JULY 28, 2005 — There may be a new tall kid on the block: Plans for a new Santiago Calatrava-designed tower for Chicago have been announced, and that means competition for New York City"s planned 1,776-foot Freedom Tower before construction has even begun on either project. The "Fordham Spire" (named for the development company)-which will reportedly rise to 2,000 feet, making it the tallest in the United States-is planned for the Windy City"s Near North Side, alongside Lake Michigan, and will house condominium units and a hotel.

While the stature rivalry between Fordham and Freedom may make waves stateside, the contest is beside the point on the global level: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill"s Burj Tower in Dubai-now under construction-is expected to reach 2,300 feet, and when complete, it will overtake C.Y. Lee and Partners" Taipei 101, which, at 1,667 feet, holds the current world"s tallest title (only last October, it beat out Cesar Pelli"s 1,483-foot Petronas Towers in Malaysia.)

If all goes according to plan, 115 stories of the Fordham Spire will be completed by 2009. It will be in good company; Chicago is already home to three of the world"s 15 tallest buildings: the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Center, and the Aon Center.…