Built: 1929-1930 Designed by: Holabird & Root; and Rebori, Wentworth, Dewey, and McCormick Renovated: 1986 Type: Skyscraper Stories: 41 Maximum Height: 554 feet / 169 meters Location: 221 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, United States
O ne of the great Art Deco piles of Chicago, the LaSalle-Wacker Building is based on a classic design, but doesn't take itself too seriously.
This is one of the few buildings of its era that still embraces and celebrates its heritage. Instead of pretending to be something modern, it illuminates its light wells at night in colored flood light. Its crowning spire can't compete with those on the nearby Sears Tower so it stick a defiant neon finger into the night air to get noticed. A finger that is decked out in Art Deco glory.
Structurally, the building is a classic 1930's skyscraper. A giant H formation on the lower part of the building allows light into the interior. Atop this is a narrow tower which offers great views while sharing the available light with its neighbors and pedestrians.
This is what Chicago architecture was once all about -- the little artistic flourishes that set one brick or limestone-clad building apart from the other. The building, itself, represents a vanishing piece of history. And if you really want to look for vanishing history, check out the art deco ash trays that still exist at the ground level.
We are forunate that this building has a location along the river, or it would be forgotten like so many other Art Deco masterpieces crowded into obscurity in the grit of Chicago's Loop.
This building was designed by Andrew N. Rebori.
At one time there was a Rebori-designed mirrored "Sun Ball" atop this building.
The base of this skyscraper is three stories tall.
The main mass of this building is 20 stories tall.
The tower portion of this building is 18 stories tall.
1929: Construction begins.
1930: Construction is completed.
1954: WFMT Radio moves its studios to this building.
November 9, 1997: The 40-foot-tall illuminated communications tower is added to the top of this building.
New York, United States
