“The Zoning Board of Appeals has approved a variation for the residential conversion planned at 79 W. Monroe. Planned by R2 Companies and the Campari Group, the Rector Building is a 14-story Beaux Arts-style masonry office building constructed in 1905 with a large, seamless south addition completed in 1924. The building occupies the full site at the southeast corner of W. Monroe St and S. Clark St.

“Designed by Ware Malcomb, the adaptive reuse and conversion will measure approximately 100,000 square feet within the building, including the basement and floors 7 through 14. The conversion will transform floors 7 to 13 into 117 residential units, 41 of which (35%) will be designated as affordable housing.

“Preservation efforts will focus on retaining and repairing the building’s character-defining exterior masonry, including brick, stone, and terra-cotta elements. The non-historic windows on the second through seventh floors will be retained, while the historic wood windows on floors 8 through 13 will be repaired. Metal fire windows on secondary elevations will be replaced with new aluminum windows designed to match the existing profiles. Internally, the existing elevator lobbies and corridors on floors 7 through 13 will be preserved, with nearby office spaces reconfigured into apartment units.

“The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variation to eliminate the one required loading berth for the development. Due to the footprint of the building occupying the entire site, the physical configuration of the property makes it infeasible to add a loading space. Future residents would use the alley for loading.

“With the variation approved, the developer can continue to move forward with the project and get closer to starting construction. (Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/3/24 )

Preservation Chicago is very supportive of the adaptive reuse of the Rector Building at 79 W. Monroe, and the other LaSalle Reimagined projects. We have been in contact with stakeholders and have testified multiple times in support of this project. We’re thrilled to see it moving forward. We hope that the iconic Weather Bell will be restored and the lost historic cornice replaced.

Originally, the building had an elaborate, multi-story masonry cornice. Preservation Chicago strongly encourages the developer to rebuild the lost cornice and other lost elements to return the building to it historic appearance. This beautifully crafted building by architect Jarvis Hunt with later additions by Holabird & Roche would qualify for a Designated Chicago Landmark. Preservation Chicago encourages the developer to pursue a Chicago Landmark Designation for this important Chicago building.

The 14-story Rector Building/Chicago Trust Building/Chicago Title and Trust Building /Bell Federal Savings & Loan Building is located at 79 W. Monroe Street. The original Chicago skyscraper was designed by Jarvis Hunt in 1906. In 1924 Holabird & Roche designed a highly complementary and seamless addition to the south.

The Bell Federal Savings & Loan Building is well-known for its distinctive weather prediction clock. The “Weather Bell” was installed in the mid-1950s and changes colors based on the temperature.

“It even had its own 1950’s-era jingle:

When Weather Bell is emerald green
No change in temperature is foreseen.
When Weather Bell is glowing red
Warmer weather is ahead.
When Weather Bell is gleaming gold
A temperature drop is foretold
When Weather Bell is in agitation,
Prepare yourself for precipitation.”

Architect Jarvis Hunt also designed the Lake Shore Athletic Club at 850 North Lake Shore Drive, the Chicago Tribune printing plant at 430 N. St. Clair, Peoples Trust & Savings Bank at 30 North Michigan, Saddle & Cycle Club, 900 North Michigan Avenue (demolished), and Lake-Michigan Building at 201 N. Michigan (demolished).

Read the full story at Urbanize Chicago

• ZBA approves variation for 79 W. Monroe; The LaSalle Reimagined project will create 117 apartments, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/3/24
• Zoning Approved For 79 W Monroe Street As Part Of LaSalle Street Reimagined, Ian Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 9/4/24
• Campari, R2 score zoning and tax subsidy for Loop office-to-housing conversion; Investment firm behind well-known spirit brands has been advised by Chicago-based developer for LaSalle Street Reimagined project at 79 W. Monroe, Andrew Terrell, The Real Deal, 9/5/24
• City Council places $160 million bet on revitalizing LaSalle Street; Council members made a forward-thinking move by approving bonds to create apartments in four LaSalle Street; corridor buildings. We urge the council to move forward on a plan to bring back coach houses and other accessory dwelling units, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 6/15/24
• La Salle Street is getting 1,000 new apartments, but first comes navigating conversions and code; Plans to add housing in the downtown corridor will help reinvigorate the district, architects and developers said, but there are still construction challenges with turning office spaces into residential units, Abby Miller, Chicago Sun-Times, 6/22/24
• CDC approves $26.2 million in TIF funding for adaptive reuse at 208 S. LaSalle; The historic structure would add 226 residential units to four floors, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 6/14/24
• PRC approves adaptive reuse at 111 W. Monroe; The historic structure would become a hotel and 345 residential units, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 7/4/24
• Renderings emerge for 208 S. LaSalle adaptive reuse; The LaSalle Residences will be receiving TIF funding to help finance the conversion, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 7/3/24 
• CDC approves $28 million in TIF funding for adaptive reuse at 79 W. Monroe; The historic structure would get 117 residential units on the upper floors, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 6/14/24 
• Johnson Picks 4 Developments to Launch Effort to Transform Chicago’s Financial District; Heather Cherone, WTTW Chicago, 4/3/24
• City panel recommends landmark status for century-old Hyde Park church; A landmark designation for the Hyde Park Union Church, designed by architect James Gamble Rogers, would protect exterior and interior elements from future demolition, Abby Miller, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/4/24
• Mayor Johnson seeks more than $150M in TIF assistance for La Salle Street revamp; The four projects named by Johnson’s office stand to create more than 1,000 new apartments with at least 319 projected to have affordable rents through tax increment financing assistance, Fran Spielman, Abby Miller and David Struett, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/4/24
• Johnson greenlights four ‘LaSalle Reimagined’ sites to build downtown residences, A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 4/3/24
• LaSalle Street To Get 1,000 Apartments Under Plan To Repurpose Office Buildings; Four finalists are asking for $151 million in TIF funding to overhaul old office buildings under LaSalle Street Reimagined. About a third of units would be affordable, Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago, 4/3/24
• Mayor Johnson Announces Proposed City Assistance for Four Loop Adaptive Re-Use Projects; Downtown conversions would create more than 1,000 homes, including 300+ affordable units, City of Chicago Office of the Mayor Press Release