Greek-Themed Skyscraper Coming To Greektown

By Amy Cavanaugh in News on Jul 22, 2012 6:00PM

The Chicago Architecture Blog is reporting that a new 33-story building is coming to 765 West Adams, which is the space across from the Walgreens in Greektown.

The building, designed by FitzGerald Associates, is going to consist of residences over a retail podium, and its most notable feature is the Greek-inspired design.

This building doesn’t forget it’s in Greektown. The white and blue color scheme is deliberate, though the exact shade of blue is still being worked out. And surrounding the podium on three sides is Greek-themed art.

Facing I-90/94 and wrapping around the eastern and southern sides of the podium are stylized Olympic runners. The design is taken from a famous piece of ancient Greek pottery. It is followed by the word “Greektown.” On the northern side of the podium is a depiction of the Parthenon, giving the neighborhood its first significant icon since the concrete torches were erected along the Kennedy Expressway years ago…

“This building is in Greektown. We think this building has to acknowledge where it is and have a Greek theme,” said the building’s architect, Pat FitzGerald, which has its offices a few blocks away on Lake Street.

The building isn't named yet, but apparently the developer "is whittling down a list of a couple of hundred Greek-themed names for the building." Construction could start in six months, and if all goes well, the projected finish date is the summer of 2014.

There are more renderings on the blog, and the design looks slightly ridiculous. While the blue and white theme is subtle, the Olympic runners and Parthenon images seem like they belong in a kitschy chain restaurant, not a brand-new building in Chicago.