Palmolive Building, Art Deco high-rise on North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, United States
The Palmolive Building is a 172-meter residential tower made of limestone on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The 37 floors display Art Deco lines with Streamline Moderne elements in the upper stories.
Construction finished in 1929 as headquarters for the Colgate-Palmolive Company during the final boom years before the Great Depression. The building changed ownership in 1965 and served a media company until 1989 under the Playboy Building name.
The tower brought verticality to the skyline in the late 1920s with its setback form and fluted surfaces. People still recognize it by former names and associate it with the evolution of the Michigan Avenue corridor.
The first two floors hold retail shops, while the upper stories contain apartments accessible only to residents. The tower sits at the corner of Walton Street and offers exterior views of the facade details and rooftop structure.
A rotating beacon on the roof helped pilots navigate to Midway Airport across Lake Michigan starting in 1930. The beam was later turned off, but the mechanical system remains as a technical relic from early aviation.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
875 North Michigan Avenue
109 m
Chicago Water Tower
308 m
Drake Hotel
98 m
Water Tower Place
231 m
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
355 m
860–880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments
422 m
360 Chicago Observation Deck
97 m
Chicago Avenue Pumping Station
295 m
900 North Michigan
131 m
Park Tower
356 m
Waldorf Astoria Chicago
338 m
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
303 m
Oak Street Beach
355 m
One Magnificent Mile
129 m
Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place
198 m
Olympia Centre
388 m
Old Chicago Water Tower District
293 m
The Clare at Water Tower
369 m
Loyola University Museum of Art
311 m
East Lake Shore Drive District
159 m
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
381 m
Lathrop House
255 m
Perkins, Fellows & Hamilton Office and Studio
324 m
Elysées Condominiums
251 m
Building at 257 East Delaware
338 m
America Fore Building
297 m
The Neuville
243 m
Building at 14–16 Pearson Street
444 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.
A unique approach to discovering new places❞
— Le Figaro
All the places worth exploring❞
— France Info
A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞
— 20 Minutes