Iconic downtown skyscraper "Big Red" turns 50
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This year, 333 South Wabash (formerly the CNA Center) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The big picture: The 44-floor tower is a huge part of the Chicago skyline, famous for its red color.
Flashback: The building was built in the early 1970s. The developers originally designed it with a bronze color but changed it to red to stand out against the stoic black and gray skyscrapers of the time.
State of play: Today, the rectangular-shaped tower is the 54th-tallest building in Chicago and still the only red skyscraper in town.
- The building's interiors were newly renovated, and include a new food hall and an elegant bar that will open in June, with up-close views of the "L."
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What they're saying: "There's a real energy to this building," property general manager Louise Harney tells Axios.
The intrigue: The building is bucking the trend surrounding Loop office building vacancies, largely because it houses Northern Trust and Chicago Housing Authority offices.
- Harney says they have about 3,000 workers in the building on weekdays.
- "To keep workers here, we have to make it as attractive and as exciting as possible," says Harney.
What's next: The building plans to celebrate its anniversary with events year-round, including tours during Open House Chicago in October.