Back in May of this year, we relayed to you a photograph that West Loop Spy Kurt jammed into our tip line showing soil sampling rigs tasting the dirt beneath 609 West Randolph Street. Usually if someone is paying for that kind of work, there’s a reason; and now we know the reason: a 15-story office building
42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly was the executive bean spiller on this one, telling his constituents that the developer is Vista Properties, and that it intends to preserve the historic, but not landmarked, 1890’s building on the corner at number 601.
A number of architecture firms have tried to make their new designs blend in with the legacy buildings of River North and the West Loop, with varying degrees of failure. This time it’s Antunovich Associates‘ turn to see what it can do. Mr. Reilly states that the building, “is comprised of a contemporary loft vernacular that relates to the traditional masonry facades of 601 West Randolph and neighboring buildings.”
The new building will be set back from the sidewalk so that Code Orange 601 can be visually more prominent, which is a nice touch. The new office building will also have zero parking, which is not just a nice touch, but the kind of touch that gets you a second date.
Location: 609 West Randolph Street, West Loop
Editor founded the Chicago Architecture Blog in 2003, after a long career in journalism. He can be reached at chicagoarchitectureinfo@gmail.com.
