Bye-bye big hole: Chicago Spire site finally fills the void

The highly discussed Chicago Spire site, which lay dormant for over a decade, is finally beginning to transform into a vibrant city landmark. Situated at the intersection of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, the site is now home to 400 Lake Shore Drive, a significant architectural renovation spearheaded by Related Midwest and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).

Despite the Chicago Spire falling through and being redeveloped into a new project, it currently remains on Apple Maps as a historic site. Its detail page states how the notorious building “would have stood 2,000 feet high with 150 floors and been the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.”

Initially intended to host America’s tallest skyscraper, The B1M reported, the Spire site was instead left as a vacant hole after the original project stalled. In 2014, developer Related Midwest acquired the site through bankruptcy court proceedings, targeting a fresh development approach, noted the Chicago Sun-Times. According to The B1M, SOM's architectural design features two distinctive towers, a South Tower at 233 meters and a North Tower reaching 266 meters.

Read More on Chicago Star

• Conservative leader James Dobson, who launched Focus on the Family, dies at 89 
• Pancakes and panic? Cracker Barrel’s logo glow-up sparks debate amid menu expansion
• Behind the cages: Lincoln Park Zoo launches podcast “That Tracks” with animal experts 
• Target CEO steps down as replacement quickly engages revitalization plan in Chicago 

However, hurdles such as the COVID-19 pandemic delayed progress, only for construction to eventually commence in June 2024 when Related Midwest could finally break ground on Chicago’s 13th-tallest building. The North Tower, Phase One of the project, began rising from the filled-in Spire hole, promising 635 residential units, twenty percent of which are designated affordable housing, Related Midwest reported last year. As noted by the Chicago Sun-Times, the structure also offers retail spaces, underground parking, and public art pieces.

Community impact and future plans

The project's layout reflects a commitment to integrating urban living with green spaces, featuring several acres of open areas for public enjoyment, the Chicago Sun-Times said in its report. Currently, Streeterville lacks green space isolated from Navy Pier, with Lakeshore East Park being one of the closest enclosed areas of green space across the river from the site.

"Many questions arose about how would we navigate what was left in the ground?" said Don Biernacki, executive vice president at Related Midwest, who highlighted the challenge and ingenuity involved in repurposing the site’s pre-existing materials, according to The B1M.

The concrete and rebar structure of the North Tower is scheduled for completion by late 2025, with a curtain wall of windows following suit in the subsequent year, said the Chicago Sun-Times. Looking ahead, Related Midwest plans to begin construction on the South Tower after North Tower completion, pending market conditions.

As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, this development is set to invigorate the Streeterville neighborhood with its design and amenities by 2027, changing the skyline and urban experiences of Chicago.