An icon of the historic Chicago skyline, the Wrigley Building was landmarked 2012 and serves as a symbol of Chicago’s renowned architecture. Design by the architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, The Wrigley Building is comprised of two different buildings, the south building constructed in 1921 and the north building completed in 1924. The steel-framed buildings are connected with a street level plaza, as well as walkways at the third and fourteenth floors.

We provided structural engineering services related to the alterations of the existing space at the north corner of the south building, which included both the first and second floors. The project involved interior renovations of the existing building, removal of a portion of the second floor to open the space and an elevator/stair to connect the different floors.

Our services included structural design and analysis for the removal of a large section of the 2nd floor slab as well as the support of a new two-story elevator. Reinforcement of the existing structure was designed which included new lateral bracing that was required for an existing column at the location where the floor was removed. The pit for the new elevator was hung from the underside of the first floor and reinforcing was provided at the first-floor structural framing for the support of the elevator.