Driving on the west side yesterday, I passed by the Madison Community Tower, and I was reminded of a fascinating series by Wisconsin State Journal reporter Barry Adams in 2010, in which he took readers to “secret places” around the city.
Put this 660 tons of steel and guy wires next to the tallest buildings ever constructed and it would be ranked ninth in the world, just between the 1,451-foot-tall, 108-story Willis (formerly Sears) Tower and the 1,389-foot- tall, 98-story Trump International Hotel & Tower, both in Chicago.
The tower, which is owned by the University of Wisconsin, was constructed to reduce the number of individual antennas that dot the skyline:
The tower holds more than 60 antennas for TV and radio stations, cellular phone companies and emergency services, public works and other government agencies. Most of the antennas…are attached to the sides of the tower, but four Madison TV stations… make up three orange-colored candlesticks ranging in height from 55 to 70 each and weighing from 10 to 20 tons.
Photographer Mike Devries captured some great shots of the tower, the candelabra bristling with antennae, and the views.