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Where had the Willis Tower Globe gone?

Christopher Glass & Aluminum, Inc. – Elmhurst, IL. is the new home of the iconic Willis Tower Globe. Company relocates to west Suburbs with the iconic globe sculpture.

Acclaimed Chicagoland full-service glass, glazing, aluminum, architectural metals, custom steel and service company, Christopher Glass & Aluminum, Inc. (CGA), is proud to announce the iconic Willis Tower Globe sculpture is in the process of being installed at their new corporate headquarters located at 832 Industrial Drive – Elmhurst, IL 60126.

“I am pleased to have recently relocated my company headquarters to Elmhurst and am especially happy to be able to save the famous Willis Tower Globe and bring it home to Elmhurst,” said Abe Asllani, CGA’s owner.

“CGA is handling much of the renovations planned for the lobby and main floor of the Willis Tower in 2018 and the opportunity to acquire the globe happened quite suddenly. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime chances that just couldn’t be passed up.”

Globe Base Image with Logo

With renovations and expansion planned for the near future, the Willis Tower could no longer be home to the 25-foot diameter modern globe sculpture which was made and installed by the Poblocki Sign Company in January 2010. It is estimated millions of Chicagoans and visitors from around the world have stopped to take photos and admire this iconic modern masterpiece.

In December 2017 a Local 63 Ironworker crew lead by our skilled General Superintendent, Dave Veronesi, and Project Manager, Bob Wolf, spent the overnight hours disassembling the globe into 16 pieces using a spider crane and boom lift.

Next, the crew secured and transported the entire 16,000-pound, stainless steel structure back to CGA headquarters. Since arriving at CGA in Elmhurst, each piece has been thoroughly cleaned, inspected and prepared for assembly and installation.

On January 17, 2018, the base piece for the globe structure was secured to a concrete foundation with arrangements for the remaining pieces to be installed in coming months. Moreover, plans are in the works to place a time capsule near the base of the globe which will hold memories of the Christopher Glass & Aluminum, Inc. company and its’ employees to commemorate the placement of the globe. The date for an official grand opening celebration complete with ribbon cutting, ceremony and open house is to be determined. On that day the time capsule will be placed and the globe dedicated.

Mr. Asllani remarked, “It is very fitting that this globe has now found its’ way to our front door because our CGA family is made up of people with roots from all over the world. This symbolic sculpture is intended to celebrate the diversity within the Christopher Glass and Aluminum, Inc. company.”

Along with the new Elmhurst location, Christopher Glass & Aluminum, Inc. operates a service division located at 3014 W. Fillmore Street – Chicago, IL 60612.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

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