Related Midwest today announced the completion of the crown installation for the North Tower of 400 Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago. The tower’s 72-story, 857-foot tiered exterior is now complete with its distinctive bay-window glass curtain wall, including the 83-foot architectural apex, marking the final milestone in exterior construction. Co-built by LR Contracting and BOWA Construction and slated to deliver in spring 2027, the high-rise will deliver 635 rental apartments — 127 of which will be set aside as affordable housing — to one of the city's most prominent waterfront sites, where Lake Michigan meets the Chicago River in the Streeterville neighborhood.
“With the exterior of 400 Lake Shore Drive now substantially complete, future residents can see just how spectacular this building will be when it opens next spring, taking full advantage of its location where Lake Michigan meets the Chicago River,” said Curt Bailey, President of Related Midwest. “We’re grateful to the hundreds of tradespeople who have worked tirelessly over the past two years to transform this long-dormant site into a bold addition to the lakefront skyline.”
400 Lake Shore Drive was designed by the late David Childs and the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Its two high-rises feature distinctive waterfall profiles, with outdoor terraces defining a series of setbacks. Set at an angle to each other, the towers preserve sightlines for residents while forming a dynamic new gateway to the city. Their exteriors draw on Chicago’s architectural heritage, including a reimagined Chicago bay window and metal detailing that evokes the rippling surface of Lake Michigan.
“David Childs’ vision for this site was inspired by its extraordinary location, where the river meets the lake, and he designed a pair of towers that meet the moment,” said Ann Thompson, Executive Vice President of Architecture and Design at Related Midwest. “From the waterfall profile and bay windows drawn from the city's own architectural language to the intentional angling of the buildings, it’s a masterfully crafted design that could only belong here.”
The North Tower's design treats architecture and structural engineering as a single system. Its terraces are deliberately staggered along the north and south faces to disrupt airflow and prevent pressure buildup at one of the city's most wind-exposed sites. A continuous outrigger wall system reinforces this strategy, running from the foundation through level 44 and capped by belt walls at levels 44 and 72, requiring 400 cubic yards of concrete and 150,000 pounds of rebar to complete. The result is exceptional wind performance achieved without mechanical dampers or the open blow-through floors. Because the engineering is fully integrated into the building's form, the North Tower achieves its wind resilience invisibly, yielding an uninterrupted facade and a skyline profile that is clean, continuous and poised to become the defining gateway to the city from the lake.
“The engineers, builders and tradespeople behind this tower have solved challenges that pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in high-rise construction,” said Don Biernacki, Executive Vice President of Construction at Related Midwest and President of LR Contracting Company. “Their grit, ingenuity and collaboration have brought this structure to its full height, and today, we take a moment to celebrate them as we move toward an opening that will transform this stretch of the lakefront.”
“Every collaboration with Related Midwest raises the bar, and 400 Lake Shore Drive is our most ambitious project together to date,” said Nosa Ehimwenman, President and CEO of BOWA Construction, which previously partnered with Related Midwest on The Row Fulton Market. "Helping raise a tower of this scale and significance on Chicago's lakefront is exactly the kind of work that drives us. We can't wait for the city to see what we’ve built together.”
Pre-leasing begins this summer, and prospective residents are encouraged to sign up for the interest list at www.400lakeshore.com or by calling (312) 912-0400.
Related Midwest: Tricia Van Horn (312) 832-4114 tvanhorn@relatedmidwest.com
