Checking in on the first phase of Chicago’s massive Riverline project

Perkins+Will

It’s been nearly five months since the ambitious Riverline development broke ground along the east bank of the Chicago River’s south branch and the project’s first building is already climbing skyward. Known as Ancora, the 28-story tower landed a $50 million full construction permit yesterday. When completed, it will contain 452 apartment units, an amenity deck, and a 230-vehicle parking garage.

Ancora is the centerpiece of Riverline’s first phase along with an 18-story, 251-unit tower dubbed Current, a series of nine three-story townhouses collectively referred to as Watershed, and 3.5 acres of new green space and a riverwalk from landscape architect Hoerr Schaudt. The full project will ultimately call for eight waterfront buildings spread across the vacant 14-acre site bounded by Harrison, Roosevelt, Wells, and the river.

Riverline comes from development partners CMK Companies and LendLease with Perkins+Will serving as both lead design architect and master planner. It will straddle both the sides of Bertrand Goldberg’s 1986 River City and sits directly north of an undeveloped 62-acre parcel acquired last year by Related Midwest.

Harry Carmichael

Perkins+Will

Perkins+Will

Perkins+Will

• New construction permit at 720 S. Wells Street [Chicago Cityscape]
• Chicago breaks ground on 3,600 unit Riverline mega-development in the South Loop [Curbed Chicago]