Anyone care to enlighten me on why some of you are drooling so much over this seemingly middle of the road tower? I mean "absolutely pitch perfect in every way?" Seriously? It seems like they did a good job with good materials, but this tower has nothing on the MANY of the better implementations in this city.

^I think it all depends on how how Salesforce turns out. If this one works off of Salesforce with WPE I thinks it's brilliant.

I was thinking the same thing. Middle of the road is apt. From a distance, especially from the north without the aid of the water front, it looks as if a giant shard of glass had fallen from the sky. The details look fine up close but from a distance....meh. It could have taken better note of it's neighbor to the south and varied the glass color. 333 N. Wacker is still king of that intersection...by a mile.

To each their own right? Architecture is art. Everyone sees it their own way. That being said....I really don't like this building so far LOL Those white stripes on top annoy me. We will see how it ties together with WPS though.

Definitely a filler tower in my opinion, but the developers followed through on what was portrayed, with satisfying detail and decent materials. so its a win in my book. But the tower design is boring and placeless imo

February 11, 2020



The Grand (369 W Grand) under construction to the right.

The design is a bit bland, and the height doesn't even make the city's top 30. But at least it's the tallest in its immediate surrounding, and it looks quite okay from some angles such as this one:

Curbed has photos of the amenities and model aparments.

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-jc4...020___2_.0.jpg

Would be cool to have some more density in the background there to the west where the river splits so that it has a true cavernous feel.

I can't believe there was ever a time where this view had only like, 4 buildings in it.

I don't like how Hines has that big gap next to the building and it appears nothing else is ever going to be built there as it's just an extension of their landscaping.

I mean, it lines up with Fulton street… the gap is not really out of character with the broader street grid. And there are a couple lots on the southern side of Fulton that will help fill out the that view even if they end up being modestly sized.

That said how much of the gap perceived is very much a product of location. Harry's angle kind of exaggerates the negative space. But if you are walking along Wacker it is very different. 800 w Fulton is already popping into view and that whole corridor looks rather dense.

I was looking on Google Earth because I felt the same way, and honestly there's room between there and the Kennedy. Also if they ever bury the Metra tracks directly behind the river giants, that'd be poised for an epic such megaproject.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...37802355_b.jpgChicago by BartShore, on Flickr

such a bummer waterview tower never built to its planned supertall height--that would have been such a nice silvery peak in the wacker drive skyline... WPE looks nice and slender from that angle, a distant cousin to Wells Fargo Center almost...

That shot makes me want Conservatory Tower bad.

amazing change. and west loop eventually going to fill in that backdrop more. great shot

2013

Before site prep ofr West tower - and 444 W Lake
Wolf Point East by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

2014

Chicago | Wolf Point West by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

2015

Chicago | Wolf Point East by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Too bad that view will soon be gone (300 N Michigan). Beautiful shot.

Also, makes me wish for a shorter building at WPS in exchange for a supertall where Apparel Center stands.

Drove in on the Kennedy yesterday in daylight and was pleasantly surprised by how visible WPE was. Still hoping to get to 950 feet for WPS.