Despite its marquee riverfront location in Chicago’s West Loop, a sliver of land today known as 150 North Riverside sat vacant for decades, effectively orphaned. Wedged between the Chicago River to the east and active Amtrak rail lines to the west, bookended by Lake and Randolph streets to the north and south, the lot was absent both utilities and footprint, expanding out to only 85 ft at maximum broadness. Over the years, there were plans, but to no avail.
Thanks to a number of design innovations, construction firsts and dogged collaborations, “that little sliver of land has become the greatest working site in Chicago,” says Robert Chmielowski, principal with structural engineer Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA).