Chicago history Archives - Page 3 of 4

Lakeview’s Holiday-Themed Pop-Ups

Posted on December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 by Hunter

With the holiday season comes vibrant lighting, extravagant decorations and joyful crowds. And in these gleeful times, Lakeview is one of the best neighborhoods to partake in festive celebrations. The annual Wrigleyville Wonderland, Chicago’s largest pop-up event, draws visitors from near and far, but Optima Lakeview residents and those living in the area have prime access.

The beloved tradition returns this year to celebrate the holidays with 20 show-stopping Lakeview locations. Each bar brings its own unique twist on a festive theme. Visitors are promised fully decorated spaces filled with costumed performers, cheery music and holiday-inspired food and drinks throughout the season.

The participating bars will be sure to fulfill your craving to celebrate the holidays over the next few weeks and some long after the start of the new year. Check out the list of Wrigleyville Wonderland’s participants below:

The Country Club, 3462 N. Clark St., its original holiday pop-up runs through Feb. 1.
Deuces, 3505 N. Clark St., Santa Baby Christmas Bar runs through January.
Diver at the Park, 3475 N. Clark St., promises a Tulum holiday inspired experience.
Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., featuring Wrigleyville’s Christkindlmarket.
The Graystone Tavern, 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., a Hanukkah themed pop-up, running through Jan. 2.
Houndstooth Saloon, 3369 N. Clark St., inspired by the famous Griswold family, running through Jan. 10.
HVAC Pub, 3530 N. Clark St., the holiday pop-up runs through Jan. 15.
The Irish Oak, 3511 N. Clark St., a mash-up of St. Patrick’s Day and Hanukkah, Leprechanunaka,.
Wrigleyville Kilwins, 3519 N. Clark St., serving its 25 Days of Chocolate pop-up through Dec. 31.
Lucky Dorr, 1101 W. Waveland Ave., the festive Lucky Lodge pop-up is open through Dec. 31.
Moe’s Cantina, 3518 N. Clark St., inspired by the beloved holiday classic The Grinch and Whoville.
Casey Moran’s, 3660 N. Clark St., has transformed into Rudolph’s Christmas Bar, open through Dec. 30.
Mordecai, 3632 N. Clark St., the annual holiday pop-up bar, Mistletoe, runs until Dec. 30.
NOLA Bar & Kitchen, 3481 N. Clark St., its Very Cajun Christmas pop-up runs through Jan. 20.
Old Crow Smokehouse, 3506 N. Clark St., featuring a festive Santa’s Workshop pop-up.
Rizzo’s Bar and Inn, 3658 N. Clark St., the holiday-themed pop-up features local singer John Vincent at 7 p.m. Thursdays and 5 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 30.
Roadhouse 66 Gas N’ Grill, 3478 N. Clark St., the Jingle Junkie pop-up is open through Jan. 8.
Stretch Bar & Grill, 3845 N. Clark St., its Elf’d Up pop-up runs through Jan. 8.
Underground Lounge, 952 W. Newport Ave., inspired by the Island of Misfit Toys, the pop-up is open through Jan. 31.
Vines on Clark, 3554 N. Clark St., the holiday pop-up transports customers to an Apres Ski vacation.

The Graystone Tavern’s Hanukkah themed pop-up features traditional food and drinks options with a twist

With Wrigleyville Wonderland officially open for the season, don’t miss out on savoring the delicious festive food and drinks served at each immersive location. While some of the pop-ups run through February, others will end with the beginning of the new year. And, due to the popularity of the favorite tradition, many of the participating businesses are reservation only, so make sure to check their availability before making plans for a fun evening out.

Chicago’s Christkindlmarket

Posted on December 6, 2021December 7, 2021 by Hunter

One of the city’s most festive traditions, Chicago’s Christkindlmarket, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season. The holiday favorite celebrates culture and is beloved by locals and tourists alike. And, since the celebration can be found in two locations this year, at Daley Plaza downtown and Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville, residents at Optima Lakeview and Optima Signature have prime access to the festivities just blocks away from their door.

History

Visitors have flocked to Chicago to visit the Christkindlmarket since its founding in 1996, and today, the festival attracts more than one million visitors every year. The unique outdoor market takes inspiration from one of the first outdoor exchanges of its kind from 16th century Nuremberg, Germany, which shares its namesake.

The festival embraces its Germanic heritage and brings international charm to a local scale. Traditional architecture mirroring the original outdoor markets is key to the Christkindlmarket locations, and transports visitors into a winter wonderland. Entangled in the classical architecture are ropes of vibrant lighting, garland and other merry trimmings, giving the market an extra spark of life.

Crowd favorite hot pretzels at the Christkindlmarket, Courtesy of Benita Gingerella

Visiting

For those who make the trip to Chicago’s Christkindlmarket for its 25th anniversary, expect a lively environment in both locations — abundant in holiday spirit, jovial music, festive activities, eccentric shops and traditional cuisines.

At the market’s Daley Plaza location, an alpine-themed heated dining area allows guests to unwind and feast on delicious foods and drinks from various food trucks, including German beer, brats, pretzels, Belgian hot chocolate and apple strudel, among others. Wrigleyville’s Christkindlmaket brings even more seasonal festivities — some traditional and some less so — with its ice skating rink, ice bumper cars, curling, holiday movies, wreath-making workshop and other curated activities.

Handcrafted nutcrackers fill a vendor’s stand, Courtesy of Benita Gingerella

Exclusive vendors, both local and international, also fill the grounds at each location, selling their own authentically made gifts. Everything from intricately-carved nutcrackers to hand-knitted mittens can be discovered within both markets.

A truly transformed landscape, Chicago’s Christkindlmarket is the perfect tradition to take part in this winter, whether you find yourself downtown or in Lakeview. Regardless if you’re searching for an entertaining winter activity, uniquely crafted gifts for family and friends or just looking to take in the crisp winter air, consider this your one-stop-shop.

Daley Plaza’s market is open through December 24 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. most days, and Wrigleyville’s market is open through December 31 from 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. most days.

Romanticism to Ruin: Two Lost Works of Sullivan and Wright

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Nancy

Chicago is fortunate to have a rich architectural tradition. From the city’s first skyscraper built in 1885 to the transcending towers that look over the urban landscape today, architecture is at the forefront of Chicago’s role as a world-class city. At Optima, we are grateful to be part of an ecosystem that appreciates thoughtful and purposeful design. In the spirit of celebrating some of Chicago’s most prominent architects, we are delighted to see an exhibition at Wrightwood 659 that brings two magnificent lost buildings, designed by luminary architects to the public.

Romanticism to Ruin: Two Lost Works of Sullivan and Wright can be seen at Wrightwood 659, located just south of Optima Lakeview. This collection offers a glimpse into the rich history of two buildings designed by renowned architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis H. Sullivan. Though few connections are evident between the two structures at first glance, a deeper dive uncovers the rich relationship between the Garrick Theatre in Chicago and the Larkin Administration Building in Buffalo.

Photo of the Garrick Theatre — The Garrick Theatre, 1891, Photo courtesy of The Richard Nickel Committee and Archive

Reconstructing The Garrick

At the time of its completion in 1892, the Garrick Theatre, with a capacity of 1,300 seats, was among the tallest buildings in Chicago. Sullivan and his firm partner, Dankmar Adler, designed the exquisite structure to reflect the German heritage of its original investors, but made every development choice with careful thought for the theatre’s visitors. As the historic structure faded with time, its decline accelerated, and in 1961, amid much controversy and disagreement, the theatre was razed and replaced with a parking structure.

Reconstructing the Garrick uses stencils, fragments, drawings, photography and narrative to bring the lost architectural treasure back to life. Some of Sullivan’s most opulent designs for the Garrick included numerous terracotta portraits of well-known German men of the arts that protruded from the Theatre’s upper floors. Fragile ornamentation and vibrantly-colored plasters consisting of gold, jade and salmon, salvaged before and after the building’s demolition, are on view as part of the exhibition, offering access to delightful details of this grand structure that have been long-forgotten.

Photo of the Larkin Administration Building — Larkin Administration Building, 1934, Larkin Company photography collection

Reimagining the Larkin

Razed in 1906, the Larkin Administration Building, owned by Darwin D. Martin, was Wright’s first commercially-designed structure and allowed him to apply his innovative and pioneering techniques to a much larger scale. The building, designed and constructed for the Larkin Soap Company, was groundbreaking in its own right as a center where all of the company’s products were both manufactured and mailed. However, at the forefront of Wright’s mind was designing for workability.

Wright and Martin both understood that an ordered, well-lit and harmonious environment would champion the workers. The five-story red brick building included numerous modernized mechanics, including air conditioning, built-in desk furniture and suspended toilets. Wright designed most of the building’s furniture himself, and many pieces are on display within the exhibition. Deemed by critics and architects at the time as the finest commercial building in the world, the Larkin also seamlessly unified technology with the nature that surrounded it with its rooftop garden, recreation areas and water lily ponds.

Unlike the Garrick, after years of deterioration, there was little fight to save the Larkin. However, today both buildings hold greater significance than ever before. The Gerrick and the Larkin prove how transcendent architecture is defined not only by its material and look, but also by the lasting impression it stamps into history.

Romanticism to Ruin is currently open to visitors Fridays and Saturdays through the end of December 2021. You can reserve tickets to the exhibit here.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and His Role in the Chicago Skyline

Posted on October 27, 2021 by Hunter

Mid-Century Modernism defines the Chicago skyline. Organic forms rise from Chicago’s foundation and cast shadows across the Lake while innovative use of glass reflects waves of light onto the city streets. The Willis Tower, Marina City, the Aon Center are all notable examples of the mid-century modern masterpieces towering over the city.

Chicago’s mid-century modern skyline would not be complete without the exceptional contributions of architecture titan Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Born 1886 in Germany, Mies emigrated to Chicago in the 1930s due to the rise of Nazism in Europe. Already an esteemed architect, in Chicago Mies accepted the position as head of the architecture school at the Armour Institute of Technology (now the Illinois Institute of Technology). At IIT, Mies was commissioned to design buildings for the campus which still stand today. These buildings include Alumni Hall, the Carr Memorial Chapel, and S.R. Crown Hall, some of Mies’ many masterpieces.

Mies aspired to create architecture that represented modernity with clarity and simplicity. In 1951, Mies completed the two residential buildings of 860-880 Lakeshore Drive which are considered Chicago Landmarks and are listed as National Historic Places. Initially, the towers were viewed critically. However, with time the buildings became the prototype for steel and glass skyscrapers around the world.

Mies also designed Chicago’s Federal Center Plaza which is composed of three buildings; the Everett McKinley Dirksen courthouse building, the John C. Kulczynski building, and the Post Office building. The three buildings situate themselves around a plaza with Calder’s red Flamingo sculpture at the center. The plaza serves as one of the main gathering points in the Loop, Chicago’s commercial center.

Not too far away at 330 North Wabash sits the former IBM Plaza and Building, one of the last American projects designed by Mies. Built in 1973, the building was designed with advanced technology in mind and became well-known for the several atypical features it included as an office space at the time. Today, the Chicago Landmark is known as the AMA Plaza and includes the Langham Hotel, often regarded as one of the best hotels in the nation.

The Promontory, situated at 5530 S Shore Dr, stands 22 stories over Chicago’s Promontory Point and extensive shoreline in the Burnham neighborhood. Mies built the structure with a “Double T” design in which horizontal cross-bars join and the stems of the T’s form wings to the rear. Mies would employ this design in many of his future buildings.

The Farnsworth House, designed as a vacation retreat for Dr. Edith Farnsworth, is located just outside of Chicago in Plano, Illinois. Though the Farnsworth House is not a grand skyscraper, it has left a lasting impact on the Chicago architectural landscape. The house was an exploration for Mies in the convergence of humans, shelter, and nature. Consisting of a glass pavilion raised six feet above a floodplain beside the Fox River, the house has been described as “sublime” an “a poem” and is now a public museum.

Today, Chicago’s skyline has completely transformed from what it was more than 50 years ago when Mies passed. However, even as it continues to evolve with every new development, Mies iconic buildings still stand out as striking, inspiring architectural masterpieces.

Women in Architecture: Amanda Williams

Posted on October 20, 2021October 25, 2021 by Hunter

As part of our ongoing “Women in Architecture” series at Optima, we’re taking a look at another spearheading female figure: Amanda Williams. Similar to many of the women in this series, she is a pioneer in her field. Trained as an architect, Williams blurs the line between visual arts and modern architecture. Learn more about her remarkable life and work below.

The Life of Amanda Williams

Amanda Williams was born in 1974 in Evanston, Illinois. However, she grew up in Chicago’s Southside Gresham neighborhood. She graduated from Cornell University in 1997, where she studied architecture and was a member of one of the nation’s most prominent honor societies. After graduating, Williams moved to San Francisco and worked for a commercial architecture firm for six years before returning to her hometown to focus on her love of painting.

Back in Chicago, Williams discovered The Center Program. The Hyde Park Arts Center’s capstone program is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for groundbreaking artists. While in the program, fellow artist Trisha Van Eck challenged Williams to take her talents a step further and paint on a larger architectural scale. Her response led to some of her most recognized and celebrated work today.

Throughout her practice, Williams uses vibrant color to draw attention to the complexities and intersections of race, place and value within cities. Her paintings, sculptures and installations are all created to examine how the mundane can be viewed through a new lens and question the state of urban space throughout the country.

Notable Work

In 2015, Williams debuted her most famous project, Color(ed) Theory at Chicago’s Architecture Biennial. The critically acclaimed exhibition, featured in The New York Times, examines race and space on Chicago’s South Side. With the help of family and friends, Williams repainted eight abandoned houses in the Englewood neighborhood between 2014 and 2016 as part of the exhibition. Each house was decorated with specific colors Williams found in products targeted towards Black consumers. Still standing today, the eight eye-opening houses continue to push for further discussions on the complexities of race and space Chicago and around the world.

Chicago is home to another one of William’s most well-known pieces. Located at The Arts Club of Chicago, Uppity Negress was a site-specific exterior installation created in 2017. The work investigates the claim of courtyards as either public or private areas and addresses the vast roles that gender and race play in urban accessibility.

While much of Williams’ work is located in or near Chicago, her aptitude for creation has led her across the United States. In early 2019, Williams was chosen alongside acclaimed artist Olalekan Jeyifous to design Brooklyn’s newest monument dedicated to Rep. Shirley Chisholm, part of a larger city-wide initiative known as She Built NYC. The monument is soon to be completed and will sit at the Parkside entrance to the neighborhood’s Prospect Park.

A rendering of Williams and Jeyifous’ Shirley Chisholm Monument

Alongside her transformative work, Williams has been a recipient of many architecture and art awards as well as achievements throughout her career:

Chicago’s 3Arts Award, 2014
United States Artists Fellow, 2018
New Generation Leader, Women in Architecture Awards, 2021
Obama Presidential Center Design Team

Williams has lectured at esteemed schools including Washington University, California College of the Arts, Illinois Institute of Technology and her alma mater. Today, she continues to forge a lane of her own and blend traditional visual art techniques with the complexity of architectural design.

Chicago History: The South Shore Cultural Center

Posted on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 by Hunter

At Optima, our appreciation for timeless architecture and design runs deep, and there’s no better way to feed that passion than by paying a visit to the historic South Shore Cultural Center. On the corner of 71st St and South Shore Drive sits the large, brick building with landscaped gardens, a golf course, beach access, and unbeatable lake views. Many do not know that the structure exists, and many more drive by every day without realizing the rich history of the center and its grounds. The South Shore Cultural Center is one of Chicago’s hidden gems with astounding architecture, interior design, and a wealth of history.

History

The South Shore Cultural Center was originally founded in 1905 to function as a country club similar to the Athletic and Union League clubs downtown.

Designed in the Mediterranean revival style by the architecture firm, Marshall and Fox, the club initially served the wealthy, white population of the South Shore neighborhood and offered stables, a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a bowling green, along with a ballroom, and a private beach.

In the early 1960s, the demographic of the South Shore neighborhood began to change as black families integrated into the neighborhood, and white families left for the suburbs. Originally only open to white Protestants, by 1967, the club became open to anyone who wanted to join.

By 1973, struggling financially, the club liquidated its assets, and in 1975, the property was sold to the Chicago Park District.

Three sets of french doors fill the wall of an empty room with a chandelier swinging above them. — South Shore Cultural Center

Today

Thanks to a coalition of neighborhood activists and historic preservationists, the club’s original facilities remain standing today and are open to the public.

The Cultural Center serves as the home to the South Shore Cultural Center School of the Arts, an organization that provides community art classes, youth and teen programming, art and dance studios, a kiln, and the Paul Robeson Theatre.

The ballroom and banquet facilities can be rented for special events, and the golf course, beaches, and nature center remain open to the public.

A large chandelier is centered in the middle of a pink ceiling in a grand dining room with windows spanning the length of the wall. — South Shore Cultural Center Dining Room

Visit

The South Shore Cultural Center is easy to access from downtown on Lake Shore Drive. The Chicago Lakefront Trail also runs past the center, so it is possible to visit by bicycle. Plan a round of golf or bring the family for a beach day and picnic.

The Cultural Center also functions as a sort of museum with plaques explaining the building’s history and architecture.

Schedule your visit and learn more about the center here.

Chicago Skyscraper Spotlight: Rookery Building

Posted on July 14, 2021April 25, 2024 by Nancy

Highly regarded as one of the most historically significant buildings in Chicago, it’s only natural that we would include the Rookery Building in our ongoing Chicago skyscraper spotlight series. So what does it take for a building to earn such an esteemed title – especially in a city with a skyline marked by its architectural diversity and richness? Let’s take a look.

Big Shoulders Indeed

The Rookery Building was completed in 1888 by architects Daniel Burnham and his partner John Wellborn Root, under their firm Burnham and Root. Overall, the structure is considered one of their masterpiece buildings and was even once the location of their offices. Standing at twelve stories high (188 feet total), it’s also considered the oldest standing high-rise in Chicago.

The Rookery Building rose from the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire. Burnham and Root were part of the Chicago School of Architects who worked to rebuild the city during that time, utilizing modern industrial techniques combined with traditional techniques and design, resulting in a truly unique product.

The unique name, too, comes with a story: only a water tank was left standing from the original structure after the fire. A temporary structure was built around this tank, and was nicknamed the “rookery” – in part because of the pigeons and crows that perched on its exterior, but also in part because of the crooked politicians it housed within.

The Rookery, Chicago — Light Well and Mezzanine at The Rookery. Credit: Alan on Flickr Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed

The Rookery Building in the Modern Era

Burnham and Root weren’t the only big names to call the Rookery Building home. At one point, Frank Lloyd Wright once held offices there as well. In fact, Wright even remodeled the building’s lobby in 1905. Just a few decades ago, from 1982 to 1992, a massive renovation project was completed to restore the lobby to this original Wright design once again.

These days, the building is home to tenants such as US Bank, Brooks Brothers, Perkins Eastman and Interactive Brokers Group. Both the Frank Lloyd Wright organization and the Chicago Architectural Society offer tours inside the building, so that lovers of great architecture today can continue to appreciate its history, story, and gorgeous features.

Chicago Skyscraper Spotlight: Willis Tower

Posted on June 21, 2021April 25, 2024 by Nancy

If you ask anyone – Chicago native or tourist – to name one building in the city, odds are they’ll say Willis Tower (or perhaps Sears Tower, since the name only recently changed). This goliath skyscraper towers over the skyline, standing as a landmark beacon from vantage points even miles away. But how much do you really know about the famed Willis Tower? Today, we take a closer look at the building’s rich history.

The History of Willis Tower

One of the most contentious debates among Chicagoans this millennium has been whether they’ll call Willis Tower by its new name – or stick to tradition and refer to it as the Sears Tower. The tower was first envisioned in 1969 by the department store and its original namesake, Sears and Roebuck Company. Needing a place to house their 350,000 employees, the leading retailer commissioned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to complete the task.

And complete the task they did. Groundbreaking on the superstructure occurred a year later in 1970, and when the tower was completed three years later, it stood proud and tall at 108-stories as the world’s tallest building (surpassing even the World Trade Center in New York City). This soaring frame was made possible by a steel-framed bundled-tube construction, and boasts being the first building to use this structurally efficient and economic method.

Though Sears and Roebuck Company sold the tower and moved out eighteen years later, the newly-named Willis Tower continues to host companies such as United Airlines (its largest tenant) and its new namesake, Willis Towers Watson.

Chicago Willis Tower skydeck — Looking down from The Ledge at Willis Tower

Not Your Average Office Building

Having held the title of the world’s tallest building until being unseated from the throne in 1998, Willis Tower naturally had to welcome visitors to come witness the outstanding views. The building’s world-renowned observation deck, the Skydeck, has been open since 1974. Located on the 103rd floor and standing at an elevation of 1,353 feet, visitors (on a clear day) can see as far as Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin as they feel the building sway in the wind.

In 2009, the same year as the building’s name change, the Skydeck underwent renovation to now include glass boxes that jut four feet out over the skyline, informally dubbed “The Ledge.” Thrill-seeking visitors experience the sensation of floating above the city skyline while enjoying the famous view – a view which draws in 1.9 million visitors annually.

Naturally, such a structure attracts thrillseekers of a different kind as well. In 1981, a man named Dan Goodwin donned a Spiderman suit, some suction cups, camming devices and skyhooks scaled the entire tower. The attempt took him seven hours, despite the Chicago Fire Department’s best attempts to stop him, and he was arrested when he reached the top. In 1999, another Spiderman impersonator, Alain “Spiderman” Robert attempted the same journey as his predecessor, this time with only his bare hands and feet… he was mostly successful.

If that last paragraph tempts you to try your own risky ascent, know that an annual charity event, named SkyRise Chicago, legally allows visitors to climb the tower’s 103-story staircase, making it the world’s tallest indoor stair climb.

Whether it’s from a passing car on Lakeshore Drive, peering up into the sky as you traverse downtown, or running up a 103-story staircase, there’s many ways to appreciate the rich history and beautiful views the Willis Tower brings to Chicago’s city skyline.

Exploring Optima Communities: Wrigley Field

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Nancy

One of our latest projects, Optima Lakeview, is in the midst of a neighborhood filled with interesting, iconic Chicago history. Within the Lakeview neighborhood is Wrigleyville, named after the home of the Chicago Cubs. The team itself is loved by fans near and far, but Wrigley Field is an equally fascinating piece of Chicago’s past.

Lakeview Comes to Life

At the turn of the 20th century, the site of Wrigley Field was originally home to the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary. At the same time, Lakeview was rapidly growing into a place for recreation and escape from the city; the once-quiet neighborhood was starting to change. The seminary sold the land, and developers started envisioning its future use. Due to leadership changes and funding, the site didn’t see real change for a little over a year.

A Stadium is Born

Around 1913, the owners of the Federal League, a minor league across six cities, secured the lease of the land. One of the owners, Charles Weeghman, commissioned a team of architects to design the stadium, which took just two months to complete. By 1914, the stadium — named Weeghman Park — was hosting its first major-league games. The park was a perfect fit for Lakeview’s changing dynamics, featuring modern design, impeccable cleanliness, top-notch food and hospitality.

The Wrigley Era

Despite the popularity of the stadium, the Federal League disbanded by 1915, but Weeghman didn’t give up. He purchased the existing Cubs franchise and moved the team to his own stadium. The Cubs played their first home game in Lakeview in 1916. Weeghman exited his management role shortly after, making way for another investor’s influence: chewing gum magnate William Wrigley. Wrigley hired the original architects to expand the existing structure to accommodate crowds and re-named the stadium to Wrigley Field.

Over the years, the stadium saw plenty of other expansions and renovations, as did its surrounding neighborhood. Wrigley Field had such a magnetic pull that the community around it eventually became Wrigleyville. Streets, bars, restaurants and entertainment were all inspired by baseball, the Cubs and Wrigley Field. The vibrancy and excitement of Wrigleyville and the ballpark are both visible from Optima Lakeview’s Skydeck.

Today, Wrigley Field is renowned as one of the oldest and most iconic Major League Baseball parks in the country. Chicago — and Lakeview — couldn’t be more proud to host the team; and we’re now thrilled to be part of the neighborhood.

Chicago Skyscraper Spotlight: The Wrigley Building

Posted on May 24, 2021April 25, 2024 by Nancy

As part of our Chicago Skyscraper History series, we’re exploring some of the architectural feats that have defined Chicago, and buildings across the world. The Wrigley Building, established in 1924, was one of the first major office buildings north of the Chicago River — paving the way for many workplaces that followed. And that wasn’t all that set this show stopping skyscraper apart…

The Wrigley Building is located at 400-410 North Michigan Avenue on the southernmost end of the Magnificent Mile, directly across from the Tribune Tower. As mentioned above, at the time of the building’s groundbreaking in 1920, there were no other major office buildings north of the river. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. hand selected the oddly shaped lot for the headquarters of the Wrigley Company. Unbeknownst to Wrigley, this would set off a building boom in the area, and eventually lead to the establishment of a strip of Chicago’s finest skyscrapers.

The Wrigley Building certainly set the tone for those who followed. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by architect Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, the building is a luminous beacon recognizable to locals and tourists alike. The building facade is made of six shades of gleaming white terra cotta, getting lighter and more luminescent as the structure climbs into the sky. This coloration was a choice made by Wrigley himself, having seen the famed White City display at the World’s Columbian Exposition years ago in 1893, and having never forgotten the shining hues. The Wrigley Building is cleaned regularly to maintain its sparkling white stature.

The building’s southern tower went up in 1920, and the northern tower followed in 1924. These two towers are connected by two separate bridges (one on the 3rd floor and one on the 14th floor), another defining feature of the renowned architectural gem. The 14th floor bridge, which was constructed in 1931, was added to connect the two disparate offices of a bank in accordance with a City of Chicago statute.

The Wrigley Building has since earned landmark status in 2012, and although the Wrigley Company is long gone, they’ve no doubt left their mark on Chicago’s skyline.

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Tag: Chicago history