The Willis Tower Skydeck is one of Chicago’s most popular tourist attractions. Willis Tower Repositioning is an ambitious project to renovate and expand on Chicago’s iconic locale.
A renovation/alteration permit at 233 S Wacker Dr in Chicago was issued in Oct 2017, encompassing construction and interior build-out for a new three-story annex wrapping around the tower’s base. The permit estimates the scope of the work at $200 million—a figure that eclipses the 1,451-foot-tall tower’s total construction cost back in 1973. Expected to eventually cost $500 million, the current project received a $50 million demolition permit in August.
More than simply a reimagined lobby, the Gensler-designed redevelopment of Willis Tower’s base will replace its former fortress-like podium with 300,000 square feet of destination retail, entertainment space, and a glassy “winter garden” atrium.
