When the economy halted in 2008, so too did work on what was to be a luxury hotel at 111 West Wacker, leaving a 28-story concrete shell of a structure along one of the most visible stretches of the Chicago River.
Numerous development teams with grand plans failed to inspire investors and erase the recession induced “black eye” from Chicago’s skyline. But in 2011, Related Midwest and its design team devised an economic and efficient solution to turn the incomplete structure into a 60-story high-end apartment tower and the architectural highlight it was always meant to become.
Aiming higher
Having done a peer review of the original structural design, WSP Building Structures understood the challenges and possibilities in reusing the existing concrete structure. The team’s focus was to find the most economical way to configure and integrate the addition atop the existing structure.
An optimal structure and column layout was created for the new apartment levels, and an efficient two-way deep slab was integrated at the amenities level to transfer offset columns. The core layout was also optimized above and transitioned at the amenities level, and core walls below were further modified with new openings and infills. WSP limited reinforcements to only a few existing columns — previously intended to support 30 stories, but now supporting the new 60-story footprint above — through strategic column and shear wall placements, all without compromising apartment unit efficiency.
Delivering results and impact
Bringing high-rise expertise, in-depth analysis and a culture of collaboration, WSP helped OneEleven come alive at last, ensuring its place of prominence on the Chicago River and completing one of the most powerful architectural experiences in the city.
When the building was sold soon after completion, it set a new price record for apartment buildings in Chicago. The impact the revitalized project had within the city garnered awards and recognition from several organizations, including Engineering News Record, the American Institute of Architects and Urban Living Institute.
