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
Construction started 1925
Completed 1927
Height
Roof 159.41 m (523.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 40
Design and construction
Main contractor Starrett-Dilks Company
Architect Joachim G. Giaver
Frederick P. Dinkelberg
North American Life Insurance Building
Architectural style: Art Deco
Governing body: Private
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 m (522 ft) historic building in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, 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 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]

In popular culture

Gallery

References

Notes
  1. ^ 35 East Wacker at Emporis
  2. ^ 35 East Wacker at SkyscraperPage
  3. ^ 35 East Wacker at Structurae
  4. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IL/Cook/state6.html. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  5. ^ a b c d "The Jewelers' Building" on the 35 East Wacker Drive website. Accessed: 2011-01-30
  6. ^ Commission on Chicago Landmarks Chicago Landmarks (2008) p.16
  7. ^ a b "35 East Wacker Building". City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division. 2003. http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/numbers/35EWacker.html. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  8. ^ As with many claims of record height, definitions are important, and the claim for 35 East Wacker ignores the Chicago Temple Building's steeple.
  9. ^ 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. 
  10. ^ Robert Wagner (1978-02-03). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Michigan–Wacker Historic DistrictPDF (32 KB). National Park Service. 
  11. ^ "Chicago". SkyTeam. http://www.skyteam.com/go/chicago/business.html. Retrieved 21 November 2010. . Retrieved on January 31, 2009.
  12. ^ Murphy, Mekado (2011-06-22). "Welcome to Chicago, Just Don’t Kill Us". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/movies/frame-from-transformers-dark-of-the-moon.html. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 

External links