Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower (BCBS) is on the north end of Millennium Park along E. Randolph Street at the NE corner of Randolph and Columbus Drive, in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. It is home to the headquarters of Health Care Service Corporation.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower
Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower
Location within Chicago metropolitan area
Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower (Illinois)
Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower (the United States)
General information
StatusComplete
TypeOffice
Location300 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41°53′5.55″N 87°37′11.66″W
Construction started1995 (phase 1)
2007 (phase 2)
Completed1997 (phase 1)
2010 (phase 2)
Height
Roof744 ft (227 m)
Technical details
Floor count54
Design and construction
ArchitectLohan Associates (Phase 1)
Goettsch Partners (Phase 2)
Structural engineerMagnusson Klemencic Associates

The building's address is 300 E. Randolph Street and is next to the Aon Center. Original plans to connect the two buildings via an underground pedway never came to fruition.

Architect James Goettsch of Goettsch Partners designed the building. The 33-story first phase was completed in 1997 under the firm name of Lohan Associates (now Goettsch Partners). The 24-story second phase started in 2007 and was completed in 2010.

Expansion

In 2006 the City of Chicago granted a building permit to Health Care Service Corporation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois to renovate the building upwards, which gave additional 24 stories and made the building 57 stories in total (3 floors below ground).[1] Upon its completion, it becomes the first project in Chicago that built upon the existing tower.[2]

Photo from 2007 prior to expansion
2010 - Showing the buildings new height in relation to surrounding
Photo from Sept. 2008 during expansion

Tenants

Tower as billboard
A message displayed to celebrate the Chicago Cubs' effort to win the 2015 NLCS.

The management of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower frequently shows its support for health care issues, local events and charities by arranging to have appropriate messaging displayed at night on the south facade of the building facing Grant Park.[3]

Unlike the nearby CNA Center, the drafting of the message is done by hand.[4]

Position in Chicago's skyline

311 South Wacker111 South WackerChase Tower77 West WackerIBM PlazaAon CenterBlue Cross and Blue Shield TowerPark TowerHarbor Point

See also

References
  1. "Blue Cross-Blue Shield Tower - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  2. Japsen, Bruce (July 26, 2006). "24 More Stories Coming to Blue Cross Building". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  3. "LifeTimes - Your Guide to Lifelong Health - Community Corner - How'd They Do That? Turning a Building into a Billboard". Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Retrieved 2015-10-14.
  4. A final tribute in lights: 'Thanks Chris', Chicago Tribune, 2013-12-11


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