35 East Wacker
35 East Wacker | |
---|---|
Former names |
Pure Oil Building North American Life Building Jewelers Building |
General information | |
Type | Commercial offices |
Location |
35 E. Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois |
Coordinates | 41°53′11″N 87°37′36″W / 41.8865°N 87.6268°WCoordinates: 41°53′11″N 87°37′36″W / 41.8865°N 87.6268°W |
Construction started | 1925 |
Completed | 1927 |
Height | |
Roof | 159.41 m (523.0 ft) |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 40 |
Design and construction | |
Architect |
Joachim G. Giaver Frederick P. Dinkelberg |
Main contractor | Starrett-Dilks Company |
North American Life Insurance Building | |
Architectural style | Neoclassical |
Part of | Michigan–Wacker Historic District (#78001124) |
Designated CP | 1978 |
References | |
[1][2][3][4] |
35 East Wacker, also known as the Jewelers' Building,[5] is a 40-story 159.4 m (523 ft) historic building in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States, located at the intersections of Wabash Avenue, and facing the Chicago River. It was built from 1925 to 1927, and was co-designed by Joachim G. Giaver and Frederick P. Dinkelberg.[6] It was once considered to be the tallest building in the world outside of New York City.[7][8] Formerly the Pure Oil Building and North American Life Insurance Building,[9] 35 East Wacker was listed in 1978 as a contributing property to the Michigan–Wacker Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, and was designated a Chicago Landmark on February 9, 1994.[4][7][10]
For its first 14 years, the building had parking on the lower 23 floors with a car lift that facilitated safe transfers for jewelry merchants.[5] Currently, the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago is a tenant,[11] and the showroom of architect Helmut Jahn is atop the building inside the dome, which was originally a restaurant.[5] The building is currently being renovated, with the facade being maintained, but the interiors converted into a more modern configuration. Both the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the City of Chicago have recognized the renovation project with awards.[5]
Tenants
- Mercury Records (1950 - 1973)
- Feeding America
In popular culture
- The building is featured in scenes of the 2005 film Batman Begins.
- The 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon features a climax set atop the building, which is heavily damaged, along with most of Chicago, in the giant robot battle that ensues.[12]
- In 2012, episode 2 of the first season of United States of America on the American History Channel featured the building's historic elevator, made by the Otis Elevator Company.[13]
- The building is shown in the TV series The Good Wife as the location of the law firm Lockhart/Gardner.
- Emergency Call Ambulance (Sega 1999), Arcade racing videogame - the player drives by this building in the third case. In the game however, a burning gas station that has no relation to reality, is located at the bottom of this building.
Gallery
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333 North Michigan, 360 North Michigan, Mather Tower and 35 East Wacker
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Wacker Drive entrance.
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Clock on the northeast corner
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Dome atop the building
References
Notes
- ↑ 35 East Wacker at Emporis
- ↑ "35 East Wacker". SkyscraperPage.
- ↑ 35 East Wacker at Structurae
- 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Jewelers' Building" on the 35 East Wacker Drive website. Accessed: January 30, 2011
- ↑ Commission on Chicago Landmarks Chicago Landmarks (2008) p.16
- 1 2 "35 East Wacker Building". City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division. 2003. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
- ↑ As with many claims of record height, definitions are important, and the claim for 35 East Wacker ignores the Chicago Temple Building's steeple.
- ↑ Saliga, Pauline A.; John Zukowsky; Jane H Clarke (1990). The Sky's The Limit: A Century of Chicago Skyscrapers. New York: Rizzoli International Publications. ISBN 0-8478-1179-4.
- ↑ Robert Wagner (February 3, 1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Michigan–Wacker Historic District" (pdf). National Park Service.
- ↑ "Chicago". SkyTeam. Retrieved November 21, 2010.. Retrieved on January 31, 2009.
- ↑ Murphy, Mekado (June 22, 2011). "Welcome to Chicago, Just Don't Kill Us". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
- ↑ "Moving On". The History Channel. May 15, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
External links
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