Posted 7/16/2009 06:27:00 PM by Douglas

Although pretty obvious, I had no idea that Sears moved out of their tower in 1992. Still, I think the re-naming effort is going to be slow going.

The Sears Tower, one of the world's iconic skyscrapers and the tallest building in the U.S., was renamed the Willis Tower on Thursday in a downtown ceremony, marking a new chapter in the history of the giant edifice that has dominated the Chicago skyline for nearly four decades.

Mayor Richard Daley unveiled the tower's new name on a large black sign in the lobby with the help of Joseph Plumeri, the Chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings, the London-based insurance broker that secured the naming rights as part of its agreement to lease 140,000 square feet of space in the building.

"We believe in Chicago," Plumeri said. "You will find over time that Willis is not going to just have its name on the building, it's going to have an impact in society, in the community."

Why rename it? Because Sears hasn't had any money in 20 years. But that doesn't mean it will change names in the hearts of the people just because it got a new tenant.

"I don't think people are going to let go," Lozito said. "You don't mess with a landmark. It would be like trying to change the name of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a reference point. I think it's disorienting to try to change the name."

Just goes to show: Your landmarks are available to the highest bidder.