The 53-story skyscraper that erased the vaguely Mid-Century General Growth Building is about to reach its penultimate height. 110 North Wacker kicked the squatty TuffShed-looking structure into the history books when Howard Hughes and Riverside Investment and Development decided to plant a Goettsch Partners design at this location.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the owners held a topping-off ceremony late last week, although the building won’t actually top off until later this month. Our freshly polished hardhat and recently laundered tuxedo T-shirt were not invited.
When complete, there will be a little more than 1.5 million square feet of office space, partially balanced above a 45-foot-wide riverwalk connecting Randolph Street with Washington Street. This will be the end of the line for this segment of the city’s Riverwalk system because just to the south is the Civic Opera Building, which hugs the Chicago River harder than Aunt Edna on a grandkid at Christmastime.

Location: 110 North Wacker Drive, The Loop