“One of Chicago’s finest Art Deco buildings changed owners last summer for the first time in half a century and is now going through more transitions, as the new owners begin a multimillion-dollar refresh and the city declares it an official landmark. It’s an important protection the previous owner never pursued.
“But a longtime preservation leader was worried there was something significant getting lost in the shuffle, and he worked diligently to fix that.
“What’s been missing from the building for three decades is a remarkable mural that filled the round-topped ceiling of a pedestrian concourse from the plaza to the old Chicago and North Western train station on the next block west.
“First unveiled above that concourse in 1929, the mural heralded ‘a new kind of mural painting,” Daily News reporter Marguerite Williams wrote, “born of the symbols of modern life and the magnitude of modern building’ and conveyed ‘the romance of the modern newspaper.’
“Replete with angular patterns, human figures both working at printing machines and in crowds and what appears to be a street grid like Chicago’s running through it, John Warner Norton’s mural was called ‘Gathering the News, Printing the News, Transporting the News.’
“Norton’s spectacular work of art hung above the Daily News concourse for 64 years. That’s 34 years longer than the once-mighty newspaper, which commissioned the mural and whose name was all over it, stayed in the building.
“Real estate investor Sam Zell’s firm bought the 26-story Daily News Building in the 1970s and in October 1993 removed the mural for restoration — and, Zell told the Chicago Tribune, reinstallation above the concourse. Three decades later, it still hasn’t been brought back.
“That’s where Ward Miller enters the story. Miller, the executive director of Preservation Chicago, realized that if the building was sold, the old mural might become an orphan.
“‘We wanted to make sure that whoever is paying for the storage continues to pay,” Miller said, ‘so it’s not discarded accidentally. It’s a wonderful work, a treasure for Chicago, but it’s not your typical 8 by 10 mural; it’s 180 feet long and 18 feet wide.’
“First, Miller had to make sure the mural still exists, then find it. Given the magnitude of the artwork, it may be surprising its existence and location were uncertain, but that’s part of the tragedy.
“Miller’s worry was akin to the fear an art restorer expressed to the Tribune in 1994: ‘God help us that this one doesn’t end up in a dumpster somewhere.’
“Miller started sleuthing, which he says began with doggedly asking every storage company he could think of that might have space for it. He also checked in with the new owners.
“Eventually, Miller came up with two answers, both positive.
“The mural is now in storage at Mana Contemporary, he told WBEZ’s ‘In the Loop.’ An art exhibition and performance space in a former warehouse in Bridgeport, Mana is likely more attentive to the requirements of storing a precious mural than your average storage space.
“And the mural did transfer to Blue Star in the sale of the Daily News Building. Blue Star didn’t respond to our request for comment, but Miller said they’re aware of the mural and its value. What they’ll do with it is not yet known, but at least for the moment, this important, long-unseen work is in the hands of people who appear to care about its future.” (Rodkin, WBEZ Chicago, 4/21/26)
“No plans for historic mural: Although Blue Star is known for embracing historic elements of its project, the fate of a massive John Warner Norton mural that once topped the pedestrian concourse, known as “Gathering the News, Printing the News, Transporting the News,” remains tenuous years after it was removed.
“In its regular ‘What’s That Building?’ feature, radio station WBEZ recently reported that Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, found the mural in storage in a building in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the South Side.
“Ownership of the mural came with the building purchase, but Golden told CoStar News that he has no immediate plans to try to reassemble the mural.
“Golden said he has not seen the mural and is unsure whether it is in good enough condition to be salvaged. He described the likely cost of such a project ‘financially unencouraging’ without completely ruling out the possibility.
“‘We have so much to do here, so it’s just not on our radar,’ Golden said.
“The arched roof on the concourse is now painted white, and Blue Star plans to put up new, art deco-style light fixtures.” (Ori, CoStar News, 5/11/25)
Ward Miller has been in active communication with Blue Star Properties to encourage historic preservation, Chicago Landmark Designation, and a returning the monumental ceiling murals “Gathering the News,” “Printing the News,” and “Transporting the News” by John Warner Norton. Blue Star Properties was open to the conversation and interested in learning more about the history and significance of the Chicago Daily News Building. High restoration and reinstalltion costs pose a significant challenge, but now that the mural’s location is safe and with new owners, the effort can begin in earnest. Hopefully, additional funding sources will step forward to help return a great Chicago art piece to public display.
Preservation Chicago formally suggested Chicago Landmark Designation for the Chicago Daily News Building to the City of Chicago Landmark Commission on May 16, 2025. This is non-binding, but also an important first step towards an eventual Chicago Landmark Designation.
Read and listen to the full story at WBEZ Chicago
- What’s That Building? Mural from the old Daily News Building; First unveiled above the concourse in 1929, John Warner Norton’s “Gathering the News, Printing the News, Transporting the News” is now in storage at Mana Contemporary, Dennis Rodkin and Sasha-Ann Simons, interview with Ward Miller, WBEZ Chicago, 4/21/26
- Chicago art deco tower adapts for second century; Upgrades at 2 N. Riverside Plaza reflect latest office landlord push to lure back workers to older buildings, Ryan Ori, CoStar News, 5/11/25
- Former Chicago Daily News building could be in line for landmark status; The designation could make a planned $70 million rehab eligible for a tax break designed to help historic commercial properties, Lee Bey, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/1/26
- Chicago Daily News Building Landmark Designation Report, April 2026
- Former Chicago Daily News building wins initial approval for landmark status ahead of revamp; New joint ownership venture could snag $28M in tax breaks for planned waterfront overhaul of tower previously owned by the late Sam Zell, The Real Deal Staff, 4/3/26
- Will the former Chicago Daily News building receive landmark status? Hayley Boyd, WGN Radio 720, 4/2/26
- Chicago Daily News Building II, Chicagology
- Local firm to buy former Chicago Daily News building, owned for decades by late billionaire Sam Zell; Blue Star Properties has contract on 26-story art deco office building, Ryan Ori, CoStar News, 4/21/25
- Chicago developer set to buy riverfront office building from Sam Zell estate, Danny Ecker, Crain’s Chicago Business, 4/22/25
- Former Chicago Daily News Building, now for sale, deserves landmark protection; It might be hard to believe this unique Art Deco building and plaza could be wrecked and replaced with a shiny new and significantly taller Wolf Point-style office tower — and there appears to be no current plans to do so. But this is still Chicago. And the right deal can make virtually anything possible, Lee Bey, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/24
- News mural held hostage by dueling interests, Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 8/15/04
- Fables of the Reconstruction; We had our very own Sistine Chapel, with a 180-foot mural by an important 20th-century artist. So why is this landmark painting languishing in a warehouse? Jeff Huebner, Chicago Reader, 2/27/1997
- Art Deco Treasure Chest: Daily News Building, John Morris, Chicago Patterns, 4/28/15