Autobiography of a Skyscraper: And the Story of Those Who Built It

A highly original inside look at how vision becomes reality in constructing the modern urban landscape. Building a skyscraper requires more than steel and concrete-it takes a wide array of people, each with their particular skills.In Autobiography of a Skyscraper, legendary developer Francis Greenburger offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the construction of Chicago's 1000M tower, describing the way almost 1,000 people-from concrete workers to concierges, architects to investors-transformed an empty lot into a 74-story landmark. “Real estate isn't about property; it's about people,” Greenburger reflects in this book that, throughout, underscores his point.This is the story of an Italian immigrant who bet his family's entire inheritance on a hole in the ground; of window installers dancing on narrow ledges 800 feet above Michigan Avenue; of a chief concierge managing a community of 700 residents across 80,000 square feet of amenities; and of the safety manager who "babysit