More tenants sign up for space in Chicago's Block 37

Your guides were downtown last night to take advantage of the Memorial Day sales at Macy's and catch the 7:30 performance for Wicked and were delighted and wistful at the progress at Block 37. 

For my entire life, the block on the west side of State Street from Randolph to Washington has been vacant.  There was never much going on in Summertime, but in Winter, the city opened up a makeshift ice skating rink.  The empty space afforded good views both of and from Marshall Fields (now Macy's) department store.

Anyhow, there are about 6 stories of glass and steel rising from the street now, crowding Macy's (see the green clock in the distance) and the Ford Oriental Theatre across the street.  What's amazing is that there has been an entire vacant city block right in the heart of downtown Chicago for 40 years!

New anchor tenants include a snazzy new CTA train station - transfers, tourist tickets, and airport check-in, the new street-level glass studio for Channel 2-CBS/WBBM (a-la-channel 7 and NBC's Today Show in New York) and the newly announced Puma Sports Wear store.

Cain's reports that the developer is also speaking with computer maker/retailer Apple to take 6,000 square feet for a Chicago flagship store.

Read more over at www.glasssteelandstone.com.