One of Chicago’s most infamous empty lots is finally rising. 400 Lake Shore Drive is going up where the Chicago Spire was supposed to stand, the foundation hole that sat abandoned for more than a decade at the mouth of the Chicago River. In its place, Related Midwest is building two connected residential towers rather than one slender giant.
Project Scope. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with David Childs, designed the pair, built by LR Contracting and BOWA Construction. The 72-story north tower rises 858 feet and holds 635 rental residences, with 20% set aside as affordable. As of early 2026 the structure had climbed past the 60th floor, with the curtain wall scheduled to finish in October 2026 and first residents moving in during the first quarter of 2027. A shorter 765-foot south tower follows once the first is done. The project also delivers two long-promised public amenities: the 3.3-acre DuSable Park and the northern extension of the Chicago Riverwalk.
Why It Matters. The Spire site became a symbol of the projects that ambition and financing couldn’t carry across the 2008 crash. Replacing it with a buildable two-tower scheme, instead of chasing another record-height needle, is a more sober read of what the site can support. The affordable set-aside reflects Chicago’s inclusionary requirements, and the public park and riverwalk pieces tie a private development to civic infrastructure that had stalled for years.
Project Team & Details
| Developer | Related Midwest |
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| Architect | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (David Childs) |
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| General Contractor | LR Contracting Company; BOWA Construction |
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| Status | Under Construction |
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| Funding Source | Private |
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