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Sears Tower set to open ‘Ledge’ to thrill seekers

Glass platform suspended from 103rd floor Skydeck, can hold 5 tons

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updated 7:36 p.m. ET July 1, 2009

CHICAGO - The Sears Tower is offering a new way to push your fear of heights right over the edge.

A glass ledge, actually, suspended from the building's 103rd floor Skydeck.

“The Ledge” is the nickname given to a set of glass balconies that open to the public Thursday.

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Sears Tower officials say the inspiration for the balconies came from the hundreds of forehead prints visitors left behind on Skydeck windows every week.

The glass is three layers thick, and each layer is a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) thick. The balconies can hold about five tons.

Other changes are on the way for the tallest building in the United States. They include its new name of Willis Tower and a $350 million green renovation for the 110-story skyscraper.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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