Perspective: No bronze medal for Wanda, up for sale

By Jon Cohn | Community Contributor

Published March 4, 2018

In case you haven’t heard, there have been a few twists and turns in the saga of our omnipresent Wanda Vista building, 363 E. Wacker Dr., which has now been knocked to fourth place in the “tallest building” category. To add insult to injury, the building is now up for sale which leads us to speculate…will the building be getting a new name?

Touted as being Chicago’s third tallest building—which would stand 1,191 feet at completion in 2019—we took pride in bragging that Wanda Visita would land us the bronze medal for Chicago’s tall buildings right in our own backyard. But we found out Los Angeles-based CIM group has announced plans for a 1,338- foot structure—a.k.a. monstrosity—at 201 E. Illinois St. in the parking lot behind the Tribune Tower, 435 N. Michigan Ave.

To add salt to our already wounded New Eastside ego, Wanda Vista is up for sale.

Before it is even completely built? What’s that all about?

Billionaire Wang Jianlin’s, Dallian Wanda Group, the proud creators of the Wanda Vista have apparently gone “Hasta La Vista.” According to Bloomberg News, increased scrutiny by Chinese regulators into Wanda’s overseas investments have forced the company to sell the property.

New owners are being sought as you read this (I did put a bid in, but haven’t heard

back yet). As we all hold our breath to see if the Hancock Tower will follow the Sears Tow-

er in yet another mind jarring renaming, we find ourselves wondering if Chicago’s

fourth-tallest tower will find a new name as whimsical as “Wanda Vista.”

Yet construction goes onward and up-ward. The building’s almighty and inescapable footprint is growing bigger. The early morning builder’s noise wake-up call will still be with us, and the great parade of trucks will continue on a daily basis.