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Architecture Team Selected For Navy Pier Redesign

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 15, 2012 5:40PM

Navy Pier's governing board selected James Corner Field Operations to redesign the public spaces of the facility today.

According to board members, Corner received the nod due to the strength of the firm's projects in other major metropolitan areas, notably New York City's High Line project. Navy Pier, Inc. chairwoman Sarah Garvey said, "They dreamed big, but they were able to do it in a way we could pay for it."

Indeed, Navy Pier will be working with Corner in the upcoming months on a completed design. Navy Pier, Inc. executive vice president Steven Haemmerle said it's expected Corner will be paid less than half of the $10 million set aside for preliminary work.

Corner's designs were among five finalists for the project, which Navy Pier hopes to be completed by 2016, the facility's 100th anniversary.

And we were hoping for a glacier in the middle of Lake Michigan. (kidding.)