The Chicago Plan Commission has unanimously approved a proposal for a 51-storey office tower at 110 North Wacker Drive. Designed by Goettsch Partners for The Howard Hughes Corporation and Riverside Investment & Development, 110 North Wacker carries over the same development, design, and leasing team that collaborated on the recently completed 150 North Riverside project, and promises a similarly contemporary design replete with glass curtain wall and special amenity spaces.

A rendering shows the stepped massing of the project, image courtesy of Goettsch Partners

Set to replace the low-slung General Growth Building, the prominent tower will straddle Wacker Drive and the Chicago River with approximately 1.35 million square feet of space coated in an aluminum and glass external membrane. The project's huge expanses of glass will allow tenants to absorb the sweeping views of the skyline and along the river. In addition to tenant-focused amenities like a conference centre and fitness facility, the project will add retail and dining options to Chicago's vibrant shopping and gastronomy scenes.

The General Growth Building will be demolished, image retrieved from Google Street View

"Our vision is to deliver the next evolution of premier office space in the heart of Chicago," said Grant Herlitz, President of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "This project is generating a tremendous amount of tenant interest in this one-of-a-kind building. With Riverside, Goettsch Partners and Drew Nieman's group from CBRE, we have assembled a team with a proven track record for creating iconic office buildings in Chicago. We are pleased to be advancing through the city process and look forward to next steps."

Triangular supports frame the riverwalk space, image courtesy of Goettsch Partners

Goettsch Partners' Chairman and CEO James Goettsch also explained the vision behind the development's use of setbacks: "The site's trapezoidal shape allows us to provide a series of stepped projections on the western façade, enhancing views up and down the river, emphasizing the building’s verticality, and providing the building with a distinct identity. At street level, almost half of the site is publicly accessible and features a soaring covered riverwalk, supported by a distinctive structural design."

A rendering of the covered riverwalk, image courtesy of Goettsch Partners

The project also includes a voluntary $19.55 million payment into the City's Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus system. The vast majority of payments into the system, approximately 80 percent, are then devoted to the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund to support improvements along commercial corridors in underserved communities. The remaining money will be earmarked towards designated landmarks across the city and infrastructure improvements in the vicinity of the development site.

A rooftop deck produces stunning vistas of Chicago, image courtesy of Goettsch Partners

"This project will add to Chicago's skyline while continuing to build on our thriving riverfront," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "It will also benefit every corner of Chicago by making the largest-to-date commitment to the Neighbourhood Opportunity Fund, which is designed to drive economic activity and create amenities in our neighbourhoods that need it most."

North Wacker frontage, image courtesy of Goettsch Partners

A construction start date has not yet been finalized, but once work commences, the project is expected to take about two and a half years to build. Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.