Joffrey Tower
Encyclopedia
The Joffrey Tower is a high-rise commercial real estate development on the northeast corner of North State Street
and East Randolph Street in the Loop
community area
of Chicago
in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States that is the permanent home of the Joffrey Ballet
. It is located immediately south of the Chicago Theatre
and directly across the street from Macy's
flagship building
on State Street, within the Loop Retail Historic District
. Its address had once been the site of the Masonic Temple
. The placement of the Joffrey Ballet
in this building appears to have involved political dealings with the Mayor of Chicago
, Richard M. Daley
and his brother, William M. Daley
, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees. The building was originally scheduled for completion in December 2007, but was actually finished on September 12, 2008.
, co-founder
of the company. The Joffrey Ballet acquired the naming rights
when they purchased 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) of space on the third and fourth floors to serve as their new permanent home. The floors include the Joffrey administrative offices plus seven state-of-the-art rehearsal studio
s and a black-box theatre
. The building occupies the southwest quarter of the block bounded by North State Street to the West, North Wabash Street to the East, East Randolph Street to the South, and East Lake Street to the North. The Modern Momentum Project now holds the Joffrey name when the Ballet company took possession (originally anticipated in December 2007). The first two floors of the Joffrey Tower houses retail tenants to be named by Smithfield Properties. Floors 9 through 32 host residential condominium
s. All four of the foundation
floors are 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The four-story cutout above the foundation and green roof
is capped by "legs" with only elevator
s and stairwells that compensate for the fact the building does not have the typical lower level parking space
s to improve the views by raising the units. The building's main largest rehearsal space had been named the Arpino Studio in honor of Gerald Arpino
, Joffrey Ballet co-founder and artistic director emeritus.
The building was originally scheduled for completion in December 2007 with the official renaming and company move accompanying the completion. By January 2008, the anticipated grand opening had been rescheduled to occur in the summer of 2008. The grand opening events, including performances by Shelley MacArthur and Ramsey Lewis
, were sponsored by The PrivateBank, Bank of America
, and the McCormick Foundation. July 2008 advertisements announced a September 12, 2008 opening night and a set of opening events from September 11 to 15.
The building was designed by Booth Hansen Architects. Construction
started in 2005 and was completed for the September 2008 grand opening. The height of the structure is 409 feet (124.7 m) or 125 meters (including spire
s and antennae
).
The September 11, 2008, free performance at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion
served the dual purpose of heralding the grand opening weekend and paying tribute to the September 11 attacks victims. Other events during the grand opening weekend included a September 12 black tie gala, September 13 Tower tours, and September 15 party and fashion show
. The September 15 event also included an auction for various items, including a pair of $25,000 Van Cleef and Arpels diamond earrings.
On August 1, 2011, an aluminum piece of the facade fell from the building and injured a pedestrian on the sidewalk below. As a result of this damage, the Chicago Department of Buildings required a protective scaffolding canopy to be erected around the entire building.
The building is located on the same site as the former Masonic Temple
, which had once been the tallest building in the world. Since the demolition of the Masonic Temple, the address had housed a two-story retail building. One failed previous plan to replace the small retail building on the site was the Market Hall Tower, proposed in 2000, which was to have a two-story European style food market
and 75 spacious apartments in the adjacent 26-story, 291 feet (88.7 m) tower. Another failed plan was the subsequent 33-story Randolph Court design.
The Daley administration has been a proponent of the Joffrey Ballet having a permanent Theatre
District home in order to establish them as a major Chicago institution. However, the cost of building their own building at State and Lake was prohibitive. Supposedly, the city of Chicago held the development of this project hostage until the developer agreed to the Joffrey initiative. The delay tactic used was to delay closing long enough to cause the developer to have to file suit. William Daley
, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees, is a former Cabinet
member in the Clinton
administration and clout-heavy brother of Chicago's former mayor
, Richard M. Daley
. The arts-loving mayor has revitalized the Loop in part by re-establishing a central theatre district. The Joffrey Tower is within three blocks of Cadillac Palace
, Chicago
, Goodman
, Harris
, Ford Center/Oriental
, and Storefront Theatres, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center
, the Tiffany
-decorated former central library.
. When the purchase was finalized, the Joffrey had $2.5 million in reserves and the state had recently approved a $4 million grant. The construction costs alone were estimated to be $21 million. The fundraising enticements include the possibility that for $10 million a corporate donor could acquire renaming rights to the entire building and for lesser amounts they could acquire naming rights for various specific spaces. Facility details released at the hard hat
preview and launch include the following:
In Chicago, the administration and the performers had previously been in separate buildings. The Joffrey Ballet had rented both a 17000 square feet (1,579.4 m²) rehearsal studio at 17 N. State Street, which it leased in July 2005, and administrative offices at 70 E. Lake Street. The Joffrey now has the company's creative leadership, dancers, administration, technical staff, guest artists, student
s, and apprentices united under one roof, creating streamlined operations and a more efficient and accomplished organization. The new space nearly doubles the current space. The new permanent state of the art facilities enable The Joffrey to recruit and retain elite dancers and simultaneously attract world-class performers, guest artists and collaborators. The planned space allows the company to rehearse and present more of its repertoire, mount additional full-length ballets, extend its apprentice program, launch additional revivals, and provide young dancers and choreographers the opportunity to train and present their new works.
opened a 27000 square feet (2,508.4 m²) retail store on the first two floors on October 12, 2007. This location is part of the transformation of State Street to a retail and student-housing mecca, and further solidifies the revitalization of Randolph Street's theatre district.
Loehmann's State Street closed on January 29, 2011, after less than 4 years in business. The site remains vacant. The company filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 16, 2010.
. Residents are zoned to South Loop K-8 and Phillips Academy High School.
State Street (Chicago)
State Street is a large south-north street in Chicago, Illinois, USA and its south suburbs. It begins on the Near North Side at North Avenue. For much of its course, it lies between Wabash Avenue on the east and Dearborn Street/Lafayette Avenue on the west...
and East Randolph Street in the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
community area
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States that is the permanent home of the Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
. It is located immediately south of the Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
and directly across the street from Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
flagship building
Marshall Field and Company Building
Marshall Field and Company Building or Macy's at State Street is the former flagship location of the former Marshall Field's department store and the current location of the Chicago flagship of Macy's...
on State Street, within the Loop Retail Historic District
Loop Retail Historic District
Loop Retail Historic District is a shopping district within the Chicago Loop community area in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is bounded by Lake Street to the north, Congress Parkway to the south, State Street to the west and Wabash Avenue to the east...
. Its address had once been the site of the Masonic Temple
Masonic Temple (Chicago)
The Masonic Temple Building was a skyscraper built in Chicago, Illinois in 1892. Designed by the firm of Burnham and Root and built at the northeast corner of Randolph and State Streets, the building rose 22 stories...
. The placement of the Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
in this building appears to have involved political dealings with the Mayor of Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
, Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
and his brother, William M. Daley
William M. Daley
William Michael “Bill” Daley is an American lawyer and former banker and is the current White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama. He served as U.S...
, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees. The building was originally scheduled for completion in December 2007, but was actually finished on September 12, 2008.
Details
The building was originally named the Modern Momentum Building (nicknamed the MoMo). Like the ballet company, it has been named after Robert JoffreyRobert Joffrey
Robert Joffrey was an American dancer, teacher, producer and choreographer, known for his highly imaginative modern ballets...
, co-founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the company. The Joffrey Ballet acquired the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
when they purchased 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) of space on the third and fourth floors to serve as their new permanent home. The floors include the Joffrey administrative offices plus seven state-of-the-art rehearsal studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
s and a black-box theatre
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
. The building occupies the southwest quarter of the block bounded by North State Street to the West, North Wabash Street to the East, East Randolph Street to the South, and East Lake Street to the North. The Modern Momentum Project now holds the Joffrey name when the Ballet company took possession (originally anticipated in December 2007). The first two floors of the Joffrey Tower houses retail tenants to be named by Smithfield Properties. Floors 9 through 32 host residential condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s. All four of the foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
floors are 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The four-story cutout above the foundation and green roof
Green roof
A green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems...
is capped by "legs" with only elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s and stairwells that compensate for the fact the building does not have the typical lower level parking space
Parking space
A parking space is a location that is designated for parking, either paved or unpaved.Parking spaces can be in a parking garage, in a parking lot or on a city street. It is usually designated by a white-paint-on-tar rectangle indicated by three lines at the top, left and right of the designated area...
s to improve the views by raising the units. The building's main largest rehearsal space had been named the Arpino Studio in honor of Gerald Arpino
Gerald Arpino
Gerald Arpino was an American dancer and choreographer. He was the artistic director and co-founder of The Joffrey Ballet.-Life and career:...
, Joffrey Ballet co-founder and artistic director emeritus.
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
, were sponsored by The PrivateBank, Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, and the McCormick Foundation. July 2008 advertisements announced a September 12, 2008 opening night and a set of opening events from September 11 to 15.
The building was designed by Booth Hansen Architects. Construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
started in 2005 and was completed for the September 2008 grand opening. The height of the structure is 409 feet (124.7 m) or 125 meters (including spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
s and antennae
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
).
The September 11, 2008, free performance at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, also known as Pritzker Pavilion or Pritzker Music Pavilion, is a bandshell in Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the south side of Randolph Street and east of the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan...
served the dual purpose of heralding the grand opening weekend and paying tribute to the September 11 attacks victims. Other events during the grand opening weekend included a September 12 black tie gala, September 13 Tower tours, and September 15 party and fashion show
Fashion show
A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of clothing during Fashion Week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons. This is where the latest fashion trends are made...
. The September 15 event also included an auction for various items, including a pair of $25,000 Van Cleef and Arpels diamond earrings.
On August 1, 2011, an aluminum piece of the facade fell from the building and injured a pedestrian on the sidewalk below. As a result of this damage, the Chicago Department of Buildings required a protective scaffolding canopy to be erected around the entire building.
History
Masonic Temple (Chicago)
The Masonic Temple Building was a skyscraper built in Chicago, Illinois in 1892. Designed by the firm of Burnham and Root and built at the northeast corner of Randolph and State Streets, the building rose 22 stories...
, which had once been the tallest building in the world. Since the demolition of the Masonic Temple, the address had housed a two-story retail building. One failed previous plan to replace the small retail building on the site was the Market Hall Tower, proposed in 2000, which was to have a two-story European style food market
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...
and 75 spacious apartments in the adjacent 26-story, 291 feet (88.7 m) tower. Another failed plan was the subsequent 33-story Randolph Court design.
The Daley administration has been a proponent of the Joffrey Ballet having a permanent Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
District home in order to establish them as a major Chicago institution. However, the cost of building their own building at State and Lake was prohibitive. Supposedly, the city of Chicago held the development of this project hostage until the developer agreed to the Joffrey initiative. The delay tactic used was to delay closing long enough to cause the developer to have to file suit. William Daley
William M. Daley
William Michael “Bill” Daley is an American lawyer and former banker and is the current White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama. He served as U.S...
, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees, is a former Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
member in the Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration and clout-heavy brother of Chicago's former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
. The arts-loving mayor has revitalized the Loop in part by re-establishing a central theatre district. The Joffrey Tower is within three blocks of Cadillac Palace
Cadillac Palace Theatre
The Cadillac Palace Theatre is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander Presentation. It is located at 151 West Randolph Street in the Chicago Loop area downtown.-History:...
, Chicago
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
, Goodman
Goodman Theatre
The Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of Chicago theatre, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization...
, Harris
Harris Theater (Chicago)
The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is a 1,525-seat theater for the performing arts located along the northern edge of Millennium Park on Randolph Street in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, US...
, Ford Center/Oriental
Oriental Theatre (Chicago)
The Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre is a theater located at 24 West Randolph Street in the Loop area of downtown Chicago, Illinois. Opened in 1926 as a deluxe movie palace, today the Oriental is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a subsidiary of the Nederlander Organization...
, and Storefront Theatres, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
, the Tiffany
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
-decorated former central library.
Center Stage Campaign
The Joffrey Ballet launched its first Chicago capital campaign on March 7, 2007. As of May 2008, it has raised $30 million towards a goal of $35 million for Joffrey Tower construction costs and an endowmentFinancial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
. When the purchase was finalized, the Joffrey had $2.5 million in reserves and the state had recently approved a $4 million grant. The construction costs alone were estimated to be $21 million. The fundraising enticements include the possibility that for $10 million a corporate donor could acquire renaming rights to the entire building and for lesser amounts they could acquire naming rights for various specific spaces. Facility details released at the hard hat
Hard hat
A hard hat is a type of helmet predominantly used in workplace environments, such as construction sites, to protect the head from injury by falling objects, impact with other objects, debris, bad weather and electric shock. Inside the helmet is a suspension that spreads the helmet's weight over the...
preview and launch include the following:
- A dedicated entrance and elevatorElevatorAn elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s on Randolph Street, with a lobbyLobby (room)A lobby is a room in a building which is used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer or an entrance hall.Many office buildings, hotels and skyscrapers go to great lengths to decorate their lobbies to create the right impression....
box officeBox officeA box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
selling tickets to company events. - A "black box" theater space that will serve primarily as a full-company rehearsal space but, with its lighting booth and fully foldable seating for 144, also can double as an intimate showcase for open rehearsals, works-in-progress viewings and more. When unused, the studio also can be rented to visiting dance companies.
- An additional six rehearsal studios with high ceilings and no obstructions. The Joffrey could use these for classes if it starts a school here. For now they will be the site of activities related to the Joffrey's extensive outreach school programs.
- Locker rooms, dressing rooms, showers, wardrobe and laundry suites, a lounge, physical therapyPhysical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
areas, and artistic and executive staff offices. - A Green roofGreen roofA green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems...
to cover the Joffrey part of the building.
In Chicago, the administration and the performers had previously been in separate buildings. The Joffrey Ballet had rented both a 17000 square feet (1,579.4 m²) rehearsal studio at 17 N. State Street, which it leased in July 2005, and administrative offices at 70 E. Lake Street. The Joffrey now has the company's creative leadership, dancers, administration, technical staff, guest artists, student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s, and apprentices united under one roof, creating streamlined operations and a more efficient and accomplished organization. The new space nearly doubles the current space. The new permanent state of the art facilities enable The Joffrey to recruit and retain elite dancers and simultaneously attract world-class performers, guest artists and collaborators. The planned space allows the company to rehearse and present more of its repertoire, mount additional full-length ballets, extend its apprentice program, launch additional revivals, and provide young dancers and choreographers the opportunity to train and present their new works.
Occupancy
Loehmann'sLoehmann's
Loehmann's is a chain of off-price department stores in the United States.Loehmann's is best known for its "Back Room," where women interested in fashion can find designer clothes at prices lower than in department or specialty stores...
opened a 27000 square feet (2,508.4 m²) retail store on the first two floors on October 12, 2007. This location is part of the transformation of State Street to a retail and student-housing mecca, and further solidifies the revitalization of Randolph Street's theatre district.
Loehmann's State Street closed on January 29, 2011, after less than 4 years in business. The site remains vacant. The company filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 16, 2010.
School zoning
Residents of the building are zoned to Chicago Public SchoolsChicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
. Residents are zoned to South Loop K-8 and Phillips Academy High School.