The tower is just one of many construction projects in the very center of Mecca, from train lines to numerous luxury high-rises and hotels and a huge expansion of the Grand Mosque. The historic core of Mecca is being reshaped in ways that many here find appalling, sparking unusually heated criticism of the authoritarian Saudi government.
via www.nytimes.com
I had a very similar reaction when I saw the models and received the real estate developer handouts. It surprised me that enormous residential towers were being built within a block or so of the Grand Mosque.
![[book cover]](http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/cities/cc-cover-100w.jpg)
