May 12, 2008 – 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly writes to residents of Marina City, seeking input on whether their home should be an official City of Chicago landmark. Landmarked buildings in Chicago are protected from demolition and significant alteration, with the Commission on Chicago Landmarks reviewing each proposed change to the building’s exterior.

Over the next month, according to his staff, Reilly receives “hundreds of responses in support of landmark proceedings.” Reilly (left) says he first heard about interest in landmarking from Marina City residents who contacted him for assistance. He says he then received petitions from residents but a precise number of responses remains elusive.

August 12, 2008 – After spending what he says was “a significant amount of time and effort exploring the possibility” of landmark designation for Marina City, Reilly writes again to residents to tell them he is “officially initiating the formal city landmark designation process in order to protect Marina City’s architectural integrity for the future and to secure its well-deserved status as an official Chicago landmark.”

Reilly says there is “overwhelming” support among owners and residents at Marina City for landmark status, a claim that is never convincingly quantified. A published report in May 2008 says “over 100” residents signed a pro-landmark petition, which would represent about seven percent of the population of Marina City.

September 4, 2008 – The Commission on Chicago Landmarks is scheduled to consider a proposed “landmark district” that would cover dozens of buildings in River North but not Marina City. Alderman Reilly asks for a delay after hearing from property owners who said they were not given enough advance notice of the proposal. Reilly asks for another delay in October, saying while he supports the “concept” of an official historic district, he needs time to consider it more carefully.

While experts say the economic benefits are modest, landmarking Marina City has support among architects. “Clearly, you have a unique building in the city of Chicago,” says T. Gunny Harboe (right), whose firm specializes in historic preservation. “It is a landmark by the real meaning of the word. Everyone knows it’s important to the city. It’s a travesty that it’s not officially recognized as an official City of Chicago landmark.”

April 8, 2009 – Eight months after it was announced the formal process for landmarking Marina City had started, the request is still under review by the Landmarks Division of the Department of Planning and Development. The proposal has not been before the Commission on Chicago Landmarks – on the agenda of any public hearing – and there has been no public comment.

There is no change in the proposal’s status for the next six years.

July 1, 2015 – Marina City is, once again, being considered by the city “a candidate for designation” as an official Chicago landmark. An overview of the process is sent to the condominium association at Marina City from the Historic Preservation Division of the city’s Department of Planning and Development. The overview discusses “benefits and responsibilities” for condo unit owners in a building designated a City of Chicago landmark. (Left) West side of west tower above Dearborn Street.

July 9, 2015 – After praising Marina City for about 23 minutes, the seven-member Commission on Chicago Landmarks votes unanimously in favor of recommending landmark designation, as requested by Alderman Reilly. The next step is for the city’s Department of Planning and Development to study the commission’s report on Marina City. The process is expected to take several months, with public comment not happening until early next year.

Bonnie McDonald, president of Landmarks Illinois, says her organization has supported landmarking of Marina City since 1990. “Upon learning that this beloved landmark is not officially protected,” she tells the commission, “Chicagoans and visitors are shocked.”

She says Marina City was “intended to lure people back to the downtown to live and clearly it’s been successful.” She also says it started an era of development along the Chicago River. Marina City, says McDonald (right), “is a critical part of the city’s mid-century architectural heritage and is considered one of the city’s most photographed buildings.”

October 16, 2015 – At a 41-minute public hearing, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks hears no objections to Marina City being designated an official landmark. The worst anyone can say is that the owner of Marina City’s Hotel Chicago is “neutral” on the topic.

About 20 members of the public attending the hearing at City Hall are told Marina City meets five of the seven criteria for landmarking: Value as an example of city heritage, exemplary architecture, work of a significant architect, distinctive theme as a district, and unique visual feature. It also meets the “integrity criterion,” they are told, that requires the landmark to be well-preserved.

Arguably the most glowing recommendation is from Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, who says Marina City was “the spark” that began an “imaginative transformation.” “Marina City showed what could be possible, opening the imagination to not only the river as a recreational waterway but as a new contemporary way of ‘city living in the heart it all,’” says Miller (left).

November 5, 2015 – The Landmarks Commission meets in Council Chambers at City Hall and decides in favor of recommending landmark designation to the Chicago City Council.

January 7, 2016 – While the city’s Department of Planning and Development recommends designation, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks approves a $1.1 million balcony restoration project at Marina City.

January 13, 2016 – Ordinance O2016-65, proposing official landmark designation for Marina City, is introduced by Alderman Reilly and assigned to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.

“Citing their presence in every Chicago souvenir snow globe, the prominence of their architect, and contribution to the history of Chicago architecture, the case was easily made for landmarking,” says Reilly.

February 9, 2016 – The Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards recommends designation be approved by the full City Council.

February 10, 2016 – Marina City is an official historic landmark. It is passed without its own roll call vote, along with other items from the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, using the last most favorable roll call vote by the full City Council on an item passed by the Committee on Finance, which happened to be a 48-0 vote with two aldermen absent.

25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis (right) presents a brief report, mentioning “one landmark designation” but not Marina City by name, and moves for passage, to which Mayor Rahm Emanuel responds, “Hearing no objection, so ordered.”

February 19, 2016 – In exchange for being allowed to build a bigger building, 311 West Illinois, a 24-story residential tower near Illinois & Franklin Streets, will help Marina City pay for its balcony restoration project approved by the city on January 7. The John Buck Company is taking Chicago up on its “adopt-a-landmark” offer that gives zoning benefits to developers if they help pay for improvements at a landmarked building.