a low rise.

Huntsville? Yeah right. Maybe Conroe.

[T 2 THA C]

You people are right. The only thing that Houston can hope for--that makes sense--is Hines' 47 stories, but even that's really only 37 stories. Houston is much more sensical than these other poser cities. What do they know?

Seriously, if the guy wants to build the thing in Houston, let him. As you can see, he has said NOTHING in his article about the economics. This is only about status and bragging rights. Isn't that what was said on this very forum about what it would take to have a building constructed here of 800-900 feet or more, like the giants from the past oil boom? If I remember correctly, the forum economists and realists thought that anything taller than 40 stories begins losing its economic feasibility (or something like that). If he's trying to brag, let him brag. After all, that used to be one of the great things about Texas--the ability to brag and then back it up.

Now, we've become *too* realistic here. Besides, who said that the guy wan't 3,000 feet of office space? 3,000 feet of condo space? Think outside the box fo a moment...maybe it'll be like CN Tower in Toronto or maybe like Freedom Tower in New York (not 1776 ft. worth of usable space).

I think that we should get out of our own way and let the guy take a look at us. If he decides that Houston can't host his trophy building, let him do that--it's his money. But we shouldn't say, "Mr. Younan, you don't wanna look at Houston. You'll just fail here."

After all, who among us would say to a person looking to hire for a job, "Yes, I know that you want me to manage this division in your company, but trust me, you don't want me. All I'm good for is crunching numbers. The increase in pay would be nice, but you don't want me--I'm not qualified." Most of us would at least go for the interview and let the company decide if we were qualified or not.

Sometimes outside eyes can see things that inside eyes can't.

I agree, plus look at the guy in Dubai he just spends like its is nothing, albeit he has more money. I think maybe Younan might just want to build something grand with his money seeing how you cant take it with you when you die.

[TheNiche]

You people are right. The only thing that Houston can hope for--that makes sense--is Hines' 47 stories, but even that's really only 37 stories. Houston is much more sensical than these other poser cities. What do they know?

Seriously, if the guy wants to build the thing in Houston, let him. As you can see, he has said NOTHING in his article about the economics. This is only about status and bragging rights. Isn't that what was said on this very forum about what it would take to have a building constructed here of 800-900 feet or more, like the giants from the past oil boom? If I remember correctly, the forum economists and realists thought that anything taller than 40 stories begins losing its economic feasibility (or something like that). If he's trying to brag, let him brag. After all, that used to be one of the great things about Texas--the ability to brag and then back it up.

Now, we've become *too* realistic here (I personally think that the city is gun-shy from the energy bust in the 80s). Besides, who said that the guy wan't 3,000 feet of office space? 3,000 feet of condo space? Think outside the box fo a moment...maybe it'll be like CN Tower in Toronto or maybe like Freedom Tower in New York (not 1776 ft. worth of usable space).

I think that we should get out of our own way and let the guy take a look at us. If he decides that Houston can't host his trophy building, let him do that--it's his money. But we shouldn't say, "Mr. Younan, you don't wanna look at Houston. You'll just fail here."

After all, who among us would say to a person looking to hire for a job, "Yes, I know that you want me to manage this division in your company, but trust me, you don't want me. All I'm good for is crunching numbers. The increase in pay would be nice, but you don't want me--I'm not qualified." Most of us would at least go for the interview and let the company decide if we were qualified or not.

Sometimes outside eyes can see things that inside eyes can't.

As buildings become taller, the general trend is for the cost per additional floor to escalate at a geometric rate. There are a few thresholds where the cost structure changes, but the bottom line is that taller is more expensive. If Younan was talking about building X,XXX number of housing units, X million square feet of office space, X,XXX hotel rooms, and XXX,XXX square feet of retail, and didn't specify a height or site, I'd take him as credible because that kind of a goal can be accomplished within a reasonable cost in any of those markets given a suitable site. But that kind of a plan in such a vertical building is going to be a flop.

I'm not going to shy away from saying it because he's smart enough to know it himself. I'd think that being ingenuine could only possibly be taken as an insult by such a masterful capitalist.

After all, who among us would say to a person looking to hire for a job, "Yes, I know that you want me to manage this division in your company, but trust me, you don't want me. All I'm good for is crunching numbers. The increase in pay would be nice, but you don't want me--I'm not qualified." Most of us would at least go for the interview and let the company decide if we were qualified or not.

I've had that kind of conversation before with headhunters. If you can't do something, there's absolutely no point to putting yourself deep into a no-win situation, or worse yet, blowing your reputation all to hell by dropping the ball on a multi-million dollar deal.

[KinkaidAlum]

If he wants to do it, fine by me.

That said, I am currently loving the city getting filled with buildings that are 10 to 40 stories tall. That's a more human scale in my mind.

I also don't really get all the "woe is me, poor Houston, she doesn't build anything" mentality. The city is BOOMING right now.

[GovernorAggie]

As buildings become taller, the general trend is for the cost per additional floor to escalate at a geometric rate. There are a few thresholds where the cost structure changes, but the bottom line is that taller is more expensive. If Younan was talking about building X,XXX number of housing units, X million square feet of office space, X,XXX hotel rooms, and XXX,XXX square feet of retail, and didn't specify a height or site, I'd take him as credible because that kind of a goal can be accomplished within a reasonable cost in any of those markets given a suitable site. But that kind of a plan in such a vertical building is going to be a flop.

I'm not going to shy away from saying it because he's smart enough to know it himself. I'd think that being ingenuine could only possibly be taken as an insult by such a masterful capitalist.

I agree that he likely knows these things. However, like I said--so far he's said nothing about whether or not it makes (dollars and) sense. He wants to do it because, well, he can. It's more economical to buy certain goods or pay for certain services at the lowest cost possible, but we don't always do that, do we? Sometimes we pay for and do things just because we can. His "because he can" is just at a different scale from most of us.

[TheNiche]

If he wants to do it, fine by me.

That said, I am currently loving the city getting filled with buildings that are 10 to 40 stories tall. That's a more human scale in my mind.

I also don't really get all the "woe is me, poor Houston, she doesn't build anything" mentality. The city is BOOMING right now.

Humans are adaptable creatures. If humans can make a mile-high tower, that is human scale.

Are termite mounds in the African savannah that are many thousands times taller than any individual termite out of termite scale? Does that mean anything. My two cents: no.

I agree that he likely knows these things. However, like I said--so far he's said nothing about whether or not it makes (dollars and) sense. He wants to do it because, well, he can. It's more economical to buy certain goods or pay for certain services at the lowest cost possible, but we don't always do that, do we? Sometimes we pay for and do things just because we can. His "because he can" is just at a different scale from most of us.

On that note, I'm not sure that he actually can.

[KinkaidAlum]

Humans are adaptable creatures. If humans can make a mile-high tower, that is human scale.

Are termite mounds in the African savannah that are many thousands times taller than any individual termite out of termite scale? Does that mean anything. My two cents: no.

Oh my God, you are tiresome.

If you want to think that a 3,000 foot tower is human scaled compared to say something like the Mosaic with ground floor retail, public spaces, and a focus on Hermann Park, more power to ya!

[Mister X]

I usually think that nay sayers are just losers with no vision, but this idea is really off the charts wacko. I want Houston to have nice tall skyscrapers as much as anybody, hopefully some higher than what we have now, but a 3000 ft. tower would look like a joke in this or any city. It sounds so completely pointless, not to mention the fact that it would throw our beautiful downtown skyline all out of balance forever. There would never be another nicely composed photo taken of downtown again.

I don't believe this idea will ever even be mentioned in public again after today, let alone be built anywhere, but if somehow it is built in Houston, I would hope that it is nowhere near downtown. Anything this freakish would need its own district because it wouldn't fit in anywhere. It should be built next to a tourist attraction like NASA or Reliant Stadium or something, because it would be more of a spectacle than anything usable. Who would want to work or live on the 300th floor?

Edited July 26, 2007 by Mister X

[T 2 THA C]

I do not know if a 3,000 ft building would be any more of a joke in Houston as the Williams Tower is in uptown. After all they do say everything is bigger in Texas and what would be better than having the biggest building in height then in Texas biggest city.

[Mister X]

Williams is no joke. It may be purposely out of scale for uptown but it doesn't exceed into cartoonish levels. Maybe I would change my mind after I saw it for myself in real life, but as a concept, a 3000 ft tower just seems ridiculous.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Mister X

[Deut28Thirteen]

I don't get why people are already bashing this tower. He has not even picked a city yet, and more so we don't know if he is "REALLY" going to build the worlds tallest tower. Seems like to many people in Houston and around the country see Houston as still being a redneck southeast shady town in Texas and not see it as what it really is: A diverse city in every way, major city in America and around the world whether you believe it or not, a city of 5 million plus, it is the Energy and Oil Capital of the World and their is so much more that could be said. Why can't Houston have the worlds tallest tower some people on here think simply because we are not good enough and that is some crap.

[Mister X]

I don't get why people are already bashing this tower. He has not even picked a city yet, and more so we don't know if he is "REALLY" going to build the worlds tallest tower. Seems like to many people in Houston and around the country see Houston as still being a redneck southeast shady town in Texas and not see it as what it really is: A diverse city in every way, major city in America and around the world whether you believe it or not, a city of 5 million plus, it is the Energy and Oil Capital of the World and their is so much more that could be said. Why can't Houston have the worlds tallest tower some people on here think simply because we are not good enough and that is some crap.

O.K. I'm convinced now. Bring it on.

[sevfiv]

don't mind my rudimentary photoshopping skills, but i wanted to put some perspective to this

not that the tower would be in the CBD necessarily, but this gives a tiny idea of something 3,000 ft (about three times the height of Wells Fargo):

Edited July 26, 2007 by sevfiv

[wxman]

Cartoonish is the perfect word. Your talking about a building that would more than TRIPLE the height of Williams. Not to mention, did anybody forget we have hurricanes here? A tower like that could only be built in certain cities. LA is to earthquake prone along with San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. We get hurricanes along with Miami, N.O., NYC, Tampa and any other city on the coast. That leaves San Antonio, Atlanta and Chicago and possibly Denver. However you'd probably need oxygen masks at the top in Denver.

don't mind my rudimentary photoshopping skills, but i wanted to put some perspective to this

not that the tower would be in the CBD necessarily, but this gives a tiny idea of something 3,000 ft (about three times the height of Wells Fargo):

LOL! Ok, if that doesn't make a mochery of our skyline, I don't know what does. I'm officially against this project. I mean that is obscene. Our skyline has forever popped a boner.

[Trae]

You wouldn't need oxygen masks. It would only reach 8,000 or so feet in the air. If you have ever been to Keystone, or Dillon, or Aspen, they are both at 9,000 feet.

[GovernorAggie]

On that note, I'm not sure that he actually can.

Maybe you're not, but it's not really for you to say whether he can or not. Do you know his porfolio? Do you know his level of wealth?

Let's not forget people that the silly $500 million Astrodome conversion project seemed like a white elephant and unfeasible to the "all-knowing" Houstonians but Deutsche Bank (of all entities) saw fit to finance this thing that most everyone just knew would fail.

Is the idea outlandish? Yes. Is it crazy? Yes. Is it unreasonable? Yes. However it begs the question as to why? Is it because we can't imagine something that big and expensive being built in Houston? Is it because we can't wrap our minds around it? If this was Shanghai or Hong Kong or Seoul or especially Dubai, this would be a ho-hum development that would not surprise them as much as it surprises us.

I still maintain that we don't know what kind of "building" he has in mind. Maybe someone can superimpose a 3,000 foot CN Tower or Tower of the America's over downtown and see what that looks like.

Last thing, this is still Houston, and if he buys the land for the building and commits to building it, well there's nothing that can be done to stop him.

Edited July 26, 2007 by GovernorAggie

[ricco67]

... Our skyline has forever popped a boner.

:lol:

[Simbha]

For my taste, I'd rather see Houston build some greater density, at least inside the loop. If the guy wants to build an ultratall, I can't stop him but I'd rather see someone like that build an entire midrise district. We can even name it after him.

[Mister X]

Are there no height restrictions anymore?

[TheNiche]

Oh my God, you are tiresome.

If you want to think that a 3,000 foot tower is human scaled compared to say something like the Mosaic with ground floor retail, public spaces, and a focus on Hermann Park, more power to ya!

Are you in a neck brace? If not, all it takes is a tilt of the head and voila! Even from street level, you have scale.

Hop in the elevator and you can be on any level of the tower in minutes. If sufficiently convenient for use, then it is to scale.

For whatever reason you may be tired, I haven't a clue.

I usually think that nay sayers are just losers with no vision, but this idea is really off the charts wacko. I want Houston to have nice tall skyscrapers as much as anybody, hopefully some higher than what we have now, but a 3000 ft. tower would look like a joke in this or any city. It sounds so completely pointless, not to mention the fact that it would throw our beautiful downtown skyline all out of balance forever. There would never be another nicely composed photo taken of downtown again.

If it were built in Houston, it would be very unlikely that it were built downtown. Our city blocks are too small to accomodate a base of such a tower, and that we are prone to hurricanes would either require that the building have setbacks that taper as they approach the top (like the Burj) or that it be conical in shape. The same concept would work in Los Angeles to make it earthquake-resistant. The key is keeping it from being top-heavy and to allow the greatest degree of aerodynamic stability.

[Jax]

For my taste, I'd rather see Houston build some greater density, at least inside the loop. If the guy wants to build an ultratall, I can't stop him but I'd rather see someone like that build an entire midrise district. We can even name it after him.

That's what I was thinking. I wonder how many 8 story structures you could build for that price? Could you fill up all of the surface lots downtown and in midtown?

[WesternGulf]

For whatever reason you may be tired, I haven't a clue.

If it were built in Houston, it would be very unlikely that it were built downtown. Our city blocks are too small to accomodate a base of such a tower

All there would need to be is a disruption of the grid in downtown or a dead end to make something like this happen. With that said, I can not think of any design that would fit our skyline with something that tall. I don't know how they did it, but as tall as the Burj is in Dubai, it seems to fit with what is planned for the area. I feel kind of stupid debating this building anyway.

I echo Simbha's sentiments.

Edited July 26, 2007 by WesternGulf

[TheNiche]

Let's not forget people that the silly $500 million Astrodome conversion project seemed like a white elephant and unfeasible to the "all-knowing" Houstonians but Deutsche Bank (of all entities) saw fit to finance this thing that most everyone just knew would fail.

I wasn't among that group of people. In fact, I was the one that pointed out (based upon numbers reported in the Chronicle) that in the long run, it was more fiscally responsible for Harris County to mothball it in perpetuity than it was to incur the expense of tearing down. With that in mind, they *could* have just given it away to someone that promised to do just about anything with it that was compatible with Reliant Park, and it would've made sense...even something as grotesque as a massive self-storage facility, if feasible.

Maybe you're not, but it's not really for you to say whether he can or not. Do you know his porfolio? Do you know his level of wealth?

If the article is correct, he'll need financing, and even if he allocated his entire net worth into such a project, nobody would give him any more than what the building would ultimately be worth at market value (i.e. the net collateralized value from foreclosure). The only way he can make it work is if he gets an equity partner...but then he'd have to share in the glory, and that is not a concept that sits well with egoists.

Is the idea outlandish? Yes. Is it crazy? Yes. Is it unreasonable? Yes. However it begs the question as to why? Is it because we can't imagine something that big and expensive being built in Houston? Is it because we can't wrap our minds around it? If this was Shanghai or Hong Kong or Seoul or especially Dubai, this would be a ho-hum development that would not surprise them as much as it surprises us.

This has nothing to do with our ability to comprehend something like this in Houston. He may want to build it and I may want it built, but if he can't afford it, we won't get it.

It is a simple reality.

I wonder how many 8 story structures you could build for that price? Could you fill up all of the surface lots downtown and in midtown?

Easily.

Edited July 26, 2007 by TheNiche

[Deut28Thirteen]

Cartoonish is the perfect word. Your talking about a building that would more than TRIPLE the height of Williams. Not to mention, did anybody forget we have hurricanes here? A tower like that could only be built in certain cities. LA is to earthquake prone along with San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. We get hurricanes along with Miami, N.O., NYC, Tampa and any other city on the coast. That leaves San Antonio, Atlanta and Chicago and possibly Denver. However you'd probably need oxygen masks at the top in Denver.

LOL! Ok, if that doesn't make a mochery of our skyline, I don't know what does. I'm officially against this project. I mean that is obscene. Our skyline has forever popped a boner.

We all have diffrent views but why do you think it makes a mochery of our skyline? To me it is perfect. As the city grows and moves into the future The skyline will do the same. When JPMC was built it was among the top ten tallest in the world. It is not even in the top 30 now . Time and Houston has changed drastically, and why the skyline has grown nicely, it has not changed greatly. This could be the Williams Tower of the Downtown skyline out of place but somhow it fits perfectly into the city. 1st we have to be picked but if I could choose I will put in in Greenway Plaza or Greenspoint or like some else said create its own district and put like a 1,500-2,200 footer in downtown with some other smaller towers around that one to fill in downtown a little more.

[JLWM8609]

I don't see this being built in downtown. I remember reading somewhere that the Chase Tower couldn't be built much taller because of some sort of FAA restrictions. Because the approach path for runway 12R at HOU comes near downtown (sometimes they'll turn over downtown while lining up) and most planes are pretty close to 1,000 feet give or take around that distance from the airport. And on some days when you have heavy winds from the north, traffic lining up for runways 33L and 33R at IAH will come right over downtown at some relatively low altitudes.

Edited July 26, 2007 by JLWM8609

[RedScare]

if I could choose I will put in in Greenway Plaza or Greenspoint or like some else said create its own district and put like a 1,500-2,200 footer in downtown with some other smaller towers around that one to fill in downtown a little more.

Is it just me or does this post remind you of this guy?

I am a shrubber. My name is Roger the Shrubber. I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies.

[wxman]

We all have diffrent views but why do you think it makes a mochery of our skyline? To me it is perfect. As the city grows and moves into the future The skyline will do the same. When JPMC was built it was among the top ten tallest in the world. It is not even in the top 30 now . Time and Houston has changed drastically, and why the skyline has grown nicely, it has not changed greatly. This could be the Williams Tower of the Downtown skyline out of place but somhow it fits perfectly into the city. 1st we have to be picked but if I could choose I will put in in Greenway Plaza or Greenspoint or like some else said create its own district and put like a 1,500-2,200 footer in downtown with some other smaller towers around that one to fill in downtown a little more.

It would make a mochery because it would make our other skyscrapers look like low rises. If we had a density to the likes of NY, Miami, or Chicago, it would not be a bad fit. But we don't. Look how bad the Southwest Bank Tower would have stood out if it were built. It was only like 1,400 ft I believe. Your talking about more than doubleing that even. I don't know, IF** it were built, I'd say uptown. That's just me.

[pm91]

i think it would be awesome to have this in houston... but, people are right, we need more density to make look even decent. besides, if this was built, the vacancy percent would rise to..well, i cant even imagine. and if the vacancy percent went up that just mean less building because of lower demand. id rather have 25+ story buildings in houston than one big one that would take forever to fill up... im just sayin'...

[KinkaidAlum]

I'll give you New York and Chicago, but Miami?

Since when has Miami had a dense skyline? Miami's skyline has a cluster in downtown proper but the rest of the growth is very linear along the Biscayne Bay waterfront.

[Captain Impossible]

Huntsville? Yeah right. Maybe Conroe.

Actually, at that height, it's entirely possible. To back that up, it has been reported that Burj Dubai will be visible for sixty miles. Something even taller could, then, be seen from seventy or more, and where I live, northeast of Huntsville, is something like 72 miles straight line from downtown Houston.

[CDeb]

Actually, at that height, it's entirely possible. To back that up, it has been reported that Burj Dubai will be visible for sixty miles. Something even taller could, then, be seen from seventy or more, and where I live, northeast of Huntsville, is something like 72 miles straight line from downtown Houston.

I don't think air quality would allow that to happen. It would have to be an exceptionally clear day.

When I used to drive in a lot from College Station on 290, I could sometimes see the Williams Tower from the Katy-Hockley Road overpass, but it is very, very faint. That is 28.5 miles in a straight line according to Google Earth.

Edited July 27, 2007 by CDeb

[ToryGattis]

I agree that the economics are not there in unregulated Houston to support a building like this. This is also the kind of building that pretty much has to be fed by massive amounts of commuter rail transit, because you simply can't park enough cars to fill it with people. That means Chicago. So I'm guessing that this guy knows Chicago is insecure about being a first tier world city, and unhappy since the Sears tower fell off its #1 perch. So he throws out LA and Houston as reasonable competitors (as Boeing did with Denver and Dallas) to win the maximum possible concession from Chicago. And of course Chicago is salivating at the possibility of opening this thing in time for the 2016 Olympics they're going after. The tacit, unofficial concession with high profile projects like these is that the Chicago powers-that-be (like all-powerful Mayor Daley) will agree to suppress new competitive buildings downtown - probably for a decade or more - until this building fills up. Nobody wants a white elephant joke - it reflects badly on the developer and the city.

Even with all that, I give this thing very long odds of ever being built, much less economically viable.

[wxman]

I'll give you New York and Chicago, but Miami?

Since when has Miami had a dense skyline? Miami's skyline has a cluster in downtown proper but the rest of the growth is very linear along the Biscayne Bay waterfront.

Well the only other city in the world that is putting up more highrises right now is Dubai. Miami is undergoing Manhattenization right now. Their skyline is becoming VERY dense and in a hurry. I know that recently they announced plans to put up two 110 story condo towers making them the tallest residences in the world. Now putting up a structure that is more than twice as tall as even a 110 story building is still cartoonish, but not nearly what it would be if it were built here.

[Captain Impossible]

I don't think air quality would allow that to happen. It would have to be an exceptionally clear day.

Good call. This occurred to me some time later, when I was talking about this with someone.

[Trae]

There are a couple of people at SSP from Dallas who are wondering why he wouldn't consider Dallas, but instead chose Houston.

[pm91]

how much bigger would this be than burj dubai and al burj? because if he is trying to blow away those two from being the highest in the world by building a 3000 foot building, he must have a huge ego that he wants the world to know about. besides, i wont belive this guy is telling the truth until i see a rendering and with that i'll decide for myself on whether i'd like to see it in houston or not..

[editor]

You'd be able to see it in Huntsville.

Better. You'd be able to see it from the Gulf. Now THERE's a postcard for Houston.