Office Tower Sharing Views with Residents
By S. Stangenes
The Chicago Tribune
April 13, 2007

Can home buyers find happiness in what was dubbed a "graceless hulk" last year in a Tribune article headlined "Edifice wrecks"?

The building in question is 55 E. Monroe St., a 49-story retail and office tower built in the 1970s at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Monroe.

Although some people refer to the building as "the black box" because of its blocky appearance, it has one attribute that partners GlenStar Properties and Walton Street Capital are betting will trump its flaws. There are unobstructed views of Millennium Park and the lake from the upper floors.

In space that for years housed a prominent law firm, more than 160 condominiums, including five penthouses, are planned.

"The top floor will become the "amenity" floor so all residents, even those in units overlooking Wabash Avenue, may swim in a lap pool, entertain guests on the roof

In space that for years housed a prominent law firm, more than 160 condominiums, including five penthouses, are planned.

"The top floor will become the "amenity" floor so all residents, even those in units overlooking Wabash Avenue, may swim in a lap pool, entertain guests on the roof

In space that for years housed a prominent law firm, more than 160 condominiums, including five penthouses, are planned.

"The top floor will become the "amenity" floor so all residents, even those in units overlooking Wabash Avenue, may swim in a lap pool, entertain guests on the roof