(Above) Rendering of the two-tower 400 Lake Shore, designed by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, being built on the site of the failed Spire project. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

By Steven Dahlman

21-Jun-24 – The 104-foot-diameter 78-foot-deep cofferdam, drained of water and now enclosing the below-ground portion of 400 Lake Shore, will be filled in by August of this year, according to the developer of the 72-story residential tower under construction along the Chicago River.

Related Midwest called the cofferdam (left) “a relic of the Spire,” the failed project announced in 2006 that never progressed beyond the foundation and substructure. Photo by Albert Bartkus

At a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 17, attended by more than 200 guests, Related Midwest again emphasized that 127 of their 635 new rental units will be “affordable,” meaning the units must be affordable to residents with household incomes between 30 and 50 percent of the Area Median Income. That is a requirement for the $500 million in financing obtained mostly from tax-exempt bonds issued by the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

“Chicago is a city defined by innovation and tenacity, that continuously rises to meet challenges and exceed expectations,” said Curt Bailey (right), President of Related Midwest. “400 Lake Shore is the latest embodiment of this spirit and will set a new standard for vibrant and equitable urban living.”

Construction officially started in early January. The taller northern tower will be built first, with its concrete superstructure expected to be completed by October 2025 and the tower entirely finished in 2027.

The first phase will include DuSable Park, a 3.3-acre public park on the east side of Lake Shore Drive, accessed from a 19-to-26-foot-wide walkway passing under Lake Shore Drive. The park must be finished before Related Midwest can receive a certificate of occupancy from the City of Chicago for the north tower.

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