Lakeshore East Building I facts for kids

Lakeshore East Building I is a very tall skyscraper planned for Chicago. It is also known as Lakeshore East Building 3-I or Lakeshore East Site I. This building is part of a big construction project called the Lakeshore East development. It will be located near Wacker Drive and Lake Shore Drive. The building is approved to be about 950-foot (290 m) tall. It has an interesting history.

What is Lakeshore East Building I?

This skyscraper is part of a larger plan to build new homes and businesses. The building itself doesn't have a final name yet. It is expected to be finished around 2023. This area in Chicago has changed a lot over the years.

How the Area Changed Over Time

Illinois Central Railroad yard and old Lake Shore Drive

Freight terminal with 333 North Michigan Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower in the background (April 1943). Lake Shore Drive's old S-curve (1963)

Before these new buildings, the Lakeshore East area was used by the Illinois Central Railroad. They had many train yards there. In 1993, a temporary golf course was built. It was called Metro Golf at Illinois Center. The famous golf course designer Pete Dye created it. This golf course opened in 1994 and closed in 2001.

Planning the New Neighborhood

The entire Lakeshore East area was first planned for development in 1970. One big challenge was connecting the new buildings to Chicago's special street system. Chicago has streets on different levels. The planners wanted to make the area easy for people to walk around. They also wanted it to look nice.

The solution was to build entrances and shops at different levels. The main streets around the edges are on higher levels. Inside the development, a large park is on the lowest level. This park forms the center of the new neighborhood. There are also big parking garages under the buildings.

Changes to the Building Plans

The original plan in 2002 aimed to finish the whole Lakeshore East development by 2011. By 2008, the completion date was moved to 2013. These early plans included a building about 875-foot (267 m) tall. It was to be located at Wacker and Lake Shore Drive.

In 2017, new plans for the remaining construction were shown. These plans were updated again in August 2018. The new update included an 80-story building. In mid-October 2018, the Chicago Plan Commission approved the plans. These plans included a 950-foot (290 m) tower. This tower is one of four new towers planned. Three of these towers are in the first phase of construction.

The Chicago City Council also approved these plans. This happened at a meeting on October 31. Two of the first phase buildings were scheduled to start construction in summer 2019. These are the Cirrus, which has 363 condos, and the Cascade, with 503 apartments. Lakeshore East Building I is planned to start after them.