Photo by Gensler/Gillian Fry

The site was once part of the old Marshall Fields property, which had rail lines running through it in the 1930s. Old foundations and embedded rails required the expertise of geotechnical engineers to assess whether to leave structures in place or remove them.

Before work began, the project team gathered guidance from experts in studio operations, AV technology and sound engineering on the new facility’s features. BIM modeling and real-time collaboration allowed for early conflict detection within the precast and steel elements. But extended lead times added to the project’s complexity as some key mechanical and electrical components had procurement timelines exceeding a year. To mitigate these delays, the team engaged local builders to deliver these components within 40 weeks.