Chicago's 3rd Tallest Building Will Break Ground This Summer

CHICAGO, IL - The Aon Center (nee Standard Oil Building) and the John Hancock Center are both about to get bumped down a spot on the list of the tallest buildings in the city of Chicago.

As is nearly every other structure in the city.

That’s because the 95-story Vista Tower is set to break ground downtown this summer. Once completed, the building at the end of Upper Wacker Drive will be about 1,200 feet tall and tower over all city buildings with the exception of the Willis Tower and the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

“The Vista Tower will be more than one of the tallest buildings in Chicago, it will stand tall as a testament to Chicago’s status as a global destination for investment, commerce and tourism,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement Monday. “This project will also create thousands of jobs, benefiting every neighborhood in the city of Chicago.”

Included in the Vista Tower will be a five-star hotel with about 200 rooms. 400 condominiums and about 9,000-square feet of retail space will also make up the area.

The venture is a project of the Magellan Development Group and the Dalian Wanda Group. The construction of the building, designed by Chicago native Jeanne Gang, will create more than 2,000 jobs. More than 500 permanent jobs are also expected to be created once the construction is complete.

“When you look at Chicago, you can see how it’s growing and changing,” Eddy Tiftik, Wanda Hotel’s deputy general manager for overseas development, said. “It’s the perfect city to showcase our capabilities. We have practiced this, we know it works, and we are ready to present our concept to America. In my personal opinion, Chicago is amazing. It will be our signature project.”