When news hits of an Illinois Governor attempting to sell something related to the government, people typically start to wonder how long the prison sentence will be. In this instance, however, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s intentions aren’t quite so nefarious as the past may have you believe.
The James R. Thompson Center, a 17-story structure designed by Helmut Jahn and completed in 1985, houses offices of the Illinois state government and has been described by Rauner as “ineffective,” “inefficient,” and “in disrepair,” according to dnainfo.com.
Due to the building’s shortcomings, Rauner is once again attempting to sell it following an unsuccessful attempt in 2015. According to Rauner’s office, a sale of the building would net $220 million and eliminate having to pay $326 million in deferred maintenance bills.
In an attempt to prove more successful than his prior efforts to sell, Rauner is using a conceptual study and renderings from Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture to show the site’s potential.
One rendering replaces the Thompson Center, and the full city block it sits on, with three towers. The other, more striking rendering, imagines what the site would look like with a new 1,700-foot-tall tower.
Rauner is hoping these conceptual designs will have the same effect as staging a home has for helping potential buyers envision what can be done with the space.
Even if buyers are interested after seeing the renderings, Rauner’s plans for selling the building are again subject to approval from the Illinois General Assembly, which denied his attempt at a sale back in 2015.
The three towers on the Thompson site as viewed from Clark Street. Rendering courtesy of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | May 28, 2024
Healthcare design: How to improve the parking experience for patients and families
Parking is likely a patient’s—and their families—first and last touch with a healthcare facility. As such, the arrival and departure parking experience can have a profound impact on their experience with the healthcare facility, writes Beth Bryan, PE, PTOE, PTP, STP2, Principal, Project Manager, Walter P Moore.
Urban Planning | May 28, 2024
‘Flowing’ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development
The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the world’s largest names in tech and hospitality.
MFPRO+ News | May 28, 2024
ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings. The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release.
Women in Design+Construction | May 28, 2024
Commerce Department launches Million Women in Construction Community Pledge
The U.S. Department of Commerce launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge this month to boost the ranks of women in construction companies. Federal investments are creating a construction boom that is increasing job opportunities for construction and trade workers.
Laboratories | May 24, 2024
The Department of Energy breaks ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center
In Princeton, N.J., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has broken ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a state-of-the-art office and laboratory building. Designed and constructed by SmithGroup, the $109.7 million facility will provide space for research supporting PPPL’s expanded mission into microelectronics, quantum sensors and devices, and sustainability sciences.
MFPRO+ News | May 24, 2024
Austin, Texas, outlaws windowless bedrooms
Austin, Texas will no longer allow developers to build windowless bedrooms. For at least two decades, the city had permitted developers to build thousands of windowless bedrooms.
Resiliency | May 24, 2024
As temperatures underground rise, so do risks to commercial buildings
Heat created by underground structures is increasing the risk of damage to buildings, recent studies have found. Basements, train tunnels, sewers, and other underground systems are making the ground around them warmer, which causes soil, sand, clay and silt to shift, settle, contract, and expand.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 23, 2024
The Cincinnati Open will undergo a campus-wide renovation ahead of the expanded 2025 tournament
One of the longest-running tennis tournaments in the country, the Cincinnati Open will add a 2,000-seat stadium, new courts and player center, and more greenspace to create a park-like atmosphere.
Mass Timber | May 22, 2024
3 mass timber architecture innovations
As mass timber construction evolves from the first decade of projects, we're finding an increasing variety of mass timber solutions. Here are three primary examples.
MFPRO+ News | May 21, 2024
Massachusetts governor launches advocacy group to push for more housing
Massachusetts’ Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have taken the unusual step of setting up a nonprofit to advocate for pro-housing efforts at the local level. One Commonwealth Inc., will work to provide political and financial support for local housing initiatives, a key pillar of the governor’s agenda.