The Wrigley Building

 office building, Neoclassical (architecture), 1924_construction, historic landmark

Anchoring the base of the Magnificent Mile, the Wrigley Building is headquarters of the Wrigley Chewing Gum Company. The well-known (and brightly illuminated) Chicago landmark stands 438 feet tall with 27 floors. It was completed in 1922. In 1924, an 18-story addition to the north was constructed. The two sections are connected by a skybridge on the 14th floor.

The Wrigley Building and North Addition are separated by a landscaped plaza at ground level that connects to Michigan Avenue. Both towers are clad in white terra cotta with intricate detailing. The architectural form of the Wrigley Building is modeled after the Giralda Cathedral Tower in Seville, Spain.

The tower was the first large office building north of the Chicago River (in fact, when construction began, the northern section of Michigan Avenue was known as Pine Street). The Wrigley Building was also the tallest building in Chicago until surpassed by the Chicago Temple Building at 568 feet.