Wrigley Building in Chicago

• Construction start: 1919
• Construction finish: 1925
• Designed by: Graham, Anderson, Probst & White
• Type: Skyscraper
• Stories: 30
• Maximum Height: 450 feet / 137 meters

• January, 1920: Groundbreaking for the Wrigley Building.
• November 11, 1920: The cornerstone was laid for the main (south) tower.
• April, 1920: The south tower was completed.
• May, 1924: The north tower was completed.
• 1929: Radio station WBBM(AM) moved to the Wrigley Building from the Broadmoor Hotel.
• 1931: The skywalk was added.
• 1956: WBBM(AM) and WBBM-TV moved out of the Wrigley Building.
• June 19, 2005: The Chicago Tribune reported that the Wrigley company considered leaving its signature headquarters for more modern accommodations. The newspaper speculated that the building could be converted into residential condominiums.
• July, 2005: The Wrigley Building's banks of 1971 floodlights along the Chicago River were replaced with new lights on standards along Michigan Avenue. The new lights have more focused beams to reduce light pollution and make sleeping easier for people in nearby residential buildings. Wrigley agreed to pay the city $15,000 a year to use the sidewalk space.

• This building was designed by Charles Beerman.
• The building is a fusion of French Renaissance and Spanish Revival styles, and was inspired by the Seville Cathedral's Giralda Tower in Spain.
• According to the Chicago Tribune, the Wrigley Building is home to the world's only chewing gum wrapper museum. It is not open to the public.
• The terra cotta tiles are custom made in England, and each is tracked by computer to determine when it needs maintenance.
• The terra cotta tiles are glazed for easy cleaning, which was very important in the early decades of this building, as Chicago was much dirtier then than it is now.
• The clock faces are 19 feet, seven inches wide.
• The clock hands are made of redwood and are designed to bend in the wind.
• The clock's "big" hands are nine feet, two inches long.
• The clock's "little" hands are six feet, four inches long.
• This building was 453,000 square feet of rentable space.
• The Wrigley building has offices in the clock tower, both below and above the clock.
• The clock occupies the 25th and 25th floors of the building.
• A 1995 article in the Chicago Tribune reported that the top of the building's cupola is festooned with terra cotta flowers and lion heads. These can only be seen by members of the law firm which rents that space.

• The design of the Wrigley Building was inspired by the Giralda Tower in Spain.

• A skywalk connecting the two towers.

• CAIF - Chicago Architecture Info Forum

• River Plaza
• Realtor Building
• Michigan Avenue Bridge
• Chicago Sun-Times Building
• 444 North Michigan Avenue
• Tribune Tower
• 40 East Hubbard
• 500 North Michigan Avenue
• Plaza 440
• 401 North Michigan Avenue

There are four comments.

  This proves once again, how your city has much to be proud about in the world of great architecture. What a treat, these articles are.

kent Worley - Saturday, February 13th, 2010 @ 8:54am  

  This is the first building I was cognisant of as a worlk of architecture -- as designed and in its design, most appealing to me. I was between 11 and 14 yrs old, and would visit my fathers company located in the building while waiting for him to finish some work and come along for a city outing. I used to walk every evening home from work up Michigan Ave. going north towards the building, always in total happy admiration for that twelve years. The Wrigley Building even served as a main focus in a dream I once had which was an important dream advising me to quit the job I had, which I did soon after for a better job even closer to the building, down the street and the Cultural Center. I adore this 20s skyscraper, My favorite building anywhere, ever!!! Once in a while, with an out-of-town guest, I'll have breakfast in a little restaurant right in the south side of the building on the first floor. As a kid, though, I remember a large, fairly posh lunchroom on weekdays that was very lively and exciting.

Nell Hunt - Sunday, September 20th, 2009 @ 6:10pm  

  I liked seeing this building last night. The glow on the crown and the clock was amazing, seeing it from Wabash and 330 N. Wabash Plaza. I hope my picture turns out, when I develop the pictures.

Brent Kampert - Monday, December 15th, 2008 @ 7:04pm  

  When you say Chicago this is the sight that comes to mind. At night when lit up if is fantastic

A joy to behold - Monday, November 17th, 2008 @ 12:24pm