Autobiography of a Skyscraper

The magnitude of error in building a skyscraper is staggeringly large. Flaws in engineering take on exponential importance with every level you go up. The cost of mistakes can easily multiply into tens of millions of dollars. If a piece of plywood isn't secured properly and flies off the deck, someone down below might end up dead. That's the horror of the business. It's also the beauty.

Autobiography of a Skyscraper-documenting in both words and pictures the making of 1000M, a 74-story gleaming tower in the heart of Chicago-is the story of the most dynamic workplace one could ever imagine. From the financiers who secure the many hundreds of millions of dollars needed for construction to the installers who jump atop the window frames from nearly a thousand feet up in the air, hundreds of people work together in the miracle of organization that is building a skyscraper. It is an orchestra, where no matter how small the part, everyone must play in tune and together.

The conductor of this particular orchestra is Francis Greenburger, a real estate titan with nearly half a century of investing in and developing properties around the world. However, just as 1000M was built by a wide array of skills, so Autobiography of a Skyscraper weaves the personal accounts of many of those involved into a single narrative of how a tower rises. Unlike traditional books on architecture and construction, it marries instructive and technical elements with the intimacy and pace of a memoir.

Architecture or urban planning buffs will be given a wide lens into understanding the impact of their work. For the casual reader, they will see the extent to which there's a gripping story behind every building in the sky. Autobiography of a Skyscraper will not only serve as a written record of this significant architectural addition to Chicago, but also as a blueprint for real estate developers, financial institutions, architects, city planners, designers, construction workers, and anybody else interested in what it takes to change a city's skyline.

Über den Autor / die Autorin

Francis Greenburger is an American real estate developer, literary agent, author, philanthropist, activist and founder of Time Equities Inc., Art Omi, Inc., and the Greenburger Center for Social & Criminal Justice. He is an avid tennis player and traveler. He resides in Manhattan with his wife Isabelle Autones and is the proud father of four children: Morgan, Noah, Julia and Claire.

Zusammenfassung

The magnitude of error in building a skyscraper is staggeringly large. Flaws in engineering take on exponential importance with every level you go up. The cost of mistakes can easily multiply into tens of millions of dollars. If a piece of plywood isn’t secured properly and flies off the deck, someone down below might end up dead. That’s the horror of the business. It’s also the beauty.

Autobiography of a Skyscraper—documenting in both words and pictures the making of 1000M, a 74-story gleaming tower in the heart of Chicago—is the story of the most dynamic workplace one could ever imagine. From the financiers who secure the many hundreds of millions of dollars needed for construction to the installers who jump atop the window frames from nearly a thousand feet up in the air, hundreds of people work together in the miracle of organization that is building a skyscraper. It is an orchestra, where no matter how small the part, everyone must play in tune and together.

The conductor of this particular orchestra is Francis Greenburger, a real estate titan with nearly half a century of investing in and developing properties around the world. However, just as 1000M was built by a wide array of skills, so Autobiography of a Skyscraper weaves the personal accounts of many of those involved into a single narrative of how a tower rises. Unlike traditional books on architecture and construction, it marries instructive and technical elements with the intimacy and pace of a memoir.

Architecture or urban planning buffs will be given a wide lens into understanding the impact of their work. For the casual reader, they will see the extent to which there’s a gripping story behind every building in the sky. Autobiography of a Skyscraper will not only serve as a written record of this significant architectural addition to Chicago, but also as a blueprint for real estate developers, financial institutions, architects, city planners, designers, construction workers, and anybody else interested in what it takes to change a city’s skyline.

Vorwort

• Promotional efforts to all major audiences, including real estate community and developers, architectural community, urban planners, construction and labor trade unions, Chicago residents, academic communities (real estate, architectural, urban planning, engineering programs, construction managements, MBAs), and more.


• Contact individuals and media that expressed interest in Francis’ previous book, Risk Game. Endorsers for Risk Game include Fred Wilson (Twitter: 682K followers), Congressman Jerry Nadler (Twitter: 448K followers), Senator Cory Booker (Twitter: 195K followers), and others.


• Promote book through the networks of the major companies and individuals involved in the project, which include JAHN architectural firm, Rebecca Paley, Time Equities Strategic Partners, various Chicago politicians, and the list of tradespeople and professionals interviewed in the book and their corresponding unions and/or companies with PR contacts.


• Coordinate the broadcasting of video interviews with Francis Greenburger (and possibly other stakeholders, some construction workers. etc.) to discuss 1000M, its construction, the book writing process, and more.


• Offer pre-release/pre-order copies through various promotional partnerships which include, Alliance for Downtown New York, Art Omi, Baruch Real Estate Advisory Board for the Department, Lavigny Writer’s Residency, Lincoln Center Real Estate and Construction Council, Little Red Schoolhouse/Elizabeth Irwin High School Board of Trustees, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, MASS MoCa, NYU Real estate Institute Advisory Board, NY Edge, Bennington College, and PEN American Center.


• Re-design francisgreenburger.com so that it focuses on the new book. Purchase “autobiographyofaskyscraper.com” domain and direct to francisgreenburger.com website where the book will be advertised.


• Create a media kit that includes high-resolution book cover images, Francis Greenburger's bio, book synopsis, sample chapters, and relevant quotes. Make kit easily accessible on francisgreenburger.com. Host webinars, live Q&A sessions, or virtual workshops related to the book's themes. Partner with industry experts or organizations to co-host these events and increase visibility.

Produktdetails

• Autoren: Francis Greenburger
• Verlag: Ingram Publishers Services
• Sprache: Englisch
• Produktform: Fester Einband
• Erscheint: 16.09.2025
• EAN: 9781682195161
• ISBN: 978-1-68219-516-1
• Seiten: 300
• Illustration: Photographs throughout
• Themen: Geisteswissenschaften, Kunst, Musik > Kunst > Architektur; Sozialwissenschaften, Recht,Wirtschaft > Wirtschaft > Einzelne Wirtschaftszweige, Branchen; Chicago, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Business, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Real Estate / General, Autobiography: business & industry, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Construction / General, Property & real estate, Construction industry, Architecture: residential and domestic buildings, Autobiography: business and industry, Property and real estate, Construction & building industry, Construction and building industry