clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Michigan Avenue garage cleared for demolition, new 620-foot tower to follow

New, 8 comments

The 56-story residential addition planned for Chicago’s landmarked Essex Inn hotel is ready to move forward

After a temporary delay awaiting the all-clear from the Chicago Commission on Landmarks, the five-story garage and pool structure serving the Essex Inn is ready to bite the dust. With demolition permit in hand, LondonHouse developer Oxford Capital is now free to start swinging the wrecking ball at 800 S. Michigan to make way for a planned 56-story tower designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

Located across from Grant Park, the 620-foot skyscraper will have a major impact on Chicago’s skyline—especially when viewed from the east. The building will feature 479 residential units, ground-floor retail, an elevated winter garden and pool, and four levels of parking hidden behind active use. The South Loop project will join nearby projects such as a planned 76-story skyscraper from Rafael Viñoly and a 73-story tower designed by Helmut Jahn.