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| Crain Communications Building | |
|---|---|
| Name | Crain Communications Building |
| Location | 135 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Status | Completed |
| Start date | 1983 |
| Completion date | 1984 |
| Opening | 1984 |
| Building type | Office |
| Roof | 582 ft (177 m) |
| Floor count | 41 |
| Architect | Ayers Saint Gross |
| Developer | Crain Communications |
Crain Communications Building The Crain Communications Building is a 41‑story office skyscraper located at 135 North Dearborn Street in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The tower is notable for its slanted diamond‑shaped facade and distinctive roofline that contribute to the Lake Michigan skyline, and for housing publishing, media, and professional tenants associated with national and regional industries.
The building's design incorporates postmodern and late modernist influences drawn from the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, I. M. Pei, Helmut Jahn, and contemporaries active in Chicago such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Gensler, and Perkins+Will. Its angled crown recalls the geometry explored in projects like the John Hancock Center and the Willis Tower, while its glass and steel skin nods to precedents including the Seagram Building and the Aon Center (Chicago). The facade uses a curtain wall system similar to that of One Chase Manhattan Plaza and incorporates vertical mullions and reflective glazing parallel to façades of the Riccar-Harris Building and the Marquette Building. Structural engineering principles associated with Fazlur Rahman Khan and firms like Skilling, Ward, Magnusson, Barkshire informed the lateral load resistance and column placement. Interior lobby finishes reference materials used in Carbide & Carbon Building restorations and echo palette choices found in Tribune Tower office common areas. Landscaping concepts around the plaza align with urban design ideas promoted by Daniel Burnham and later refinements by practitioners from Sasaki Associates and Olin Partnership.
The site at North Dearborn Street has historical ties to Chicago’s commercial redevelopment initiatives that followed the Great Chicago Fire recovery patterns and later Chicago School urban renewal efforts. Planning for the tower began amid the early 1980s real estate cycle influenced by economic conditions shaped by administrations such as those of Ronald Reagan and national policy shifts debated in forums like the Federal Reserve Board. Construction contracts were awarded to firms with histories on Chicago projects, whose portfolios included work near landmarks such as Michigan Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, and Grant Park. Groundbreaking and erection of the steel frame occurred concurrently with major Chicago projects including renovations at Union Station and expansions at O'Hare International Airport. The building opened in 1984 during a period that also saw completions of other downtown towers proximate to Wacker Drive and LaSalle Street office districts.
Primary occupancy included publishing and media firms aligned with the namesake developer, alongside professional services firms similar to tenants in Ariel Tower and Two Prudential Plaza. Over time the tenant mix evolved to include advertising agencies with ties to Saatchi & Saatchi, financial services comparable to operations at Chicago Board of Trade affiliates, legal practices like those near Dearborn Station addresses, and medical or tech firms akin to occupants at Merchandise Mart satellite suites. Retail at the base has hosted restaurants and boutiques resonant with businesses found on State Street and North Michigan Avenue. Leasing activity has been monitored by commercial brokerage houses with footprints similar to CBRE Group, JLL (company), and Cushman & Wakefield. The building has been part of ownership portfolios managed by investment firms that also owned assets in the Loop and near transit hubs like LaSalle Street Station.
The building's silhouette has appeared in photographs and film sequences capturing the Chicago River skyline and has been included in media projects alongside shots of Navy Pier and the Chicago Theatre. Its profile has been used in promotional materials by civic organizations similar to Choose Chicago and in architectural tours led by groups such as Chicago Architecture Center docents. Visual references to the tower appear in publications like Crain's Chicago Business and have been noted in broadcast segments on networks including WGN-TV, WLS-TV, and CBS Chicago. The property has been featured in location lists compiled by travel guides tied to publishers like Lonely Planet and Frommer's and has occasionally served as a backdrop for corporate photography for firms with headquarters nearby, comparable to shoots at McCormick Place and The Rookery.
Periodic renovations addressed lobby modernization, elevator modernization programs akin to upgrades in Aqua Tower, and mechanical system replacements with contractors experienced on Chicago retrofits such as those at One North LaSalle. Preservation efforts have sought to maintain the building’s original roofline and slanted facade while improving energy performance to meet standards set by rating programs like LEED and retrofit initiatives similar to Chicago Retrofit Accelerator partnerships. Capital improvements included storefront refreshes consistent with streetscape projects on State Street and accessibility upgrades paralleling installations at Chicago Cultural Center.
The building is accessible via multiple transit options including heavy rail lines served at nearby Chicago 'L' stations such as Washington/Wells (CTA station), Monroe (CTA station), and connections to the Loop 'L'' circuit. Regional transit connectivity includes proximity to Metra terminals at Union Station and bus services operated by Chicago Transit Authority. Pedestrian access links to the Chicago Pedway network and bicycle facilities mirror amenities promoted by Active Transportation Alliance and citywide planning departments. Vehicular access connects to arterial corridors including LaSalle Street and Congress Parkway with parking solutions comparable to facilities near Millennium Park.
Category:Skyscrapers in Chicago Category:Office buildings completed in 1984