Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower

Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower

Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower
General information
Status Complete
Type Office
Location 300 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°53′5.55″N 87°37′11.66″W / 41.8848750°N 87.6199056°WCoordinates: 41°53′5.55″N 87°37′11.66″W / 41.8848750°N 87.6199056°W
Construction started 1995 (phase 1), 2007 (phase 2)
Completed 1997 (phase 1), 2010 (phase 2)
Height
Roof 243 m (797 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 57
Design and construction
Architect Lohan Associates (Phase 1)
Goettsch Partners (Phase 2)
Structural engineer Magnusson Klemencic Associates

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower (BCBS) is located on the north end of Millennium Park along E. Randolph Street at the NE corner of Randolph and Columbus Drive, in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. It is home to the headquarters of Health Care Service Corporation.

The building's address is 300 E. Randolph. The building is located next to the Aon Center and original plans hoped to connect the two buildings via an underground pedway but the plans never came to fruition.

Architect James Goettsch of Goettsch Partners designed the building. The 33-story first phase was completed in 1997 under the firm name of Lohan Associates (now Goettsch Partners). The 24-story second phase started in 2007 and was completed in 2010.

The building and the large expanse of windows facing Grant Park are often used to spell out words to commemorate or celebrate events and happenings in Chicago. Unlike the nearby CNA Center, the drafting of the message is done by hand.[1]

Expansion

In 2006 the City of Chicago granted a building permit to Health Care Service Corporation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois to build up instead of out. The second phase expansion took place over 2007-2010. The "new" tower is 57 stories and is the first project in Chicago to build up.

Photo from 2007 prior to expansion
2010 - Showing the buildings new height in relation to surrounding
Photo from Sept. 2008 during expansion

Tenants

Position in Chicago's skyline

311 South Wacker Willis Tower Chicago Board of Trade Building 111 South Wacker Kluczynski Federal Building CNA Center Chase Tower Three First National Plaza Mid-Continental Plaza Richard J. Daley Center Chicago Title and Trust Center 77 West Wacker Pittsfield Building Leo Burnett Building The Heritage at Millennium Park Crain Communications Building IBM Plaza One Prudential Plaza Two Prudential Plaza Aon Center Blue Cross and Blue Shield Tower 340 on the Park Park Tower Olympia Centre 900 North Michigan John Hancock Center Water Tower Place The Parkshore North Pier Apartments Lake Point Tower Jay Pritzker Pavilion Buckingham Fountain Lake Michigan Lake Michigan Lake MichiganThe skyline of a city with many large skyscrapers; in the foreground are a green park and a lake with many sailboats moored on it. Over 30 of the skyscrapers and some park features are labeled.

See also

References

  1. A final tribute in lights: 'Thanks Chris', Chicago Tribune, 2013-12-11

External links