New rendering teases design of Holy Name skyscraper ahead of planned public debut

Less than two weeks after submitting a zoning application with the City of Chicago, a development team consisting of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and partner JDL Development have released a teaser image of the One Chicago Square development on the project’s new website. Proposed to replace the full city block-sized parking lot across from River North’s Holy Name Cathedral, the plan calls for a pair of glass and metal-clad skyscrapers rising to the respective heights of 583 and 1,011 feet.

Designed by Chicago’s Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture and Goettsch Partners, the One Chicago Square proposal includes a total of 914 residential condominium and rental units, 659 parking spaces, 200,000 total square feet of retail, and 45,000 square feet of office space. If approved, a new grocery store and fitness facility are also understood to be part of the plan.

While opposition from adjacent condo owners led to 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly blocking a 60-story high-rise proposal at nearby Wabash and Superior, the Holy Name lot falls under the oddly-shaped 2nd Ward represented by Alderman Brian Hopkins. It remains to be seen how the elected official will respond to One Chicago Square’s ambitious scale and feedback from its inevitable detractors. Hopkins recently scuttled a 10-story transit-oriented proposal along North Avenue due to neighborhood concerns over density and traffic.

More info—and full color renderings—are expected to be revealed at a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 24th. Co-hosted by Alderman Hopkins and the River North Residents Association, the presentation will take place at 6:30 in Kasbeer Hall on the 15th floor of Loyola University’s Chicago Water Tower Campus at 25 E. Pearson Street.

Jay Koziarz

• One Chicago Square [Official website]
• Supertall skyscraper planned for River North parking lot [Curbed Chicago]
• Developer selected for Holy Name Cathedral lot [Curbed Chicago]