CHICAGO, IL
NORTH PIER

Conversion of a 500,000 SF bonded warehouses on the Chicago River brought life to the 50-acre City Front Center re-development of the Chicago Dock and Canal industrial zone. By converting the existing structure into an award winning, state-of-the-art, specialty retail and entertainment center and developing the river access as an active social and entertainment with loft offices overhead, North Pier spearheaded a massive redevelopment of the Chicago’s riverfront.  Mr. Groesbeck led the design and construction team as design-build project, successfully delivering the project within budget in 1988.

History

Redeveloped into commercial uses as part of Cityfront Center, a 1985 master plan for 50 acres of what were industrial and port facilities in south Streeterville. The renovation was proposed in 1987 by Robert Meers, who envisioned it was "not a festival market, but a specialized retailing center," complementary to Navy Pier or the Magnificent Mile, a few blocks east or west. Other developers proposed apartments within the building instead.

When completed in 1990, North Pier featured three levels of retailers on the lower levels, centered on a rotunda, and four floors of offices above. Waterfront restaurants lined Ogden Slip south of the building on the building's lowest level, while the primary entrance from Illinois Street led up a few stairs to the second level of the mall. The adjacent North Pier Apartments tower was also completed in 1990.

Rates

LOCATION: CHICAGO, IL
CONSTRUCTION COST: 
SIZE: 500,000 S.F.
START: 1987
COMPLETION: 1990
ARCHITECT: Booth Hansen ASSOC. The Austin Co.