333 South Wabash

333 South Wabash is a simple, rectangular International Style building, but it is unique in that the entire building was painted bright red by Eagle Painting & Maintenance Company, Inc., turning an otherwise ordinary-looking structure into one of the most eye-catching buildings in the city. It was designed by the firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and was completed in 1972.

As of 2014, CNA occupied 65 percent of the tower.{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Daniels |newspaper=Crain's Chicago Business |date=March 24, 2014 |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140322/ISSUE01/303229981/why-jobs-and-revenue-are-going-opposite-directions-at-cna |title=Why jobs and revenue are going opposite directions at CNA}} Other occupants included The Chicago Housing Authority, United Way and Akuna Capital.{{cite news |first=Abraham |last=Tekippe |newspaper=Crain's Chicago Business |date=December 14, 2012 |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20121214/CRED03/121219844/united-way-moving-to-cna-center |title=United Way moving to CNA Center}}{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2017 |title=Akuna Capital signed tax break deal with state of Illinois estimated to be worth $4.5M |url=https://www.illinoispolicy.org/akuna-capital-received-4-5m-tax-credit-for-10-jobs/ |access-date=February 1, 2023 |website=Illinois Policy}}

In August 2017, Buck and Northern Trust announced an agreement for the bank to lease {{convert|465,000|sqft|m2}} of the building. The lease, which includes signage and naming rights, was to consolidate approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Northern Trust workers from several sites around Chicago and take place in 2020.{{cite news |title=CNA building gets new tenant — and maybe a new name — as Northern Trust signs deal |last=Ori |first=Robert |date=August 9, 2017 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ct-northern-trust-cna-ryan-ori-0810-biz-20170809-column.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903082322/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ct-northern-trust-cna-ryan-ori-0810-biz-20170809-column.html |url-status=live }}

Originally known as Continental Center III, in reference to the original moniker of CNA Financial Corporation, Continental National American Group,{{Cite web |url=http://forums.tannerworld.com/showthread.php?t=7602 |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911235110/http://forums.tannerworld.com/showthread.php?t=7602 |archive-date=September 11, 2007 |url-status=dead}} both CNA Center (formerly CNA Plaza) and the neighboring CNA Center North (Continental Center II, built in 1962 at 55 East Jackson Blvd.) adjoined and were painted red. The shorter red building was later restored to its original gray tone in 1999.{{cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/116813/cna-plaza-north-chicago-il-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184733/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/116813/cna-plaza-north-chicago-il-usa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=May 12, 2015 |title=CNA Plaza North |website=Emporis |access-date=September 2, 2018}} The two buildings remain joined at the second floor: CNA's Conference Center uses space on that floor, but all entrance and egress to it is through CNA Center.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} The company's previous headquarters from 1943 to 1962 had been Metropolitan Tower (310 South Michigan Avenue, aka Continental Center I).{{cite web |url=https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Historic_Preservation/Publications/Continental_Center.pdf |title=Landmark Designation Report |access-date=January 22, 2019 |date=July 7, 2011 |publisher=Commission on Chicago Landmarks}}

In 1999, a large fragment of a window fell from the building and killed a woman walking with her child. Windows had been cracking at the building ever since it had been built in 1975 due to thermal stress of uneven heating caused by the building's inset windows. CNA Financial, a property insurance company, later paid $18 million to settle the resultant lawsuit. All of the building's windows were replaced in an expensive retrofit.Chicago Architecture Info [http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/1083/CNA-Center.php CNA Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715000940/http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/1083/CNA-Center.php |date=July 15, 2014 }} Accessed July 13, 2014{{cite news |first=Louise |last=Kiernan |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=February 14, 2002 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/02/14/cna-window-death-settled-for-18-million/ |title=CNA window death settled for $18 million |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213183402/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/02/14/cna-window-death-settled-for-18-million/ |url-status=live }}

333 South Wabash became a Chicago Landmark in 2012.{{cite web |last=Bey |first=Lee |date=April 4, 2025 |title=Downtown's Big Red gets new flavor |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/04/04/cna-center-reddish-chicago-downtowns-building-red-wabash-avenue-lee-bey |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Chicago Sun-Times}} CNA decided to sell the building in 2015 after relocating to 151 North Franklin,{{cite web |title=CNA to Sell 1M-SF "Big Red" Office Building |website=Connect CRE |date=November 30, 2023 |url=https://www.connectcre.com/stories/cna-to-sell-1m-sf-big-red-office-building/ |access-date=April 7, 2025}} and the John Buck Company acquired the building in March 2016 for $108 million.{{cite web |last=Yerak |first=Becky |title=CNA sells Loop headquarters for $108 million |website=Chicago Tribune |date=March 25, 2016 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/03/25/cna-sells-loop-headquarters-for-108-million/ |access-date=April 7, 2025}}{{cite web |title=The John Buck Company completes $108M acquisition of CNA building |website=REJournals – Commercial real estate news |url=https://rejournals.com/the-john-buck-company-completes-108m-acquisition-of-cna-building/ |access-date=April 7, 2025 |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211195903/https://rejournals.com/the-john-buck-company-completes-108m-acquisition-of-cna-building/ |url-status=live }} Buck planned to redevelop the building.{{cite news |title=CNA selling 'Big Red,' moving HQ to new office tower |last=Ori |first=Ryan |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20151216/CRED03/151219886/cna-selling-big-red-moving-hq-to-new-office-tower |date=December 16, 2015 |newspaper=Crain's Chicago Business |access-date=September 2, 2018 |archive-date=August 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823210600/http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20151216/CRED03/151219886/cna-selling-big-red-moving-hq-to-new-office-tower |url-status=live }}

In January 2020, a joint venture between Michael Shvo's firm SHVO, Deutsche Finance, and BLG Capital agreed to buy the building for $370 million.{{cite web |last=Rogal |first=Brian |last2=Chicago |first2=Bisnow |date=January 22, 2020 |title=333 South Wabash Sells For $370M, Raising Hopes The Investment Office Market Is Back |url=https://www.bisnow.com/chicago/news/office/333-south-wabash-sells-for-370m-raising-hopes-the-investment-office-market-is-back-102653 |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Bisnow}}{{cite web |last=Ecker |first=Danny |date=January 22, 2020 |title=Revamped 'Big Red' selling for $370 million |url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/revamped-big-red-selling-370-million |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Crain's Chicago Business |archive-date=August 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815224351/https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/revamped-big-red-selling-370-million |url-status=live }} Hayden Hall, a food court in the building, opened the same month{{cite web |last=Selvam |first=Ashok |date=January 30, 2020 |title=Explore the New Loop Food Hall Inspired by the 1893 World's Fair |url=https://chicago.eater.com/2020/1/30/21115297/hayden-hall-food-hall-dmk-world-fair |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Eater Chicago |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003232338/https://chicago.eater.com/2020/1/30/21115297/hayden-hall-food-hall-dmk-world-fair |url-status=live }} but closed shortly afterward due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last=Nelson |first=Sam |date=June 26, 2024 |title=Hayden Hall, Closed Since COVID's Start, Reopens With New Vendors and Owners |url=https://chicago.eater.com/2024/6/26/24186547/hayden-hall-reopen-craveworthy-brands-new-owner-downtown-chicago-budlong |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Eater Chicago |archive-date=October 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007030809/https://chicago.eater.com/2024/6/26/24186547/hayden-hall-reopen-craveworthy-brands-new-owner-downtown-chicago-budlong |url-status=live }} The sale of the building was finalized that August for $376 million.{{cite web |last=Ecker |first=Danny |date=August 13, 2020 |title=$376 million deal for downtown's 'Big Red' closes |url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/376-million-deal-downtowns-big-red-closes |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Crain's Chicago Business}}{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Ben |date=August 13, 2020 |title=$376 million sale of Chicago's 333 South Wabash building is closed |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2020/08/13/376-million-sale-of-chicagos-333-south-wabash-bu.html |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=The Business Journals}} Hayden Hall reopened in 2024, Following a renovation the next year, designed by HOK, 333 South Wabash was rebranded as The Red.{{cite web |last=Bey |first=Lee |date=April 4, 2025 |title=Downtown's Big Red gets new flavor |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/04/04/cna-center-reddish-chicago-downtowns-building-red-wabash-avenue-lee-bey |access-date=April 7, 2025 |website=Chicago Sun-Times}}{{cite web |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/20/3046325/0/en/Iconic-333-South-Wabash-Building-Reborn-as-The-Red.html |title=Iconic '333 South Wabash' Building Reborn as 'The Red' |access-date=March 26, 2025 |date=March 20, 2025 |work=SHVO |author=GlobeNewswire}}

{{wide image|Chicago Grant Park night pano.jpg|800px|Chicago skyline with the 333 South Wabash (far left) showing the Chicago Blackhawks' logo, the Smurfit-Stone Building saying Go Hawks and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower saying Hawks Win the night after the 2009–10 Chicago Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, viewed from the Petrillo Music Shell lawn in Grant Park}}

Utilizing a combination of lights on/off and 1,600 window blinds open/closed (and sometimes foamboard cutouts), the windows on 333 South Wabash are often used to display lighted window messages, typically denoting holidays, remembrances, and other events denoting Chicago civic pride, such as when the Blackhawks played in and won the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals and when the Cubs made their 2016 World Series run. Building engineers use a computer program to plot which windows need to be lighted to create the proper message.{{cite news |title=Chicago buildings showing Blackhawks pride during Final |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130612/BLOGS04/130619927/chicago-buildings-showing-blackhawks-pride-during-stanley-cup-final |last=Ecker |first=Danny |date=June 12, 2013 |newspaper=Crain'S Chicago Business |access-date=September 2, 2018}}{{cite news |title=How Chicago's iconic buildings light up for the Cubs |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-how-chicago-buildings-change-their-light-colors-htmlstory.html |first1=Kori |last1=Rumore |first2=Jonathon |last2=Berlin |date=October 27, 2016 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903082107/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-how-chicago-buildings-change-their-light-colors-htmlstory.html |url-status=live }}

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{{Gallery

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|File:Cancer_display_3_1114.jpg|Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2005

|File:Holiday_display.jpg|December 2005, "gift" of a wrapped present design reflecting the winter holidays.

|File:Cna gobears.jpg|333 South Wabash cheers the Chicago Bears

|File:Cna happy2007.jpg|Lighted window message for New Year's Eve 2007

|File:Go_cubs.jpg|CNA's building with wording formed by office lights through windows "Go Cubs Go".

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{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130723052049/http://steveandamysly.tannerworld.com/features/cnaplaza/ 333 South Wabash Lighted Window Message Archive]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070911235110/http://forums.tannerworld.com/showthread.php?t=7602 Informative site]

{{Chicago Skyscrapers}}

Category:1970s architecture in the United States

Category:1972 establishments in Illinois

Category:Insurance company headquarters in the United States

Category:Office buildings completed in 1972

Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Chicago