Lakeshore East - History

History

Freight terminal with 333 North Michigan Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower in the background (April 1943). Lake Shore Drive's old S-curve (1963)

Previous to this urban development, the Lakeshore East area had been used by Illinois Central Railroad yards. After World War II, the railroads sold airspace rights north of Randolph Street. For several years after the rail yards were vacated, the site was used as a 9-hole golf course. Pete Dye designed the course, known as Metro Golf at Illinois Center, which was completed in 1994 and closed in 2001. The area was originally planned for development as part of the Illinois Center, and one of the challenges to the new development was to integrate itself into the inherited triple-level street system while creating a visually appealing and pedestrian friendly neighborhood. The solution was to stagger ground-level amenities and building entrances from the upper level at the perimeter to the lower level at the interior. Thus the multilevel street grid is utilized around the edges, with large parking structures in the podiums, while a large park at the lowest level forms the core of the development.

The Parkshore North Harbor Tower

The following buildings pre-existed the 21st century master plan for the neighborhood: Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower, Three Illinois Center, Swissôtel Chicago, Buckingham Plaza, The Parkshore, North Harbor Tower, 400 East Randolph Street Condominiums and Harbor Point. A 27-floor expansion of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower was completed in 2010. When Harbor Point and 400 East Randolph were built, Lake Shore Drive ran through this neighborhood to the west of these buildings, but it has since been rerouted to the east of these buildings.

The Chicago Pedway, which has existed since 1951, connects to public and private buildings, Chicago Transit Authority stations and Metra commuter rail facilities. The 4, 6 and 60 CTA bus routes run along the borders of the Lakeshore East area, and the 60 makes a turnaround within it on Harbor Drive. The pedway has been a controversy for Lakeshore East residents since they were promised a fully linked pedway to Buckingham Plaza and North Harbor Tower in the early 1990s as part of the construction plans. The archives available on the NewEastside.org website show numerous plans and unfulfilled promise regarding connecting the Pedway to most of the New Eastside.

Eastward view of Lakeshore East (5 March 2005)