CHICAGO | BCBS | Vertical Expansion (25 new floors) | 743 FT / 226 M | 57 FL

[Steely Dan]

source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0607260235jul26,1,1963483.story?coll=chi-business-hed

24 more stories coming to Blue Cross building

By Bruce Japsen
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 26, 2006


In an unusual corporate expansion, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will add 24 floors on the top of its headquarters on East Randolph Street to accommodate the health insurer's rapid growth.

At a cost of $270 million, Health Care Service Corp., parent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, said Tuesday that construction will begin early next year at 300 E. Randolph, the dual headquarters of the Illinois Blue Cross division and Health Care Service, pending approval of various permits.

The existing 33-story building already has 30 floors above ground on prime real estate located just east of Aon Center on the northern edge of Grant Park.

Health Care Service built it in 1997 at a cost of $233 million, engineering it so it would have the ability to add to the top if expansion warranted.

The building is now 466 feet high from its base and will rise to an estimated 796 feet.

The structure was originally designed by Chicago architect James Goettsch to accommodate 24 additional stories to meet an expected need for more office space, the insurer said. Thus, the skyscraper will reach its designed height of 57 stories upon completion in 2010.

"It is very unusual for a company to prepare for growth several years ahead of time," said Pauline Saliga, director of the Society of Architectural Historians in Chicago. "This is a very unusual thing to do and I cannot think of another case. It was pretty good planning on their part that they saw such growth in their future."

"They may alter an attic space or add a couple of stories but there is generally not an expansion like this in a major landmark building," Saliga said of the Blue Cross headquarters.

Saliga said most corporate expansions usually involve an annex near the main building or a tower erected nearby that allows one building to be connected to another through a bridge much like the famous Wrigley Building, she said.

Health Care Service, now the nation's fourth-largest health insurance company, has certainly made good on its intentions to grow. Since 1997 it has expanded rapidly, growing its membership organically as well as through mergers and acquisitions. The Health Care Service umbrella now includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance plans in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

"This project to complete our corporate and Illinois division headquarters building is a reflection of HCSC's tremendous growth from 3 million members in 1997 to 11 million members today, and a demonstration of our commitment to the city of Chicago," said Ray McCaskey, president and chief executive officer of HCSC.

The company expects to continue to grow and McCaskey has said in previous interviews that the company is open to adding more members through mergers and acquisitions. Unlike many of its major rivals in the health insurance industry that are publicly traded and owned by investors, Health Care Service is a mutual insurance company and therefore is owned by policyholders.

Health Care Service said the building expansion will allow for the number of people who work at 300 E. Randolph to double from about 4,200 to 8,000.

However, only about half of the additional workers will be Health Care Service employees, including an undisclosed number now in offices at various locations in Chicago.

Health Care Service officials estimate that about half of the new 24 floors will be leased to outside tenants not affiliated with the giant health insurance company.

"We are planning on leasing some of the space to other companies," said Jack Segal, vice president of public affairs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.

News of another corporate expansion in downtown Chicago was greeted with a warm reception at City Hall. United Airlines earlier this month announced that it will move its global headquarters to downtown Chicago.

"We are pleased that HCSC and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will be expanding their headquarters here," Lori T. Healey, commissioner of the City Department of Planning and Development, said Tuesday. "In addition to keeping jobs in the city, this is yet another example of a major corporation committed to calling Chicago home."





existing:

http://www.newcityskyline.com/Captured_2006-5-20_00055_op_800x585.jpg
image courtesy of NewcitySkyline




new:

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/9717/bcbsfz2.jpg
image courtesy of NewcitySkyline





more info available @ NewcitySkyline (http://www.newcityskyline.com/BCBSExtension.html)




.

[Dale]

WOWSER! I didn't see this one coming. I thought it had been deferred indefinately.

This is one of my Chicago favorites.

[Steely Dan]

keep in mind that there is a fair bit of confusion regarding the final height because all the newspaper articles have been quoting heights taken from the basment, but we all know that's a silly way of doing it. the 741' height figure in the title of this thread reflects the height from the sidewalk on upper randolph as best as we can figure it at this point. the 796' height figure in the article is taken from the basement.

[StormFire]

What does everyone think of this building? Great location - which is too bad b/c I always thought (in my unprofessional opinion) that the BCBS building is somewhat bland/average and bordering on ugly. I had always hoped that the planned expansion would help out somehow, but based on the above picuture it looks like more of the same. Comments?

[Jularc]

That is so cool. So I wonder if the company will still be using the tower while adding the expansion or will they move temporary to another office building. It will be interesting to see how they will handle this and to see the new addition in progress.

Also have anyone told the Aqua new buyers of this proposed expansion? Some of the Aqua top floors views will be affected. Isn't Aqua somewhere behind this tower?

[spyguy]

I think the 741' is closest to being correct. Using this rendering and comparing it to existing buildings, like Aon and Pru, you end up with something like 730' roughly but nothing close to 800'.

[SimbyHeart]

Wow, move over Hong Kong. I hope it rises fast, what will the new floors be steel or concrete?

Thats gonna be one amazing cluster there.

[Busy Bee]

Response to StormFire:


^It might have more to do with the fact that all engineering documents and architectural plans for the expansion were completed and finalized back when the originally building was begun. It's my understanding that it was known from the beginning that the expansion would look just like the first phase. If they were going to change it up a bit now and add some flair that would mean BSBS would have to hire the service of an architecture firm and needed engineering. Why pay another 5 million or more when they already have everything they need for an expansion?

I understand what you mean though. It is sort of unfortunate that the building is so conservative for its' location.

[Steely Dan]

busy bee and stormfire, you guys really don't like BCBS? that's surprising. it might not be an out and out mastepiece, but i've always considered it quite a successful tower, even in its currently stubby form. this vertical elongation is only going to increase the beauty of this one. and it will be especially interesting to see how they pull it off.

[kayosthery]

I spoke with a project manager who worked on the original construction of the building today. When asked what would happen to the atrium, he stated that it remains the same the entire way up. Now, I've never been inside the building so I don't know if that is good or bad. I just remember some people in here were curious or concerned that it might stop. :shrug:

[Marvel 33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
^ thanks mario. the rendering is being added to page 1.

a few things though, your article on newcityskyline seems to be reporting the same innaccuracies as the newspapers regarding the height of the building. emporis has it listed as 411'/32 floors existing, not 466'/33 floors as all of the articles have claimed. it is possible that emporis' datat on the existing building is wrong, but i'm willing to bet that it ain't, knowing the chicago editors' penchant for accuracy in their data.

so for now, i'm still listing this proposal as 741'/56 floors after making the neccessary mathematical adjustments.


Steely,

The reason why there are inconsistencies is because there are indeed two different versions as far as the floor count.

According to the Health Care Service Corporation’s Press Release, the existing building has 24 floors and they’re adding 33 new floors.

The architect, Goettsch Partners sees the current building as having 32 floors and they would be adding 25 new floors.

Either way, the building will ended up with 57 floors and the height they gave us is accurate according to Matt Larson, Director of Business Development at Goettsch Partners.

Tiffany, our Chief Editor spoke with him this morning and we just called him again to confirm the information he gave us was correct and he said it was.

However, they're measuring the structure from the basement, not from the sidewalk.


That was the conversation Steely and I had earlier. We are getting the exact height from the ground tomorrow.

In the mean time we added to our article that the height they gave us is from the basement:

http://www.newcityskyline.com/BCBSExtension.html

[SimbyHeart]

Wow, move over Hong Kong. I hope it rises fast, what will the new floors be steel or concrete?

Thats gonna be one amazing cluster there.

[Dale]

I think what I'm learning here is that the Chicago skyline would be especially awe-inspiring if one could only survey it from basement level. :)

[honte]

I think what I'm learning here is that the Chicago skyline would be especially awe-inspiring if one could only survey it from basement level. :)

This is true. We get a bit screwed by Wacker and the Illinois Center in the height department. No matter, not having the giant parking podiums is certainly worth conceding 50 feet in the somewhat silly game of height figures.


busy bee and stormfire, you guys really don't like BCBS? that's surprising. it might not be an out and out mastepiece, but i've always considered it quite a successful tower, even in its currently stubby form. this vertical elongation is only going to increase the beauty of this one. and it will be especially interesting to see how they pull it off.


I agree that the expansion is really going to help this thing visually. I consider it to be a highly successful building in detail - one of the best-detailed buildings built here in the 90s - but the overall design is lacking. And it's just so entirely massive.

But a number of people put it in their top 10 in Chicago, which I just don't understand. Even 1 S. Wacker and 111 S. Wacker, by the same firm, rank far higher in my book.

[Marvel 33]

Ok, here is the actual and accurate height: 743' 1" from Randolph Street to the top and 47' 6" below Randolph.

Just got the numbers from the architect.

[Chicago3rd]

So does the AON get lopped off because it is on the 3rd level of Randolph and Columbus?

Personally BCBS in my book will have the height that is from the ground to the north up.....lol. But I am nobody...

This building......it looks to be blah..but it really does have so much going for it. It does not photography positivily. But its color and lines...and cleanliness..its ability to shine from inside at night...it is one of my favorites.

My only concern with it is it appears in the new rendering to pull AON down a little....the thrust of AON isn't as severe...which was to me a selling point when looking at it.

[Steely Dan]

Ok, here is the actual and accurate height: 743' 1" from Randolph Street to the top and 47' 6" below Randolph.

Just got the numbers from the architect.
fantastic, i'll make the neccessary changes. did you by any chance get the official story count above randolph figured out? is this a 24 or a 25 story addition?





S
My only concern with it is it appears in the new rendering to pull AON down a little....the thrust of AON isn't as severe...which was to me a selling point when looking at it.
the rendering at the top of this thread definitely has some vertical axis shortening going on. even with the new vertical addition to BCBS, there's no way that aon could ever be that stubby.

[spyguy]

^Of course add Aqua, "Aqua II," and Mandarin Oriental and that might change a little. But like someone else said, this is going to be one of the tallest clusters in the world.

[honte]

^Of course add Aqua, "Aqua II," and Mandarin Oriental and that might change a little. But like someone else said, this is going to be one of the tallest clusters in the world.

I was just thinking that last night when I drove past there. Not just the tallest, but I'd guess one of the densest (even with all of the plazas). Is it possible to compare - say, with emporis - the total square footage per square foot of land? It would be very interesting to see how this area would rank if all of these buildings were built. I think if you worked the numbers right, this would be pretty high up there.

And all this with no el stop in the immediate vicinity. For shame!

[HK Chicago]

The architect, Goettsch Partners sees the current building as having 32 floors and they would be adding 25 new floors

Cool that Goettsch P kept the project, even with Lohan moving on.

I hope the atrium stays because it also effects the outer appearance... much more light enters and leaves the tower with the atrium. I fell in love with the night view of this one from my old apt at 400 McClurg, and it's on my top 25 in the Chicago 300'+ category.

[Marvel 33]

fantastic, i'll make the neccessary changes. did you by any chance get the official story count above randolph figured out? is this a 24 or a 25 story addition?

According to the architect is 25 so we should probably stick with the architect's numbers.

[Steely Dan]

^ i agree. we got 32 existing floors (as per emporis) and the architect himself say the addition is 25 floors, so that makes for the 57 floor grand total. thanks for all the info mario.

also, do you mind if i link to your article at newcityskyline in the first post?

[Chi_Coruscant]

The atrium level will not changed or eliminated. This place is beneficial to BCBSIL for hosting such events such as the luncheon conference for visiting health care network providers or brokers. There's no need to worry about atrium.

[ArchMadness]

Interesting project. You don't see this happening very often. I'm curious to know how the elevator expansions would work. Are they just continuing the core or they adding a sky lobby?

[Marvel 33]

^ i agree. we got 32 existing floors (as per emporis) and the architect himself say the addition is 25 floors, so that makes for the 57 floor grand total. thanks for all the info mario.

also, do you mind if i link to your article at newcityskyline in the first post?

No problem Steely, go right ahead.

[the urban politician]

So with the fabulous sky atrium (never seen it, but Kamin seems to love it) extending all the way to the 56th/57th floor, are we talking about one of the greatest open air atriums of all time?

[rds989]

I honestly never thought this would happen. I thought every mention of the possibility was kind of a waste of time. I'm very surprised and pleased. I like the building -- very conservative, but well executed and sharp looking.

[rds989]

I also like this project because, along with all the great new "Tall & Thin" towers, it is nice to have a little bit of old-school "Tall & Ponderously Massive."

[justin00]

What a surprise that they are actually going to go through with this. I had always heard about plans for it but never imagined it happening at least for a few more years.

Does anyone know if this type of thing has ever been done before on this scale?

[honte]

So with the fabulous sky atrium (never seen it, but Kamin seems to love it) extending all the way to the 56th/57th floor, are we talking about one of the greatest open air atriums of all time?

Oh yeah, I'd say so. One of the guards let me in there late at night, and man, it's so impressive even now. The photos on emporis are pretty darn good, but it's hard to capture it in photographs (or from the exterior).

[biophilic]

Wow, move over Hong Kong. I hope it rises fast, what will the new floors be steel or concrete?

Steel.

A good deal of the atrium space is going to be lost to new elevator banks. Some of the atrium will remain (the extent will depend on the floor) but from what i understand it won't be as impressive as it is now (i've only seen photos).

[Adam186]

Speaking of atrium photos, can someone post those here? I'd be interested to see those.

[Dan in Chicago]

I can't post them, but you can see a few pictures here: http://www.emporis.com/en/il/pc/?id=116823&aid=8

I've been told that the schedule for the actual construction of the expansion is 2007-2010 or 2011. Not sure why it's taking so long when new foundations aren't needed, but it is being built over an occupied structure. The plaza in back will be temporarily closed and turned into the staging area. I'm not sure but I think one of the atrium shafts will be used for additional elevators and the other will be left open. If so, it shouldn't make much difference as the two shafts are virtually identical.

If anyone knows of any other skyscrapers which were expanded vertically WHILE OCCUPIED, let us know. The only other example the folks at Blue Cross are aware of is the Tulsa office of Blue Cross Blue Shield, which grew from 3 stories to 6 stories while occupied... so they are no longer claiming uniqueness for their building, just for their company's buildings in general!

[denizen467]

I'm having trouble understanding how 3 --> 6 floors while occupied is different from when my next door neighbors added a porch to their house while occupied.;)

Seriously though, there are at least a couple early 20thC / late 19thC downtown buildings that had floors added after original completion. Of course, determining whether they were occupied during construction might be a tad difficult at this point.

[Latoso]

The Reliance building was built on the site of a 5 story building that was occupied during construction. Floors 3-5 of the original building were jacked up while floors 1-2 of the Reliance building were started. Here's more details at Emporis: http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=117626

[Fabb]

57 floors and yet, less than 750 ft.
Again, that's a bit of a disappointment.

[Steely Dan]

57 floors and yet, less than 750 ft.
Again, that's a bit of a disappointment.

only in the warped realms of skyscraperpageland can people be disappointed by buildings somehow not being tall enough in relation to the number of their floors. :rolleyes:

look, doing some simple arithmetic yields an average floor-to-floor height of ~13', which is par for the course for commercial office buildings. being "disappointed" by that is ridiculous.

[JACKinBeantown]

I think it's cool that they're adding 24 floors to an old building, but how about this as a what if? They could have made the new floors in a series of step-backs and easily added an additional 75-100 feet.

[Lecom]

New York has some amazing developments going on right now, and I tend to be very hometown-biased, yet at this stage even I admit that Chi-town easily outdoes New York at its rate of pimping out the skyline.

This is a great project. Congratulations, you lucky bastards.

[volguus zildrohar]

I always thought that building would rock if it were taller. Very nice.

[spyguy]

Two images from goettsch's website
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1711/bcbsweb2ia1.jpg
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4140/bcbsweb5bn8.jpg

[honte]

^ Those are beautiful, but the vertically-oriented shots on emporis give a better indication of the scope of this thing.


I'm not sure but I think one of the atrium shafts will be used for additional elevators and the other will be left open.


Wow, that would be great news if so. (And does that mean they're going to put on a third addition someday? ;) )


57 floors and yet, less than 750 ft.
Again, that's a bit of a disappointment


Yes, but as the architects said, it's really about 800' above "true grade." Since Chicago is so flat, it's "skyline impact value" (if we could measure such a thing) would be closer to 800'.

[StormFire]

busy bee and stormfire, you guys really don't like BCBS? that's surprising. it might not be an out and out mastepiece, but i've always considered it quite a successful tower, even in its currently stubby form. this vertical elongation is only going to increase the beauty of this one. and it will be especially interesting to see how they pull it off.

Setbacks would be nice, but I'm sure it would be more design work and more expensive. Maybe it is the conservatism. Heck, I was always wondering when (if ever) they would add more floors, but I just never guessed (and I should have) that it would be more of exactly the same. But generally I am happy b/c almost anything that brings more office space and more jobs downtown is good to me.

I think the whole build-on is fascinating, and maybe you are right that when it is more massive it will be more impressive. Maybe it is the glass that makes or breaks this building - you know where glass like on Nuveen is really special vs. the glass on the State of IL building and Soldier Field (lake side) is (to me) aesthetically substandard.

[StormFire]

And I have to say that the pics on this site make the building look better than it does in person.....

[Marvel 33]

^ I think the building looks pretty good in person myself!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Marino33/BlueCrossBlueShieldBuilding.jpg

[Steely Dan]

^ I think the building looks pretty good in person myself!

i concur. this building is very well detailed and i would say it actually looks better up close and in person than it does in photogrpahs. the interiors are exceptionally well-done.

[StormFire]

The interiors do rock, we will just have to disagree on the exterior (and maybe it will grow on me).

[the urban politician]

^ When it reaches its full height, this thing will be a mind-blower.

Seriously, imagine sitting in the park in front of the Pritzker Pavilion, watching a live performance, and having this giant monster, the Aon, and the fully built 340 OTP all rising to the heavens in the background

[kayosthery]

^ I think the building looks pretty good in person myself!

Guess what company originally built this one.....:jester:

See, not everything Walsh does deserves the poor reputation around here.

[emoney]

When you build everything you get lucky every once in a while. I think at a lot of other locations this building would look a lot more massive, but the soon to be super cluster of 700+ buildings is cool too.

[aaron38]

I saw my first show at the Northerly Island Pavilion last night. For fans of the skyline it really is an amazing venue.
340 on the park is already making a huge impact. And with this BCBS expansion, it will have a great presence from the museum campus and really add to the skyline.

[Fabb]

Why didn't the architects update the style of the addition ?
They're being timid.
They shouldn't ignore ten years of evolution in the field of design and architecture.

[VivaLFuego]

Why didn't the architects update the style of the addition ?
They're being timid.
They shouldn't ignore ten years of evolution in the field of design and architecture.
I assume the plans for this were drawn up 10 years ago when the building was first design, so it's a cost issue not to go back to the drawing board.

[alex1]

busy bee and stormfire, you guys really don't like BCBS? that's surprising. it might not be an out and out mastepiece, but i've always considered it quite a successful tower, even in its currently stubby form. this vertical elongation is only going to increase the beauty of this one. and it will be especially interesting to see how they pull it off.

yeah. very fine facade detailing. An interesting building from street level.

[JMH_Architecture]

So that I understand clearly they are adding floors to a building that is already standing.

[UberAlles]

^^ Yes, It was planned from the begginning to add floors at a later time.
Weird huh?

[Fabb]

^^ Yes, It was planned from the begginning to add floors at a later time.
Weird huh?

The possibility of two extensions was announced initially. It's not clear to me whether the addition of 25 new floors is just one phase of the extensions, or the two of them at the same time.

[the urban politician]

The possibility of two extensions was announced initially. It's not clear to me whether the addition of 25 new floors is just one phase of the extensions, or the two of them at the same time.

^ Sources close to me reveal that this is true. After another 5-6 years, they plan to add another 25 stories, pushing this building's height to well over 1000 feet.

And I drive a Ferrari... :haha:

[Steely Dan]

The possibility of two extensions was announced initially. It's not clear to me whether the addition of 25 new floors is just one phase of the extensions, or the two of them at the same time.

the building was designed to accomodate two vertical additions of 12 floors each, so this 25 story addition would constitute both of those additions happening at once. where does the extra floor come from you ask? you got me. i'm a wee bit unsure about all of the floor count numbers for this building at the present moment given the cunfusion about what the "ground floor" is considered for this building. the important thing though, is that it will hopefully be getting a whole hell of a lot taller.

[Busy Bee]

Why didn't the architects update the style of the addition ?
They're being timid.
They shouldn't ignore ten years of evolution in the field of design and architecture.

Ha. That's funny, I'm arguing the same thing about L cars in the Chicago Transit Developments thread.http://images.skyscraperpage.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[SolarWind]

If anyone knows of any other skyscrapers which were expanded vertically WHILE OCCUPIED, let us know. The only other example the folks at Blue Cross are aware of is the Tulsa office of Blue Cross Blue Shield, which grew from 3 stories to 6 stories while occupied... so they are no longer claiming uniqueness for their building, just for their company's buildings in general!

The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago was built over an existing retail complex. I'm not sure if that portion was occupied at the time and at only 4-stories it wouldn't really qualify as an existing skyscraper. Although the completed expanded floor count is now 17.

[ChitownJay]

A potential site for this kind of expansion could be the russet steel garage just north of the IBM building between State and Wabash. When construction was announced in the newspaper sometime in the mid-70's, it was stated that the caissons were strong enough to uphold a 35-story office building addition. Don't know who owns this structure now or if they have any plans in the future. But with Trump Tower rising now across the street from it, the potential for future growth still has to be considered.

[Steely Dan]

^ interesting. i did not know that.

and that's a damn fine looking parking garage to boot. it compliments IBM very well.

[denizen467]

ChitownJay, did you have that nugget of trivia lodged in your head for 30 years, and just pulled it out now?? Or did you come across it searching newspaper archives? Either way, unbelievable...

[Jaroslaw]

< Is that rendering on page one official? Because about four years ago, or even earlier, I saw a render that did have a slimmer phase two, this was on some semi-official future-architecture website, no memory of the name now. But the image of the more slender part II was always in my mind...

[ChitownJay]

I was just another Chitown high school/college kid who followed the building boom of the 60's and 70's with pretty much the same verve and enthusiasm most of you (and I) are experiencing with today's unbelievable boom. I remember a lot of the details connected with many of the buildings going up back then because it was all so new to us; like slurry walls surrounding the then Standard Oil Building and CNA Tower. Or the four-each construction booms they used for lifting beams up to the ever-rising Sears and Standard towers which, up until that time, were supposedly used only for bridge building. If anything else comes up in any of the other threads like this, I'll be more than happy to share any information I can. I've been following your site here for more than a year, but only recently registered. It makes for a fascinating hobby.

[SolarWind]

Welcome ChitownJay! Thanks for posting.

[STERNyc]

I have a book Skyscrapers The New Millennium that writes the following about 300 E. Randolph:

Vertical expansion is possible because the roof is removable, allowing new steel columns to be connected to those directly below, continuing the building's structural design. The increased need for vertical circulation will be served by two more passenger elevator banks, now reserved on the building's north side as a dramatic, vertiginous atrium space adjacent to the two passenger elevator banks now in service.


So it looks like the atrium will go.

[honte]

^ interesting. i did not know that.

and that's a damn fine looking parking garage to boot. it compliments IBM very well.

... designed by one of Chicago's finest, if most overlooked firms.

Also, while we're on this semi-relevant topic, I'll chime in that Jones High School on State was designed to become a small high-rise if future expansion is required.

[Chicago3rd]

The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago was built over an existing retail complex. I'm not sure if that portion was occupied at the time and at only 4-stories it wouldn't really qualify as an existing skyscraper. Although the completed expanded floor count is now 17.

Yes the stores existed for a few years before the Pennisula was added.

[HK Chicago]

A potential site for this kind of expansion could be the russet steel garage just north of the IBM building between State and Wabash. When construction was announced in the newspaper sometime in the mid-70's, it was stated that the caissons were strong enough to uphold a 35-story office building addition. Don't know who owns this structure now or if they have any plans in the future. But with Trump Tower rising now across the street from it, the potential for future growth still has to be considered.

Isn't this the garage where the air-rights were auctioned ~5 years ago for this exact purpose? Somebody's got a hold on the development future for this site...

[biophilic]

Why didn't the architects update the style of the addition ?
They're being timid.
They shouldn't ignore ten years of evolution in the field of design and architecture.

If you look carefully, you'll notice that the building team is calling this a "vertical completion" not an expansion. A subtle, but telling difference. This also suggests that there aren't any expansions planned for anytime after this one is complete.

[Steely Dan]

^ yes. thank you for pointing out that distinction. this building was designed to be roughly 750' tall from the outset, it's just that only the first phase was built at the time back on the mid-90s. this new vertical expansion of the building is a completion of the design, not an addition to it.

[Biff]

What a surprise that they are actually going to go through with this. I had always heard about plans for it but never imagined it happening at least for a few more years.

Does anyone know if this type of thing has ever been done before on this scale?

There is a building in Vancouver - I believe it is called "Bentall 5" that was a 25ish story building and they are currently adding something like 10-15 story's to it. It is currently under construction. Sorry i don't have any pics. check with some of the Vancouver forumers.

Cool project none the less.

[cubs in five]

I saw they are giving this one a 2010 completion date. But, when will construction begin again?

[kayosthery]

:previous:

Soon, very soon. The project team is currently being assembled. I haven't heard an exact date, however, if I had to guess I'd say December / January for mobiliztion to begin.

[BVictor1]

:previous:

Soon, very soon. The project team is currently being assembled. I haven't heard an exact date, however, if I had to guess I'd say December / January for mobiliztion to begin.

That's certainly gog news to hear. I hadn't realized before that walsh had built BCBS until it was mentioned several month ago. They did a good job on this one, and I certainly hope that quality is continued through the next phase.

[Steely Dan]

Soon, very soon. The project team is currently being assembled. I haven't heard an exact date, however, if I had to guess I'd say December / January for mobiliztion to begin.

for real? damn! the next several months could be very intersting for skyscraper construction starts (legacy, aqua, mandarin???, BCBS).

[ChitownJay]

Like I said in #66 of this thread, an unbelievable boom and a fascinating hobby.

[jcchii]

I'm not liking it from that rendering.
it looks too bulky and all up in 340 OTP's new slender face, kind of crowding it out.
340 way better

[Chi_Coruscant]

Someone in the know told me that the construction team will set up the security perimeter surrounding the BCBSIL building as in scaffolding, installing temporary elevator shafts, and creating safety measures for the employees, visitors, and construction workers starting in January 2007. The cranes, then, will be erected at the existing rooftop around November 2007 to start the construction phase. It would be ongoing 24/7 all the way tilll early or mid 2010. The additional floors will be occupied in early 2011.

So it comes down to the question of when BCBS is officially u/c? November 2007?

[wanderer34]

Is it possible to add extra floors on an existing building and what's the effect of the infrastructure??? Please PM me!!!

[biophilic]

Two construction trailers have been placed on the NE side of the BCBS plaza.

[BVictor1]

Two construction trailers have been placed on the NE side of the BCBS plaza.

Are these trailers on the plaza level, or down below? If they are down at the base of the plaza, they could easily be trailers for AQUA. I'm sure that one of us will check it out.

[Lecom]

Are the lower floors going to be used by office workers while construction is going on above?

[Chicago Shawn]

Are the lower floors going to be used by office workers while construction is going on above?

Yes, the building will still be open and occupied.

[STR]

Hehe I've read about the fun of working at 1 World Trade Center when it opened before top-out in 1971. Though, I don't think the entire BCBS lobby will be boarded up, with the only entrance being a wooden covered bridge over a 70 foot pit with all elevators except bank #1 inoperative, and the toilets probably won't freeze over in winter.

All true occurances for the first two tenants at the world's largest office complex. You can't make up some of the crap they pulled at the WTC.

[BVictor1]

Are these trailers on the plaza level, or down below? If they are down at the base of the plaza, they could easily be trailers for AQUA. I'm sure that one of us will check it out.

Never mind. I drove past a little while ago, and saw that the trailer is on the east side of the building, right next to 340 OtP on the plaza level. Will have to stop by sometime next week to see what the deal is.

[SolarWind]

Two construction trailers have been placed on the NE side of the BCBS plaza.
September 19, 2006
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8031/p9190173sh1.jpg

There's a Walsh sign on one of the doors:
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2954/wskn5.jpg

[Steely Dan]

from today's Tribune:


No glass ceiling: Blue Cross to rise another 25 stories

By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published September 20, 2006

Since it opened in 1997, the mostly glass-sheathed Blue Cross-Blue Shield office building at 300 E. Randolph St. has looked a bit too squat for the high-profile site it occupies at Grant Park's northern edge. But then its chunkiness was never intended to be permanent.

When architect Jim Goettsch designed the 32-story tower for the firm of Lohan Associates more than a decade ago, the foundations were made strong enough to support another 25 stories if Health Care Service Corp. and its Illinois division, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Illinois, ever decided to expand.

I never thought it would happen.

Yet it is, as the Tribune recently reported.

This addition represents more than a structural feat. It's good news for the skyline, as the "before and after" renderings provided by Goettsch's current firm, Goettsch Partners, strongly suggest.

When the addition is completed in 2010, the high-rise will assume a pleasing new verticality. As a bonus, its taller mass joins with the Aon Center and nearby condo towers to better shape the continuous wall of buildings that is visible from both Grant Park and, within it, Millennium Park.

Oh, yes, since the building is often used as a nighttime billboard, its lights conveying messages such as "Sox Pride," there will now be extra room for words when one of Chicago's sports teams finds itself in postseason play.

[Marcu]

I'm surprised some of the higher floors aren't being constructed as condos.

[Chi_Coruscant]

I don't think BCBSIL intended to make additional floors as condo because it owns the whole building. Probably few floors will be subleased to outside firm.

[Nowhereman1280]

I agree that this does crowd 340 somewhat, but I think its worth it. I mean in 5-10 years that whole few blocks on the north of Millenium park is going to be skyscraper heaven. With Mandrin and Aqua, BCBS, 340, and those supposed 8 or 9 hundred footers in Lakeshore East, being built up around 2 Prudential and Aon, this is going to be one dense block of buildings. The most interesting part of this will be the fact that this area is bordered on two sides by a sheer drop, Millenium on the south and that Lakeshore East park on the East. That should make for one impressive view! I look forward to it!

[Chi_Coruscant]

Someone in the know told me that the fencing off the north plaza will occur on Saturday. The landscaping items and the metal benches that are situated there will be moved to a temporary location. Essentially, the plaza will remain closed till end of 2008 or early 2009.

[honte]

^ Take a good look at it now in its present (awesome) state... the market at LSE is going to mess the whole thing up, I think. The market should be done before the plaza is reopened.

[Tom In Chicago]

The plaza behind BCBS is going to be closed as of 10/22. . . spoke to my friend there who indicated they were going to start construction shortly. . .

[i_am_hydrogen]

I didn't think this was going to happen so quickly.

[kayosthery]

I heard that we won't be seeing any vertical construction until this coming spring. They will be erecting steel in the atrium area first, to build new elevators. Once they finish that, then we'll see the tower crane and more steel going up.

[Kngkyle]

Oh, yes, since the building is often used as a nighttime billboard, its lights conveying messages such as "Sox Pride," there will now be extra room for words when one of Chicago's sports teams finds itself in postseason play.

Does anyone have any pictures of this?
I'd like to imagine what a giant U S A would look like for the 2016 olympics.

[HK Chicago]

http://static.flickr.com/25/56429707_8d584dc12f_m.jpg