When Miami-based developer Crescent Heights unveiled plans for a 76-story, 829-foot-tall skyscraper with 792 apartments, that building could lay claim to be the tallest in Chicago’s South Loop. This Rafael Viñoly-designed tower is the first of three that Crescent Heights is planning just south of Grant Park, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
But only few days after Crescent’s plans became public, details surfaced about an even taller 86-story glass residential tower on 1000 S. Michigan Avenue, about a block from Crescent Heights’ proposed skyscrapers.
Last April that high rise’s developer, a joint venture between New York real estate firms JK Equities and Time Equities, paid $10.5 million for the 111-year-old eight-story Lighter Building, which is adjacent to their proposed tower. According to the JV’s application, the Lighter Building will continue to serve as office space. If the city approves 1000 S. Michigan, the joint venture intends to purchase a portion of the site for their tower from its current owner, First American Bank, according to Crain’s.
Architect Helmut Jahn designed this 506-unit tower, to be situated on a little more than an acre, to resemble four stacked boxes on its South façade. The 75-year-old Jahn has used this multi-step design approach before on a 41-story residential high rise in Chicago that was completed in 2008. The new tower proposal calls for condos on its top 60 floors and apartments on 21 floors. A parking garage with 598 slots would be in an 11-story rear extension to the tower.
Including its rooftop terrace, this tower would soar 1,030 feet, making it the Windy City’s fifth-tallest building. However, such claims are always transitory: Studio Gang’s architect Jeanne Gang has proposed a 1,140-foot-tall Vista Residences in Chicago, which would feature a trio of glass towers arranged in a row, with heights of 47, 71, and 93 stories. Gang told Dezeen magazine that she was inspired to mass the buildings by a formation called “frustum,” which resembles a pyramid without a pointy peak.
Helmut Jahn's proposed 506-unit tower. Rendering courtesy Hahn (via Chicagoist)
Jeanne Gang has proposed a 1,140-foot-tall Vista Residences. Rendering courtesy Jeanne Gang
Related Stories
| Dec 28, 2014
6 trends steering today's college residence halls
University students want more in a residence hall than just a place to sleep. They want a space that reflects their style of living and learning.
| Dec 28, 2014
Using energy modeling to increase project value [AIA course]
This course, worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW, explores how to increase project value through energy modeling, as well as how to conduct quick payback and net present value studies to identify which energy strategies are most viable for the project.
| Dec 28, 2014
The lowdown on LODs: Bringing clarity to BIM
These days, BIM is par for the course across most facets of design. But a lot of the conversation surrounding BIM still lacks clarity due to ambiguous terminology, a lack of clear-cut guiding illustrations, and widely varying implementation, writes GS&P's John Scannell.
| Dec 28, 2014
The future of airport terminal design: destination status, five-star amenities, stress-free travel
Taking a cue from the hospitality industry, airport executives are seeking to make their facilities feel more like destinations, writes HOK's Richard Gammon.
| Dec 28, 2014
10 key design interventions for a healthier, happier, and more productive workplace
Numerous studies and mountains of evidence confirm what common sense has long suggested: healthy, happier workers are more productive, more likely to collaborate with colleagues, and more likely to innovate in ways that benefit the bottom line, writes Gensler's Kirsten Ritchie.
| Dec 28, 2014
7 fresh retail design strategies
Generic ‘boxes’ and indifferent service won’t cut it with today’s savvy shoppers. Retailers are seeking a technology-rich-but-handmade vibe, plus greater speed to market and adaptability.
| Dec 28, 2014
Workplace design trends: Make way for the Millennials
Driven by changing work styles, mobile technology, and the growing presence of Millennials, today’s workplaces are changing, mostly for the better. We examine the top office design trends.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA: Commercial glass façade and door systems
When it comes to selecting fenestration systems—particularly glass facades and door systems—a number of factors come into play, requiring a thorough evaluation of a project’s individual requirements.
| Dec 28, 2014
10 essential habits of successful architects
Want to take the next step as a design processional? John Gresko, Senior Project Architect with HDR, explores the traits that many great architects possess.
| Dec 28, 2014
10 unglamorous things architects do
An acquaintance recently asked me about the kinds of things I did on a day-to-day basis at work, anticipating a response loaded with enviable activities. She was wrong, writes HDR's John Gresko.