Old Chicago Main Post Office Twin Towers
{{Short description|Proposed skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox building
|name = Old Chicago Main Post Office Twin Towers
|image = Old Chicago Main Post Office Development rendering.jpeg
|image_size = 270px
|status = Never built
|caption = Original rendition of the Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment, including the Twin Towers.
|location = Chicago, Illinois, United States
|coordinates = {{coord|41|52|30.0|N|87|38|14.8|W|region:US-IL_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
|roof = {{convert|2000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|floor_count = 120
|building_type = Residential, Commercial, Hotel
|floor_area =
|architect = Joseph Antunovich
|structural_engineer=
|main_contractor =
|developer = Bill Davies
}}
The Old Chicago Main Post Office Twin Towers was a proposed mixed use supertall skyscraper planned as part of the canceled Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment project in the Chicago Loop community area. The 120-story twin towers were planned to reach a height of {{convert|2000|ft|m|0}}, the same as the cancelled Chicago Spire that began construction in 2007. Had it been built according to plan, the building would have been the tallest in the United States.
Details
In 2009, British real estate developer Bill Davies bought Chicago's Old Main Post Office for $24 million and in March 2011, he bought an adjacent property for $14 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20110302/CRED03/110309973|title=Old Main Post Office buyer in deal for next-door building|work=Crain's Chicago Business|author=Baeb, Eddie|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=March 2, 2011}} On July 21, 2011, Davies announced his plans for the Twin Towers within the Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/07/21/old-chicago-post-office-redevelopment-plan-unveiled/|title=Old Chicago post office redevelopment plan unveiled|access-date=September 16, 2014|date=July 21, 2011|work=Chicago Tribune|author=Cancino, Alejandra and Blair Kamin}}{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/6632391-417/old-post-office-figures-in-mega-downtown-expansion-plan.html#.VBh-MxawRy8|title=Old Post Office figures in mega downtown expansion plan|access-date=September 16, 2014|date=July 21, 2011|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Roeder, David}} Davies' plans were filed by his company, International Property Developers. A previous {{convert|2000|ft|m|adj=on}} building plan for the Chicago Spire stalled during the Great Recession.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-21/tallest-u-s-tower-proposed-as-part-of-3-5-billion-development-in-chicago.html|title=Tallest U.S. Tower Proposed as Part of Chicago Development|access-date=September 16, 2014|date=July 21, 2011|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|author=Louis, Brian|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}} The plan was approved on July 18, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/21396905-418/work-to-redevelop-old-chicago-post-office-could-start-in-september.html#.VBh4HRawRy8|title=Work to redevelop old Chicago Post Office could start in September|access-date=September 16, 2014|date=July 18, 2011|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Roeder, David}}
Joseph Antunovich was the architect. If built as planned, the {{convert|2000|ft|m|adj=on}} building, which was intended as the second of three phases of the overall project, would have been the tallest in North America.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/british-developer-plans-3_n_908654.html|title=British Developer Plans $3.5 Billion, 20-Acre Multi-Tower Complex On Site Of City's Former Post Office|access-date=September 16, 2014|date=July 25, 2011|work=The Huffington Post}} The building was also intended to support revenue-generating communications antennas and to host commercial, hotel and residential facilities.
According to the New York Times, critics of the project noted potential problems with the proposed towers' proximity to the extant Sears Tower. For example, the heights of the residential accommodations in the planned building would have placed residents within the radiation impact zone from the antennas atop the Sears Tower. Also, there was a claim that the air convection surrounding the two buildings would create a vacuum.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/us/24cncgreising.html|title=A Plan for Chicago Too Big to Be Visionary|access-date=September 17, 2014|date=July 23, 2011|work=The New York Times|author=Greising, David}}
In October 2014, Davies' joint venture for redevelopment with Sterling Bay was dissolved.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141008/CRED03/141009835/old-post-office-owner-plots-next-move-after-breakup-with-sterling-bay|title=Old Post Office owner plots next move after breakup with Sterling Bay|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=October 8, 2014|work=Crain's Chicago Business|author=Ori, Ryan}} In December 2014, Davies canceled the project and put the post office building up for sale.{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20141204/CRED03/141209875/old-main-post-office-put-up-for-sale|title=Old Main Post Office put up for sale|work=Crain's Chicago Business|last=Ori|first=Ryan|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=December 4, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-chicago-old-main-post-office-reportedly-going-up-for-sale-20141204-story.html|title=Chicago's old main post office building for sale|access-date=February 3, 2015|date=December 4, 2014|work=Chicago Tribune|author=Harris, Melissa}}
Notes
{{reflist|33em}}
{{Hotels in Chicago}}
{{Planned Chicago skyscrapers}}
{{Supertall proposed skyscrapers}}
Category:Condo hotels in the United States
Category:Proposed buildings and structures in Illinois
Category:Proposed skyscrapers in the United States
Category:Residential condominiums in Chicago
Category:Residential skyscrapers in Chicago
Category:Skyscraper hotels in Chicago
Category:Unbuilt buildings and structures in the United States