Tribune East Tower may still happen

Almost three years after the tower was originally approved, Tribune East Tower may actually still happen. Approved back in May 2020, the project proposed by CIM Group and Golub & Co was rumored to have been scrapped until now. Located at 421 N. Michigan, developer CIM Group has updated its website with a new bidding opportunity for general contractors.

Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the supertall skyscraper will stand 1,442 feet, just 8 feet shy of Willis Tower’s 1,450 feet. Rising 102 floors, the structure will taper as it rises, clad in a glass curtain wall with gold-colored vertical fins that preserves views of the original Tribune Tower from the Ogden Slip. 

The 1.3 million square-foot building has undergone a few revisions in its scope, increasing the hotel from 200 to 250 keys and reducing the parking count from 687 cars down to 426 spaces. The 564 residential units will remain with the same split of 125 condominiums and 439 rentals.

As part of the project, the development will include upgrades on site for both Upper and Lower E. Illinois St for residents and hotel guests entering the building. The existing Pioneer Court Plaza along N Michigan Avenue has already been renovated as part of the first phase to create additional green space and outdoor seating.

While construction was originally slated to begin back in early 2022, the new information from CIM Group calls for the commencement of construction in February 2024. With a general contractor yet to be chosen, work is planned to wrap up in September 2027.