330 North Wabash

IBM Building
Location 330 North Wabash, Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°53′19″N 87°37′39.3″W / 41.88861°N 87.627583°W / 41.88861; -87.627583Coordinates: 41°53′19″N 87°37′39.3″W / 41.88861°N 87.627583°W / 41.88861; -87.627583
Built 1973 (1973)
Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
NRHP reference # 09000166[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP March 11, 2010
Designated CL February 6, 2008

330 North Wabash (formerly IBM Plaza also known as IBM Building and now renamed AMA Plaza) is a skyscraper in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States, at 330 N. Wabash Avenue, designed by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (who died in 1969 before construction began). A small bust of the architect by sculptor Marino Marini is displayed in the lobby. The 52-story building is situated on a plaza overlooking the Chicago River. At 695 feet (211.8 meters), 330 North Wabash is the second-tallest building by Mies van der Rohe, the tallest being the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower at Toronto-Dominion Centre. It was his last American building.[2]

The building's original corporate namesake no longer owns nor has offices in the building. IBM sold IBM Plaza to the Blackstone Group in 1996. IBM all but completed its move out of IBM Plaza as of early 2006, taking up space in the new Hyatt Center building closer to Union Station. Current major tenants are the American Medical Association, Langham Chicago managed by Langham Hotels International, and law firm Latham & Watkins.[3]

The former IBM Plaza has several design features that are rare in an office building but understandable given its original owner. The building's electrical system, environmental system, floor strength, and ceiling height (on certain floors) can support large raised floor computing centers. With even more need to contain possible electrical fires, fire safety was especially important, and asbestos was one of the most useful fire prevention materials of that era. As with most other buildings of that era, asbestos abatement is an ongoing aspect of building life,[4] with air quality monitoring, asbestos "mapping," and opportunistic asbestos removal when feasible. Also, given IBM's traditional office hours, large number of workers, and commercial interest in marketing then emerging electronic building control systems (notably the IBM Series/1 and its predecessors), the "banked" intelligent passenger elevator system (with separate all-floor cargo elevators) is significantly over-provisioned for a building of its size and rarely keeps anyone waiting long for service. IBM Plaza stayed dry during the 1992 Chicago Flood.

In 2007, plans were announced to convert floors two through thirteen of the 52-story building into a high-end hotel. The Langham, Chicago which opened in 2013, occupying floors two through thirteen. The Langham Hotel in the building was named the best hotel in the United States by US News in 2017.[5] The building was declared a Chicago Landmark on February 6, 2008 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 26, 2010. It is also the newest building in Chicago in terms of age on both lists.

On December 9, 2011, the American Medical Association announced it would move its headquarters and entire workforce to 330 N. Wabash from its previous headquarters on State Street. The move occurred in September 2013 and the building was renamed AMA Plaza.[6]

Position in Chicago's skyline

311 South WackerWillis TowerChicago Board of Trade Building111 South WackerAT&T Corporate CenterKluczynski Federal BuildingCNA CenterChase TowerThree First National PlazaMid-Continental PlazaRichard J. Daley CenterChicago Title and Trust Center77 West WackerPittsfield BuildingLeo Burnett BuildingThe Heritage at Millennium ParkCrain Communications BuildingIBM PlazaOne Prudential PlazaTwo Prudential PlazaAon CenterBlue Cross and Blue Shield Tower340 on the ParkPark TowerOlympia Centre900 North MichiganJohn Hancock CenterWater Tower PlaceHarbor PointThe ParkshoreNorth Pier ApartmentsLake Point TowerJay Pritzker PavilionBuckingham FountainLake MichiganLake MichiganLake MichiganThe skyline of a city with many large skyscrapers; in the foreground are a green park and a lake with many sailboats moored on it. Over 30 of the skyscrapers and some park features are labeled.

In film

  • The building is seen briefly in the film The Corporation
  • This building is used in The Dark Knight, where it is the location of Harvey Dent's and Mayor Anthony Garcia's offices.
  • This building is used in Dhoom 3, where Sahir Khan's apartment was.

Former tenants

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Announcements and actions on properties for the National Register of Historic Places for March 26, 2010". Weekly Listings. National Park Service. March 26, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  2. ↑ Kamin, Blair (May 11, 2005). "Another perspective: views around the worksites". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
  3. ↑ “IBM Plaza in Chicago”, IBM Archives. IBM.com (Retrieved 2019-01-29.)
  4. ↑ SEC Form 8-K Filing
  5. ↑ Rackl, Lori (February 3, 2017). "Chicago's Langham named best U.S. hotel". Chicago Tribune. p. Section 2, page 3.
  6. ↑ "IBM building to get new tenant, name: AMA Plaza". Chicago Tribune. December 9, 2011.
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