Plan for world's second tallest tower unveiled

Privately-owned Irish property company, Shelbourne Development, has unveiled revised plans to build a 2,000 foot (609 metre) residential tower in Chicago. Shelbourne purchased a site on the shore of Lake Michigan for $64 mln (EUR 48.4 mln) in July for the 'Chicago Spire', which would be the tallest skyscraper in north America and the second tallest residential building in the world.

The new design proposes a corkscrew-shaped tower with 1,300 apartments over 160 floors. Earlier plans for a hotel and a 131-metre antennae have been abandoned. The Spire, if built according to the new plans, would only be surpassed by the Burj Dubai residential tower under development. The Financial Times said construction on the Dubai tower was close to passing the 100-storey mark. The final height has yet to be disclosed but it is expected to be 162-floors tall.

Shelbourne Development, headquartered in Dublin, was founded by Garrett Kelleher on his return to Ireland in 1996 from Chicago where he made a fortune as a developer. Since then the company has completed in excess of 139,000 m² of construction in Ireland and has developments and projects in Ireland, UK, France and Chicago, with a pipeline in excess of EUR 1.5 bn.