Internationally Acclaimed, Glamorous Real Estate Permeates the Chicago Market

The Chicago Tribune last week ran a fascinating feature story about Trump International Hotel & Tower. It focused on how the 92-story building rising in Chicago’s River North neighborhood has managed to open its hotel while construction crews are still completing the condominium floors above it.

What truly fascinated me about the story, though, wasn’t the nuts-and-bolts construction information. No, it was the reminder that Chicago now has its own Trump building.

I don’t know if you remember that the Trump site – on Wabash Avenue along the Chicago River in the trendy River North neighborhood – once was home to the old Chicago Sun-Times building. That building was the very definition of an eyesore. It resembled a floating warehouse or barge, and never quite fit into the area.

Trump International, though, is a marvelous, shimmering skyscraper. It’s a worthy addition to Chicago’s famous skyline. And it’s not the only glamour building in the area.

Construction crews are now building the Mandarin Oriental Tower at 215 N. Michigan Avenue, just a healthy walk from the Trump site. Mandarin is another internationally famous name in the residential real estate business. And Chicago will soon have its own Mandarin project, too.

Then there’s the new Shangri-La hotel being built in the under-construction along the Chicago River at the corner of West Wacker Drive and Clark Street. The Waterview Tower is a big project in its own right, a new luxury condominium tower. The addition of Shangri-La, which is one of the most respected international hotel chains in the world, just adds to the glamour.

Finally, we can’t forget the Chicago Spire being built now along the city’s lakefront west of Navy Pier. This exciting project will be an historic one: The Spire will stand 2,000-feet tall when built, an amazing 150 stories. It will also bring 1,200 condominiums to the area, once construction is complete.

The Spire has attracted international acclaim, thanks in large part to the daring, twisting design created by famed architect Santiago Calatrava. The architect in the past has designed such inspiring buildings as the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece; the Opera House in Valencia, Spain; and the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee. The Spire is another example of his innovative design talents. These are exciting times for real estate in Chicago. We have Trump, Mandarin and Shangri-La all in various phases of completion. How much more star power can you ask for?