It seems pending construction of a "world's tallest" building is announced every few months in recent years with American cities again on the competitive list.... It seems pending construction of a "world's tallest" building is announced every few months in recent years with American cities again on the competitive list. A few short years ago, Americans seemed to yawn at the prospect of more tall buildings, but that changed the day two of them were knocked down.

The latest announcement is for a would-be addition to Chicago's skyline. If built, this tall tower could mean the return of the skinny spires constructed during the golden age of tall buildings. Certainly such a building would add interest to the windy city's skyline where others just add a block of fill.

The reason a skinny design is again attractive is because the hottest commodity in urban centers these days is not office space, but condos.

If built the new Chicago building would be the world's tallest, followed by the Sears Tower and then New York's proposed Freedom Tower--a structure that so far will not contain living space.

Chicago (and the world) could see the physical "Fordham Spire" designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava by 2009.