(Above) The elevated walkway from Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue in River North. Photo obtained from Alderman Reilly’s office.

29-Dec-14 – A walkway that connects Wabash Avenue to Michigan Avenue, which had been closed since February and was going to be demolished along with Lakeshore Athletic Club, has reopened.

The six-story building at 441 North Wabash Avenue was part of the deal in 2011 when Zeller Realty Group and BDT Capital Partners purchased Wrigley Building for $33 million.

The building was torn down in August to make room for a parking lot but in the meantime, the land was sold again, this time to Macerich, a real estate investment trust based in Santa Monica, California. They purchased the property for $42 million.

42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly says the demolition permit for Lakeshore Athletic Club included the walkway along the south side of the building. But with it “heavily trafficked year round,” he says he decided to convince the new owners to keep the walkway.

Additional support beams and columns were added and a new handrail was installed on the north side of the walkway where the Lakeshore Athletic Club used to be.

Macerich also owns The Shops at North Bridge, just north of the property, and an office building at 500 North Michigan Avenue.