Chicago Architecture Info

The St. Regis Chicago

Location

363 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois
United States

Photographs

Construction Photographs

Facts

Formerly:
  • Vista Tower
  • Wanda Vista Tower
  • Wanda Tower
  • Building C
Addresses
Neighborhood The Loop
Built 2020
Developer
  • Magellan Development
Architecture firms
  • Design architecture firm: Studio Gang
  • Architecture firm of record: bKL
Architects:
  • Design architect: Jeanne Gang
  • Architect of record: Thomas Kerwin
Type
  • Hotel
  • Residential
  • Skyscraper
Floors above street level 101
Floors below street level 5
Heights
  • Maximum height: 1,190 feet, five inches
  • Highest occupied floor ceiling height: 1,156 feet, nine inches
  • Street level entrance height: 57 feet above ground
  • Segment One (eastermost) maximum height: 192 feet, nine inches / 11th floor
  • Segment Two maximum height: 585 feet, nine inches / 49th floor
  • Segment Three maximum height: 849 feet, nine inches / 71st floor
  • Segment Four (westernmost) maximum height: 1,190 feet, five inches
  • Height above North Lower Field Boulevard: 25 feet
Maximum length 351 feet
Widths
  • Maximum width: 185 feet, five inches
  • Width of North Upper Field Boulevard through this building: 90 feet, seven inches
Size 1,900,000 square feet
Maximum number of residences permitted 406
Maximum number of hotel rooms permitted 210
Number of hotel rooms at opening 191
Maximum number of automobile parking spaces permitted 346
Loading docks Two
Roofs:
  • Segment One (easternmost) roof: Shared hotel/residence amenity deck
  • Segment Two roof: Residence-only amenity deck
  • Segment Three roof: Northern part is an outdoor terrace; southern part is private duplex
    • terraces
  • Segment Four (westernmost) roof: Mechanical
Green roof 25% coverage

Notes

  • The initial plan for a tall building at this location was laid out in 1968. It was for a 1,200-foot-tall building, and included it straddling North Field Boulevard.
  • This building was originally expected to have just 89 floors, and be completed by 2018. That figure was later revised to 88, then 94, then 101.
  • This building formerly had the address 381 East Wacker Drive.
  • This building was financed in part by Wang Jianlin and his company, Dalian Wanda Group, which is why it was originally called the Wanda Vista Tower. At the time this building was announced, Mr. Wang was the richest person in China.
  • At the time of its completion, this was the thrid tallest building in Chicago.
  • This building straddles three levels of North Field Boulevard. The erection of this building completed the long-awaited connection between East Wacker Drive and East Waterside Drive.
  • This building uses eight shades of glass to achieve its visual appearance.
  • This building uses both brushed and polished stainless steel to achieve its visual appearance.
  • This location was previously a small golf course.
  • This location was previously an Illinois Central Railroad wharf and warehouse facility. As of 2020, ground floor is still zoned for railroad, trucking, warehouse, and railroad uses.
  • The 83rd floor blow-through level helps relieve the pressure of wind against this building. Computer models predicted that without it, the the wind would significantly exceed I.S.O. acceleration limits. The Chicago Department of Planning and Development stated, "According to a letter from Magnusson Klemencic Structural and Civil Engineers, this would result in building occupants feeling ill and possibly afraid for their safety."
  • Wind tunnel tests showed that only the blow-through floor plus tuned liquid sloshing dampers would mitigate the effect of wind on this building.
  • At the time this building was constructed, the City of Chicago operated an impound lot underneath Wacker Drive. Its entrance had to be moved to make room for reinforcement required for this building's bridge extension pilings.
  • The North Field Boulevard overlook is cantilevered off of this building, so no structural support is required below.
  • The North Field Boulevard overlook is 34 feet, three inches long.
  • Early renderings of this building included its name over the main entrance written in six-foot-tall illuminted Chinese letters. It would have been a first for Chicago.

Timeline

July, 2014 Plans for this tower were made public.
September, 2014 The first construction gear arrived on this site, and the perimited was fenced off.
April 13, 2015 The first public meeting about this project was held.
August, 2015 The word "Wanda" disappeared from the marketing material for this building.
September 16, 2015 Residents of Lakeshore East were first allowed to put down deposits on new homes in this building.
October 6, 2015 The genral public was first allowed to put down deposits on new homes in this building.
November, 2015 The Chicago Plan Commission approved this building.
May 11, 2016 The first soil sampling rigs showed up at this construction site.
August 4, 2016 The first construction permits were issued for this building.
September 7, 2016 The groundbreaking ceremony was held for this building. It took place next door at The Tides, overlooking the building site.
April 26, 2017 The city granted permission for the 83rd floor of this building to be changed from being a residential floor to being an empty space. It was transformed into a blow-through level to reduce the wind load on the building. This building also has multiple tuned liquid sloshing dampers to counteract the wind. The city ordered the developer to paint the 83rd floor black so it wouldn't be noticable.
January 23, 2018 The developer was instructed to change the color of the interior of the 83rd level blow-through floor to a blye-gray color to match the rest of the building. The City of Chicago wanted it to blend in better, rather than stand out as an independent design element.
February, 2018 Wang Jianlin and his company, Dalian Wanda Group, are ordered by China's communist government to cut back on overseas investments, forcing it to sell its investment in this building. Magellan Development ended up buying the 90% of the project it didn't already own. The result was the final removal of the word "Wanda" from the name of this building.
October, 2018 The first windows were installed in this building.
April 29, 2019 An official topping out ceremony was held on this building's 101st floor.
November, 2020 The name of this building was changed from Vista Tower to The St. Regis Chicago, as part of a deal to have the St. Regis chain operate the hotel.

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