The Clare at Water Tower

The Clare at Water Tower is a residential building of Chicago whose bottom 50,000 square feet floor is reserved for classroom space, which will be replacing the two small classroom buildings of the Loyola University of Chicago. This building is ideally located at the East Pearson Street. Developed by Greystone Communities, it has been designed by Perkins & Will architects. The construction of this building started in 2006 and is expected to be over by 2008. A contemporary architecture is what can be observed in its every corner. This 52 storied building has a height of about 179.5 meters.

The Clare at Water Tower will consist of 375 units. There will be one, two, and three bedroom apartments with well furnished kitchen, dryer, washer, self-controlled air-condition, 24-hour emergency call system, fire and sound resistant, smoke detectors, sprinkler system, and high-speed internet access.

The glass body provides it a very attractive look. This building will own the credit of being one of the tallest buildings in the world that has been made for the seniors. Apart from Perkins & Will, some of the other companies involved in this building are Bovis Lend Lease LMB Inc., The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation, Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd., The Prairie Group, and Douglas Hoerr Landscape Architecture, Inc.

The Clare at Water Tower is located on a trapezoidal lot with the tower curving at the wide angle at Rush and Pearson. The southwestern facade features sawtooth indents. The building overlooks the Lewis Towers, Lake Michigan, Water Tower Park, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. A unique combination of learning opportunities and resort-style amenities is what one is going to get at the Clare at Water Tower building.

Enjoy your retired life in a marvelous setting! A completely hospitable service is what one is going to get here. The Clare at Water Tower will provide state-of-the-art facilities like housekeeping service, continental breakfast, concierge services, 24-hour security, banking and postal center, beauty salon, spa, indoor aquatic center, business center, rooftop terrace, social clubroom, library, computer center, and chapel. The building also features art gallery, formal, casual and private dining venues, arts studio, and fitness center.

Sears Tower

Constructed on May 3, 1973, the Sears Tower is among the most well known landmarks in Chicago and even in the whole world. Scaling to a height of 1,450 feet, this 110-storied building is the tallest in entire North America and ranks third in the world.

This tower had the record for 25 years as the tallest building in the world until the famous Petronas Towers were built in 1998 in Kuala Lampur, the capital of Malaysia. Again, in 2004, this status passed onto Taipei 101, but it was not the tallest in terms of the ends of the antennas. The entire height of Sears Tower, including its antennas rises to 1,725 feet.

Designed by the renowned architectural firms Skidmore and Owings & Merrill for Sears, it was developed by Roebuck & Company, which was the largest retailer of the world at the time. This building is among the premier properties in the whole world and one of the preeminent office addresses in the city.

Sears Tower is a perfect place for business with its wide range of top-rated amenities and comprehensive security networks. It offers over 3.8 million square feet of retail and office space. The retail space is roughly 159,000 square feet

Its location on Wacker Drive in the center of the city’s premier submarket or West Loop, which also houses commuter rail stations and large corporations, is strategic. In terms of its contemporary features and attractiveness, this 110-story Sears Tower is extraordinary. This trophy office tower is made from steel beams and columns forming a ‘mega-module’ system. The property features an executive 160-car parking garage that can be accessed from Franklin Street. The other notable amenities include the tallest skydeck, a broadcast platform, fitness facility, full-service conference center, and other technology features. The view from all the floors is unparalleled.

Chicago Spire

The construction of the Chicago Spire was started in 2007, when the ground was broken in the month of July and thirty two reinforced concrete caissons were installed. On the completion of this building, it will become the tallest building in entire Chicago in terms of its roof height, thereby surpassing the stature of buildings like Sears Tower and Taipei 101. It is likely that the Chicago Spire will be compared with another building named Burj Dubai.

The architecture of this impressive building has been inspired from natural forms. Every floor of the building juts out seven arms from the main central vertical axis and each arm has a concave edge. When the building rises, every floor rotates by 2 degrees in such a manner that the length of the radial arms decrease. This ends in the formation of an elegant spiral turn of the building. The spiral shape of the building resists the forces of the wind as well.

Enjoying a great location bordering Lake Michigan, the guests and residents of the 5-star hotel can get thrilled with the beautiful view of the lakefront and the city. The Chicago Spire is slated to be finished by 2012. It will have 150 floors, 1,200 rooms, and a floor area of 81,470 m². It is supposed to be used for as a hotel, office and also for residential purposes. Architect Santiago Calatrava will give this high-rise its magnificent shape.

Two Prudential Plaza

The Two Prudential Plaza is one of the well-known office buildings of Chicago city that is ideally situated at the North Stetson Avenue. This was designed by architects Loebl Schlossman and Hackl. They began the construction of the building in 1988, which took about 2 years to complete the whole structure.

The building possesses 64 stories with a large number of offices under it. The Two Prudential Plaza has a height of about 303.3 meters and owns the credit of being the 5th tallest building of the city. With a floor area of 130,063 square meters and 5 basement floors, the Two Prudential Plaza has been designed in a postmodern architectural style. This granite and glass made structure rests on pile foundations. The roof measures about 279.0 meters. This building is connected with the 41 story One Prudential Plaza at the lobby level that was constructed in 1955. There is a one-acre plaza on the western facade of the building which is beautifully decorated with fountains. The building features stacked chevron setbacks on the northern and southern facade. Besides, there is also facility for underground parking.

Some of the facilities of the Two Prudential Plaza include:

• Meeting rooms
• Business lounge
• Lounge area
• 24 hour security
• Disabled facilities
• Break-out areas
• Elevator
• Videoconferencing studio
• Bank with ATM
• High speed internet access
• Voicemail
• Coffee shop
• Hair salon

Some other services for the visitors include on-site lunch restaurant, smoking areas, vending machines, outside seating area and terrace.

The Two Prudential Plaza at the time of its construction was the second tallest reinforced concrete building in the world. It is today the eleventh tallest building in the United States. It achieved the Best Structure Award from the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois in 1995. Some of the firms that are involved in this building are Shorenstein Company, Turner Construction Company, Cleveland Marble Mosaic Company, Enclos Corp., and Zalk Josephs Fabricators LLC. The Two Prudential Plaza is currently under the ownership of BentleyForbes, which is a real estate investment firm of Los Angeles.

Trump International Hotel & Tower

Trump International Hotel & Tower is an impressive 92 storied hotel that owns the credit of being one of the tallest buildings of Chicago. It is ideally located at North Wabash Avenue. The construction work started on March 17, 2005 and is expected to be over by 2009.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP has been given the work of constructing this enormous building of the beautiful Chicago city. The sparkling glass body looks superb from a long distance. This hotel enjoys an advantageous position as the major shopping and cultural centers are within close vicinity.

The hotel will have in its possession about 339 spacious guest rooms, suites and Spa rooms. They have been designed keeping in mind the minutest comfort of the guests. Attention to every single detail has been given to give a heavenly ambiance to the visitors. The residential rooms and the guest rooms will be constructed from the 14th to 89th floor. The height of the roof rises to about 356.9 meters with the spire and the main roof rising to 415.1 meters and 344.7 meters respectively. There are about 4 basement floors and 26 elevators.

Apart from the pleasure travelers, there will be superb facilities for the business travelers too. To make your event stand out, this hotel is simply the best! There is a 20,000-square-feet function space that consists of:

• The Grand Ballroom
• Trump Boardroom
• Skyline Room
• Director’s Boardroom
• Grand Salon
• four additional Salons

There are facilities for videoconferencing and state-of-the-art telecommunications systems. The lake view from the business rooms is spectacular!

Some of the other facilities provided by this hotel are:

• Dual-Line Telephone
• 24-Hour Room Service
• Valet Indoor Parking
• Car parking facility
• Full Service Concierge
• Wireless Internet Access
• Reception Room
• Rebar Cocktail Lounge
• Sixteen Restaurant
• Personal Attaché Service

Trump International Hotel & Tower will have 486 residential condominiums which will provide a haven a comfort to the residents. For a lifestyle that matches your taste and comfort, these residential condominiums are just perfect. For relaxation, the hotel will have a spa center with professional people whose fine touch will revitalize your senses.

John Hancock Center

Owner of ‘Distinguished Architects 25-Year Award’ from the American Institute of Architects, the John Hancock Center is a multi-purpose building that has an enormous 100 stories in it. It is owned by W2007 Golub JHC Realty, LLC and is known all over the world for its magnificent architecture. This high-rise building is ideally located at North Michigan Avenue and happens to be one of the tallest buildings of Chicago city.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP has contributed to its grand architecture whose work began as early as in 1965 and was completed within 4 years in 1969. The motive was to create a building with several smaller smaller buildings in it. With a floor area of 260,126 square meters, the John Hancock Center has a large number of big and small offices. The base dimensions are of 80.77 meters by 50.29 meters. It possesses a 896,980 square feet office space, 171,771 square feet retail space, and 17,371 square feet observatory on the 94th floor. Besides there is a 34,307 square feet TV and radio broadcast facility. There are 49 floors of residential condominiums in this building. The east antenna measures 457.2 meters while the west antenna measures about 450.0 meters. The top floor has a measurement of about 328.6 meters with the roof rising up to 343.5 meters, and the lower roof up to 337.3 meters. The unique thing about the observation deck is that the part of it is made of screen window rather than the standard plate glass.

The tenants get a haven of facilities udner one-roof that includes retail, business services, dining centers, and car parking facility. The interior is made up of rich travertine, marble, and limestone. The exterior cross-bracing rejects the need for support beams thereby increasing the usable floor space. The outdoor plaza is elliptical-shaped and is decorated with a 12 foot waterfall and innumerable plants.

The various other facilities available in and around the John Hancock Center are:

• US Postal Service
• Building Conference Center
• Gateway Newsstand and Sundries
• Chase Bank
• FedEx
• Corporate Travel
• Office Supply Center
• Parking
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Shopping Centers

AT&T Corporate Center

The AT&T Corporate Center is the fourth tallest building of Chicago city and 27th tallest building in the world with both office and retail uses. It is a 306.9 meters tall building, which is segregated into 60 expansive floors. The AT&T Corporate Center is ideally situated at the West Monroe Street.

The building is owned by Tishman Speyer Properties and the superb architecture is the product of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP architects. The construction work started in 1987 and was completed within 2 years in 1989. This building is a part of the Franklin Center. The Franklin Center consists of a smaller 35 storied USG Building. A fully-lit atrium links both the towers, whose work was completed in 1992.

The AT&T Corporate Center has a floor area of about 157,934 square meters. The building possesses 2 basement floors. The top floor measures about 252.0 meters and the roof measures 270.1 meters. There are two public lobbies and a mezzanine-level lobby, which are decorated with bronze and gold-leaf oak trim. The walls and floors are made up of polished marbles rendering a highly stylish look to the building. Besides, there are neo-deco lighting arrangements on walls extending from one corner to another giving the interior an exquisite look. Originally this building had a height of 270 meters that was raised to its current height when the CTBUH began to include ornamental spires at the time of Sears-Petronas height controversy.

The AT&T Corporate Center was the tallest building of Chicago during the last quarter of the 20th century. It has been designed in a postmodern architectural style with granite-clad and steel framed design that rests on pile foundations. The mass of the building narrows slowly with small setbacks at 15th, 30th and 45th floors. The structure features spiked roof pinnacles and strong vertical lines. Colored lights add a spectacular appearance to finials, setbacks, and spires as evening drops in.

Some of the firms that are involved in the AT&T Corporate Center are Stein & Company, Gage-Babcock & Associates, Owings & Merrill LLP, Standard Parking, Mike Oppenheim Associates, and Tower Realty Management Company.

Aon Center

Kissing the Chicago skyline, the Aon Center is an office building whose enormous height is surely to impress anyone with a rich architectural taste. Ideally located at East Randolph Street, the Aon Center is the brainwork of Edward Durell Stone & Associates group of architects. It began its construction in 1970 and within 3 years, this building was completed.

The 83 storied building looks magnificent from great distances. The building provides impressive sights from its various directions. The northern face of the building provides a view of the Magnificent Mile and the Chicago coastline, the southern section overlooks Grant Park, the eastern part faces Lake Michigan, and the western side faces The Loop.

Just after the completion of the building, the Itallian Carrera marble facade started crumpling due to chilling weather of the city. This was replaced by white Mt. Airy granite in 1989-1992 that involved a huge cost. It was the tallest building of Chicago and was also the world’s fourth tallest building at the time of its completion. The architecture has been planned in such a way that the building is connected to the underground pedestrian tunnel of the city.

The Aon Center has about 5 basement floors. The height of the roof is 346.3 meters and the main roof rises to about 342.3 meters. Besides, it is 59.1 meters wide with indents measuring 4.6 meters. With a floor area as large as 334,448 m², there are a large number of offices in this building. Some of the firms involved in this building are US Steel Corporation, Standard Oil Company of Indiana, Commercial Light Company, Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc., and Sager Sealant Corporation.

The Aon Center belonging to Blackstone Group was sold to Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. on May 10th, 2003. There is a plan up sleeves to transform the top 13 stories into residential apartments or condominiums. This building is the only ‘box-shaped’ building in the world that is more than 300 meters tall. Besides, it also happens to be the tallest building in the world with an absence of major finials, antennae, and spires at the top.

311 South Wacker Drive

311 South Wacker Drive is the tallest building in the world that is based in Chicago. It is divided into 65 stories for both office and retail usage. This 292.9 meters tall building is ideally located at South Wacker Drive. It was designed by architect Kohn Pederson Fox Associates who began its construction in 1988 and completed it in 1990.

The building looks magnificent from even great distances. The park-like setting renders an exotic look to the surrounding. Touching the Chicago skyline, the 311 South Wacker Drive has got highly modern facilities such as indoor parking, high speed Internet access, HVAC systems and heated, cable capabilities, etc. It has achieved the First BOMA International TOBY Award of Chicago for the office building of the year category.

311 South Wacker Drive has a building area of 1,409,463 square feet and a floor area of about 130,063 square meters. This has been constructed in a postmodern architectural style. The materials that have been used in its construction are granite, steel, and glass. The garden has been added to it in 2002 and looks superb with its palm trees and fountains. Besides, there are benches and antique street lamps in the park. The most appealing part of the building is the six-story atrium. The wonderful bronze waterfall and sculpture of the atrium looks really attractive.

The various facilities provided by 311 South Wacker Drive are as follows:

• 24-hour security
• On-site Concierge
• Sundry shop
• Fitness Center
• Bank with ATM machines
• Messenger Center
• Dry cleaners
• Underground Parking
• Hair salon
• Wi-Fi complimentary wireless internet access

The Skylobby, which is located on the 46th floor of the building, provides an amazing view of the Loop, Ceres, and the lake. This lobby has been designed in such a way that one can easily have a private business meeting or a small reception there. The 311 South Wacker Drive has the ability to accommodate up to a 200,000-square-foot Fortune 500 company. This makes it stand out from other office buildings of the city of Chicago. There are 10 corner offices per floor.