Illinois Center
Encyclopedia
Illinois Center is a mixed-use urban development in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, lying east of Michigan Avenue
. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets
have two levels, with the lower level for through traffic and service vehicles and the upper level for other local traffic. In Illinois Center, the lower level has been split, with a middle level for through traffic and a lower level for service vehicles.
The development was built on land that had formerly been used for railroad yards (owned by the Illinois Central Railroad
). The west half was built out first; the east half was initially turned into a temporary golf course
on the lowest level, where the rail yards had been. The golf course has since been turned into a park, now surrounded by an "urban village
" of high-rise buildings called Lakeshore East
.
The development consists of four blocks with a large area to the east. It is bounded on the west by Michigan Avenue
, which has two levels. Just east of that road, the upper level rises to become a higher third level, only accessible on the west edge of the development and at the east end of Upper Wacker Drive
. Stetson Avenue and Columbus Drive
run north-south, and Lake Street
, South Water Street, and Wacker Drive run east-west. Randolph Street
lies a block south of the main part, and forms the south border of the east half. All of these streets are at least partly triple-decker. In the south half of the complex, the Metra
Electric Lines and the South Shore Line
terminate, halfway between Michigan and Stetson Avenues, at Millennium Station. An additional structure, Boulevard Towers East an eighty-story mixed-use building was planned on the west side of Stetson between South Water and Lake Street but was cancelled. The site of this proposed building is the last remaining vacant lot in the Illinois Center complex, referred to by locals as the "Political Graveyard". Also proposed for this site was Mandarin Oriental Chicago. On February 18, 2009, a report in Crain's Chicago Business stated that a New York-based lender had filed a foreclosure suit against the developer, that the sale's center was closed and building units were no longer being marketed through the Multiple Listing Service. The project is no longer listed on the developer's website.
One Prudential Plaza
, Two Prudential Plaza
and the Aon Center
are in the blocks south of the main part.
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets
Multilevel streets in Chicago
Downtown Chicago, Illinois has some double-decked and a few triple-decked streets immediately north and south of the Main Branch and immediately east of the South Branch of the Chicago River. The most famous and longest of these is Wacker Drive, which replaced the South Water Street Market upon its...
have two levels, with the lower level for through traffic and service vehicles and the upper level for other local traffic. In Illinois Center, the lower level has been split, with a middle level for through traffic and a lower level for service vehicles.
The development was built on land that had formerly been used for railroad yards (owned by the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
). The west half was built out first; the east half was initially turned into a temporary golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
on the lowest level, where the rail yards had been. The golf course has since been turned into a park, now surrounded by an "urban village
Urban village
An urban village is an urban planning and urban design concept. It refers to an urban form typically characterized by:* Medium density development* Mixed use zoning* The provision of good public transit...
" of high-rise buildings called Lakeshore East
Lakeshore East
Lakeshore East is a master-planned mixed use urban development being built by the Magellan Development Group in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located in the northeastern part of the Loop, which, along with Illinois Center, is called the Near East...
.
The development consists of four blocks with a large area to the east. It is bounded on the west by Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
, which has two levels. Just east of that road, the upper level rises to become a higher third level, only accessible on the west edge of the development and at the east end of Upper Wacker Drive
Wacker Drive
Wacker Drive is a major street in Chicago, Illinois, United States, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River...
. Stetson Avenue and Columbus Drive
Columbus Drive (Chicago)
Columbus Drive is a north-south street in Chicago, Illinois which bisects Grant Park. It is 254 E in Chicago's street numbering system. Its south end is an interchange with Lake Shore Drive at Soldier Field...
run north-south, and Lake Street
Lake Street (Chicago)
Lake Street is an east-west arterial road in Chicago and its suburbs. Part of Lake Street is designated as U.S. Route 20. Lake Street begins in the city of Chicago and travels west and slightly north to the Chicago suburbs. It ends at the eastern terminus of the Elgin Bypass around Elgin, where...
, South Water Street, and Wacker Drive run east-west. Randolph Street
Randolph Street (Chicago)
Randolph Street is a street in Chicago. It runs east-west through the Chicago Loop, carrying westbound traffic west from Michigan Avenue across the Chicago River on the Randolph Street Bridge, interchanging with the Kennedy Expressway , and continuing west. It serves as the northern boundary of...
lies a block south of the main part, and forms the south border of the east half. All of these streets are at least partly triple-decker. In the south half of the complex, the Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
Electric Lines and the South Shore Line
South Shore Line (NICTD)
The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana...
terminate, halfway between Michigan and Stetson Avenues, at Millennium Station. An additional structure, Boulevard Towers East an eighty-story mixed-use building was planned on the west side of Stetson between South Water and Lake Street but was cancelled. The site of this proposed building is the last remaining vacant lot in the Illinois Center complex, referred to by locals as the "Political Graveyard". Also proposed for this site was Mandarin Oriental Chicago. On February 18, 2009, a report in Crain's Chicago Business stated that a New York-based lender had filed a foreclosure suit against the developer, that the sale's center was closed and building units were no longer being marketed through the Multiple Listing Service. The project is no longer listed on the developer's website.
One Prudential Plaza
One Prudential Plaza
One Prudential Plaza is a 41-story structure in Chicago completed in 1955 as the headquarters for Prudential's Mid-America company...
, Two Prudential Plaza
Two Prudential Plaza
Two Prudential Plaza is a super-tall skyscraper that was built in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1990. At 995 feet tall, it is currently the sixth-tallest building in Chicago and the thirteenth tallest in the United States. The building was designed by the firm Loebl,...
and the Aon Center
Aon Center (Chicago)
The Aon Center is a modern skyscraper in the Chicago Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United States, designed by architect firms Edward Durell Stone and The Perkins and Will partnership, and completed in 1973 as the Standard Oil Building...
are in the blocks south of the main part.