Aqua, Chicago

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name=Aqua


location=Chicago, Illinois
roof=251 m (822 ft)
floor_count=87
use=Mixed
status=Under construction
groundbreaking=March 12 2007 [ [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=190323 Aqua, Chicago ] ]
est_completion=2009
opening=Mid-2009
floor_area=1.9 million ft² (177,000 m²)
architect=Jeanne Gang
developer=Magellan Development Group
contractor=James McHugh Construction Co

The Aqua is an 87-story skyscraper under construction at 225 N Columbus Dr in the Lakeshore East area of Chicago.Diesenhouse, S. (2007 February 28). Work to begin on Aqua tower. "Chicago Tribune". Retrieved March 1, 2007, from, http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0702280163feb28,0,7209815.story?track=rss] It will border North Columbus Drive and East South Water Street.

Architecture

Architect

The architect is Jeanne Gang and her firm Studio Gang. [cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/10/DDG40LKPJQ1.DTL&hw=Millennium+Park+Chicago&sn=006&sc=219|title=Visionary architect fuses imagination, common sense|accessdate=2008-08-04|date=2006-10-10|publisher=Hearst Communications Inc.|work=San Francisco Chronicle|author=King, John] This will be her first skyscraper project. This is the largest project ever awarded to an American firm headed by a woman. [http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/aqua/]

Design

The façade will be glass with undulating balconies which change slightly from floor to floor giving it a rippling effect. The balconies will extend as far as 12 feet (3.7 m) from the glass wall in some places. [ [http://www.mchughconstruction.com/news/press_releases.cfm McHugh Construction -::- Chicago ] ]

The building will contain 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meter) of retail and office space, in addition to 215 hotels rooms (floors 1-18), 476 rental residential units (floors 19-52), and 263 condominium units & Penthouses (floors 53-80). [cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/realestate/04nati.html?|title=How a Park Changed a Chicago Neighborhood |accessdate=2008-08-04|date=2006-06-04|publisher=The New York Times Company|work=The New York Times|author=Sharoff, Robert] Aqua will also be the first downtown building to combine condos, apartments and a hotel. Strategic Hotels & Resorts has agreed to acquire the first 15 floors of hotel space upon completion of the building. [cite web|url=http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_3rd/Sep06_AquaChicago.html|title=Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Acquiring 15 floors of the To be-built Aqua Building in Chicago for $82.4 million; Space to be Completed as 200 Hotel Rooms and convert|20000|sqft|m2|sing=on Ballroom|accessdate=2008-08-04|date=2006-09-28|publisher=Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. |work=Hotel Online]

As of 01 August 2008, only 10 condo units (of 281 total) remained unsold, with an average cost of $515-550 per square foot. [cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-magellan-builder_chomes_0801aug01,0,3137964.story|title=Lakeshore East project lifts Magellan to top|accessdate=2008-08-04|date=2008-08-01|publisher=|work=Chicago Tribune|author=Diesenhouse, Susan]

Construction Update

On 3 October 2008, Strategic Hotels announced it was pulling out of the project due to the recent financial crisis in the US. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-081003strategic,0,2544428.story]

Construction photographs

ee also

* List of buildings
* List of skyscrapers
* List of tallest buildings in Chicago

References

External links

* [http://www.lakeshoreeast.com/AQUA Official Aqua website]
* [http://www.lakeshoreeast.com/aqua.html Official Lakeshore East website]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=190323 Aqua at Emporis]
* [http://www.aquaowners.com/Aqua Aqua Owners Forum]