Chicago: City of Spires

Prague is often referred to as the "City of Spires."  I've been to Prague , and I think Chicago has it beat.

I started thinking about it a couple of days ago when the Chicago Tribune's architecture critic complained about the spire atop the Trump International Hotel and Tower .  He called it little more than a "toothpick."

I'm certainly not going to disagree.  It's a shame of a structure, and a disgrace that it's not illuminated at night like the spires of the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center .

But there are many other toothpicks in this city of spires, as the photo above illustrates.  One Prudential Plaza may be the earliest examples of such toothpicks.  But at least at the time it served a purpose -- it was a radio and TV transmission antenna.  Trump serves no such purpose.

Looking out my window, other buildings with toothpicks large and small:

• Two Prudential Plaza 
• AT&T Corporate Center (4)
• Grand Plaza (4)
• The Park Tower (4)
• Northwestern University's Feinberg Inpatient Pavilion (2)

If you can think of any others, post them in the comments section below.