# The skyscraper thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 25, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479 "2025-04-25T14:21:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/1 "2025-04-25T14:21:29Z")
A 2006 thread that may be of interest: > [@What is your favorite skyscraper?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-skyscraper/370144): > > I like mine old school. The [Chrysler Building](http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=114867) in NYC is my favorite. I also like the [Petronas Towers](http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=105766) in KL. VERY stylish for ultra tall buildings compared to, say, the Sears Tower. They look amazing in real life. Honorable mention, and not a building everyone knows about goes to the [Williams Tower](http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/US/TX/HoustonWilliamsTower.html) in Houston. It is very unique because it is not in the “downtown” area. In fact, it may be the tallest building in the world not in a business district. It’s size is striking since it dwarfs e… And an interesting recent story, I thought: > **[Construction of world’s tallest abandoned skyscraper to resume after a decade...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/24/style/china-goldin-finance-117-construction-resumes-hnk-intl/index.html)** > > Work on the 1,959-foot-tall tower Goldin Finance 117 may resume as early as next week, almost 10 years after the project was halted amid major financial difficulties. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/2 "2025-04-25T14:38:34Z")
Thanks to a certain 1933 movie, the Empire State Building will always be at the top of my list. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/3 "2025-04-25T14:51:28Z")
I’m not sure if I’ve watched this specific video, but The B1M videos are usually very good. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lLzJpCd5X9g/maxresdefault.jpg "The Story Behind China’s 600-Metre Abandoned Skyscraper") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLzJpCd5X9g) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/4 "2025-04-25T16:11:13Z")
Fictitious, but The Glass Tower from **The Towering Inferno** is my fave now that the NYC World trade center twin towers are gone. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/5 "2025-04-25T18:58:43Z")
Of course there’s a pool near the top. That’s so when there’s a quake a lot of kewl videos will be made showing the water (and whatever is in the water) sloshing out. Should be much bigger waves than the recent Myanmar vids. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/6 "2025-04-25T19:16:38Z")
The most recent skyscraper I’ve been to the top of is one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, back in August 2001. I’m likely to never go to the top of another, just for peace of mind. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/7 "2025-04-25T19:22:37Z")
About 12 years ago we did the Empire State Building at night. It was as always, magnificent. I been to the top maybe 3 times in my life. I did the Word Trade Center twice and what was the RCA building, but now 30 Rocks, I believe twice. In Chicago I went to the top of the Willis Tower (The old Sears Tower) I think that is all of mine of note. My tallest light house was the Barnegat Light at 171’. I’ve climbed a lot of others. As far as favorite, no changes from the old thread. > [@What is your favorite skyscraper?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-skyscraper/370144/36): > > I agree with the Empire State Building as being the greatest and most amazingly constructed, but the Chrysler Building would be #2 on my list. While I grieved deeply for the destruction of the Twin Towers to the Terror events of 9/11 and the loss of life on that day of infamy, the buildings themselves were soulless glass boxes built of inferior material and having no style. I love the grace of the classic stepped Manhattan buildings. I was just driving through Orlando and I commented to my wi… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/8 "2025-04-25T19:26:27Z")
I’m old enough, like I’m confident that others here are also, to have been to the top of the **Empire State Building** when it was the tallest in the world (which was 1931-1971). That’s still my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/9 "2025-04-26T13:47:10Z")
Cleveland’s Terminal Tower might not be the tallest. It’s not even the tallest in the city, for the past few decades. But it has a lot more class than most. [![](https://clevelandtraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/DJI_0260-1024x767.jpg) ](https://clevelandtraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/DJI_0260-1024x767.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/10 "2025-04-26T14:16:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Cleveland’s Terminal Tower It’s not as tall, but IMO [The Cathedral of Learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Learning) at Pitt takes top prize in class & styling for a skyscraper. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Cathedral_of_Learning_stitch_1.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Cathedral_of_Learning_stitch_1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/11 "2025-04-26T16:58:18Z")
Seattle’s Smith Tower used to be the tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi. [![](https://pauldorpat.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/gn-pan-cbdca19291.jpg?w=500&h=298) ](https://pauldorpat.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/gn-pan-cbdca19291.jpg?w=500&h=298) Not so much now… [![](https://images.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/10232018_smith-tower_161635.jpg?d=1560x2374) ](https://images.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/10232018_smith-tower_161635.jpg?d=1560x2374) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/12 "2025-04-26T17:08:51Z")
I like the Torre de España in the Plaza de España in Madrid. It’s the one on the right: [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e9/f2/94/e9f294363b07630990602e5d3122a120.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e9/f2/94/e9f294363b07630990602e5d3122a120.jpg) Reminds my of my childhood. I can’t think of a single interesting high rise building in Berlin, except the television tower, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/13 "2025-04-28T00:59:37Z")
Well, I’m still loyal to my own hometown, but that definitely is another classy skyscraper. And both get bonus points for their names, not being renamed after some corporate sponsor or deep-pocketed donor. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/14 "2025-04-29T03:09:40Z")
Long a favorite of mine: > **[Why the Chrysler Building is an Art Deco icon | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/28/style/chrysler-building-art-deco-centennial/index.html)** > > Though it only had the distinction of being the world’s tallest building for 11 months, the Chrysler Building has remained one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/15 "2025-05-01T15:07:58Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > About 12 years ago we did the Empire State Building at night. It was as always, magnificent. I been to the top maybe 3 times in my life. I did the Word Trade Center twice and what was the RCA building, but now 30 Rocks, I believe twice. > > In Chicago I went to the top of the Willis Tower (The old Sears Tower) > > I think that is all of mine of note. > > My tallest light house was the Barnegat Light at 171’. I’ve climbed a lot of others. I’ve gone up all of them; multiple times (except for 30 Rock). Well, the new 1WTC. I was in the top of whichever of the twin towers had the observation deck but took the elevator up. My favorite is Empire State Building. I have pics of it from all over, from below, from mid heights & even from above. I have a pic at home when I was up there after ESBRU one night. There were low clouds & the lights made them look like a portal; made me wonder if Gozer the Gozerian was coming back. 😲 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-skyscraper-thread/1017479/16 "2025-05-01T15:41:42Z")
I see you carefully neglected to mention whether any web-swinging was or was not involved in your skyscraper-climbing escapades. 😁 I’m sure some great pix could be taken from a web-supported vantage point.