The 411 on 601 West Randolph in the West Loop
Four months ago, an alert reader noticed some people poking around at 609 West Randolph Street. He told us. We told you. Then last month, the project became official, as 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly started talking about a new development for the corner of Randolph and Jefferson in the West Loop. Now, paperwork has been filed with the city to get this office building built. Rendering of 601 west Randolph (Va the Office of...
Radical Surgery Will Transform A Building You Never Noticed Into A Building You Might Notice
Some architecture stands out. Some architecture blends in. And then there’s architecture that is a cognitive blind spot. Fifty East Huron is an example of what happens when a building goes for inoffensive and ends up with invisible. 50 East Huron (Via Apple Maps) The building used to be the home of the American Library Association. It sold the building in December of 2019, packing up and bookmobiling it across the Chicago River...
You Called It: New Office Building Coming to the West Loop
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 Rendering of 609 west Randolph (Va the Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly) 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly was the...
COVID Forces a Change of Plans in a Proposed Near North Building
Sixty-one West Erie hasn’t been built yet, and it’s already on its third life. First, it was going to be a 12-story condominium block. Then a 29-room vacation rental hotel hybrid. Now, it’s all about apartments. September 2019 rendering of 61 West Erie. (via the Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly.) That’s the word from 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, who writes, “The hotel project is no longer viable...
Two Tower Project To Replace the Chicago Spire Goes to Plan Commission With An Unusual Condition
The 35-year saga of 400 North Lake Shore Drive may finally come to a conclusion soon, as this week the Chicago Plan Commission is scheduled to consider the latest proposal for the property on the northwest corner of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. March 2020 rendering of 400 North Lake Shore Drive (Courtesy of Related Midwest) The location is perfect for a prominent, eye-catching trophy tower, and even in the mid-1980’s...
New Renderings, Info For Lakefront Skyscraper Duo
Editor’s note: These days pretty much everyone is worried about the Wuhan Flu. With a full-time gig for a healthcare company, we understand. We’ve also noticed that a lot of the more irreverent online publications aren’t publishing anymore because the world is a much more serious place now. We understand that, too. But as rabid news consumers, we also understand that sometimes you need an...
Spire Site Skyscrapers Shaved In Second Swing
These days it seems like the only thing harder than finding a Cubs game on television is building a skyscraper at 400 North Lake Shore Drive. But Related Midwest is heating up the pine tar to take another swing. February 2020 rendering of 400 North Lake Shore Drive (via the Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly) You’ll remember that 400 was going to be the location of the Fordham Spire, which failed. Then it was going to be the...
Counting Down to the Vista Tower Opening
It’s said that the devil is in the details. Today, there’s an angel buried in there, deep down inside 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly’s latest missive to his constituents. That’s where we find out when Magellan Development’s Vista Tower is going to open in Lakeshore East. Rendring of the Wanda Vista Tower (Courtesy of Studio Gang) “Magellan expects for this to occur in the third quarter of...
60-Story Superior Street Skyscraper Surprise
Developers backing a new Superior Street tower have lubed up the defibrillator paddles and jolted their patient back into City Hall. Loop North News reports that 40 East Superior has not assumed room temperature after all, as Symmetry Development filed a revised plan for the property on December 11th. March 2017 rendering of 40 East Superior (via Alderman Brendan Reilly’s Office) The last time this rodeo came to town, the prize...
Habitat’s Skyscraper Forest Spreads to Fulton River District
The next Habitat/SCB residential skyscraper to adorn Chicago’s River North neighborhood won’t actually be in River North. It will be across the river in the Fulton River District. But you won’t need a 23andMe test to know this is one of the family. You can tell just by looking at it. December 2019 rendering of 344 North Canal That 344 North Canal looks so similar to other skyscrapers nearby should set off our...
