Twin towered development by SOM slated for failed Spire site advances in Chicago

A long simmering SOM-designed skyscraper pair slated for the former Chicago Spire site has taken a step forward in Chicago, where the city's planning commission has given the green light for the project to proceed.  Now that the project has been approved by the Chicago Planning Commission, it must be approved by the Chicago City Council's Zoning Committee and by the Chicago City Council itself before the project can break ground. Writing in The Chicago Tribune, critic Blair Kamin reports that the 1,100-unit development will bring housing, pedestrian connections, and needed funding for a new park adjacent to the site. The project is being developed by Related Midwest.  Made up of towers that will rise 875- and 765-feet respectively, the spires feature stepped crowns that gradually grow thinner in profile as they rise. The project, designed by David Childs of SOM, is set to be developed in phases, with the northern tower set to be completed in 2024, assuming the project team can coord...