Cecil mentions in that last column (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000721.html) that Chicago’s Sears Tower leads the world in three of four categories, with Petronas in Kuala Lumpur taking the fourth. I seemed to recall that the Toronto tower was at the top of some list, and looking at the “profiles” on the site he referred to (http://webs.ii.ca/nalyd/skyscrapers/tallones.htm), it looks like the CN tower should take over either category 1 (‘architectural’ top) or 4 (antennas). Doesn’t it?
Incidentally, there was a fuss not too long ago in Chicago over the renaming of the Sears Tower. That’s right, Sears doesn’t own it anymore, and iirc doesn’t even rent office space there, and the company that does own it wants to name it after them. Of course, everyone else wants this major Chicago landmark to retain its name…
I think that Guinness (sp?) still recognizes the CN tower as the world’s largest “building.”
A similar and simultaneous discussion is occurring in this thread:
Tallest Buildings
“Incidentally, there was a fuss not too long ago in Chicago over the renaming of the Sears Tower. That’s right, Sears doesn’t own it anymore, and iirc doesn’t even rent office space there, and the company that does own it wants to name it after them. Of course, everyone else wants this major Chicago landmark to retain its name…”
As a Chicagoan,* I feel that the Sears Tower SHOULD get the name of the major tenant. (Who is that, anyhow? I don’t follow the real estate page regularly.) That company decided to keep or move its offices downtown, while Sears bugged out for some bufu nowhere office park along the Northwest Tollway even though the Loop is booming. Sears Roebuck & Company doesn’t DESERVE the free advertising and good will it gets from the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago if its not willing to stay in downtown Chicago. Lets see how many tourists go out to Rolling Meadows to see Prairie Stone. (Yes, those are the real names of the suburb and of the office park.)
*Well, a resident of a suburb that borders on the city. But I work downtown and come downtown often on the weekends.