Chicago, Illinois, USA
Led by architect Steve Hubbard, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, together with landscape architects Site Design Group and Olin and interior architects from The Getty Group, has successfully restored and converted The Tribune Tower, one of Chicago’s most treasured historic landmarks, for developers CIM Group and Golub & Company into 950,000 square feet of mixed-use residential and commercial interiors on the Miracle Mile in downtown Chicago.
The project has recently been awarded a 2023 American Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture, Design, and Urban Studies.
Originally constructed in 1925 and designed by Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells, the tower was located adjacent to an existing printing plant.
The 463-foot (141-meter) skyscraper was the result of an international competition that attracted 260 entries by leading architects including Walter Gropius, Bruno Taut, Adolf Loos, and Eliel Saarinen.
In 1935, the Radio Building was added to the site, followed by the Television Building in 1950.
In 2018, the Chicago Tribune vacated the building, and SCB was engaged to convert the 34-story Chicago landmark office tower and surrounding buildings into 162 luxury condominium units.
The tower’s historic façade was preserved and restored, ensuring its continued architectural stature.
Historically sensitive enhancements to the Radio and TV buildings support flagship retail and provide a new entry and drop-off for the residences.
The original entry and tower lobby were preserved and remain open to the public.
The retail frontage of the original printing plant was also redeveloped, activating a reimagined Pioneer Court and a public plaza.
Four additional floors were added to the northeast side above the TV Building, providing a modern, glass complement to the existing limestone façades.
This addition frames a new elevated courtyard, providing a shared greenspace for residents.
A full luxury amenity program is dispersed throughout the building, including several unique spaces.
The studio created a total of 55 unique apartment floor plans as they were arranged within the historic structure,
A pool and terrace are nestled behind the original Chicago Tribune sign, while a lounge and a wrap-around terrace at the tower’s crown give residents a one-of-a-kind experience beneath the iconic, gothic buttresses.
With the conversion, the SCB aimed to retain the identity of the historic building that is one of the most recognizable in the city.
“As Chicagoans, it was important to us to respect this history while breathing new life into both the buildings and the surrounding neighborhood,” said Steve Hubbard the project’s lead designer.
Project: The Tribune Tower
Architects: Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates
Original Architects: Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells (1925)
Interior Architects: The Gettys Group
Landscape Architects: Site Design Group and Olin
General Contractor: Walsh Group
Historic Preservation: VHA
Structural Engineer: TGRWA
MEP: Elara
Vertical Transportation: Jenkins & Huntington Inc.
Exterior Enclosure: WJE
Façade Restoration Engineer: Klein & Hoffman
Exterior Lighting Design: Schuler Shook
Developers: CIM Group and Golub & Company
Photographers: Dave Burke and Darris Lee Harris
