In 1922, on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the Chicago Tribune announced an international competition for a new downtown headquarters. The competition sought, “…for Chicago, the most beautiful building in the world.” A total of $100,000 in prize money was offered with a $50,000 prize for the winner. More than 260 entries from 23 countries, and a place in history as one of the largest, and most important architectural competitions in America—this is the legacy of the Tribune Tower.
Tribune Tower is an elegant 1925 high-rise converted to luxury condominiums
The roost from which the colorful Robert R. “Colonel” McCormick once ran what he called the “World’s Greatest Newspaper,” hasn’t housed the Chicago Tribune since 2018. Now re-imagined by owners and co-developers CIM Group and Golub & Company, the 96-year-old tower and its adjacent low-rise wings have been completely repurposed as 162 luxury residences. Solomon Cordwell Buenz was the architect of record for the transformation, while The Gettys Group orchestrated the interiors of the utterly reworked building. “The idea was to comply with the existing vocabulary,” says Project Architect, Mandhir Chopra. “Even carrying that through to the metal and glass addition made to the lower volume. The biggest challenges were the mechanicals, coordinating all the electrical and plumbing through the existing structure.”
The converted main tower houses 30 floors of residences, with its two existing wings accommodating additional units. The southern of the two stretches seven floors, while its northern neighbor has 12 floors with four levels added to the original eight. Tribune Tower has over 55,000 square feet of amenity space on four different levels. Amenities include a 7,000-square-foot gym designed by the Wright Fit, common areas consisting of a solarium, a kitchen, lounge areas, dining areas, a billiards room, a driving range simulator, a co-working lounge, meeting rooms, entertainment areas, various event spaces with attached bars and kitchens, and 1/3-acre park nestled between the two wings. There is also a 75-foot indoor pool and a large outdoor terrace in the crown with expansive views of the Magnificent Mile and the river.
