ORDINANCE
Marina City 300-352 N. State Street 301-351 N. Dearborn Street
WHEREAS, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Municipal Code of Chicago (the "Municipal Code"), Sections 2-120-630 through -690, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks (the "Commission") has determined that Marina City, located at 300-352 N. State Street and 301-351 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, legally described in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein, satisfies five (5) criteria for landmark designation as set forth in Section 2-120-620 (1), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, Marina City is an icon of Chicago urban planning. This "city within a city" was the first of its kind to layer residential, commercial, and entertainment uses into a dense high rise complex in the center city; and
WHEREAS, Marina City was the most ambitious and forward-thinking post-war urban renewal project in Chicago in an era defined by ambitious urban renewal projects; and
WHEREAS, Bertrand Goldberg's comprehensive vision for Marina City introduced new ideas about form and structure and novel solutions for living and working in an urban environment. Although Marina City remained an anomaly for decades, its success as a dense high-rise residential development anticipated the later transformation of downtown Chicago from a nine-to-five business district to a thriving and bustling residential and commercial community. The development's use of the Chicago River as an amenity was also years ahead of its time; and
WHEREAS, at the time of its construction, Marina City was the most ambitious and innovative real estate development in the city. The project was the first planned development project in Chicago, and the first and largest federally-insured downtown housing project in the country; and
WHEREAS, Marina City was the brainchild of William Lane McFetridge, president of the Building Service Employees International Union, and real estate developer Charles Swibel. McF...
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