35 East Wacker

35 East Wacker is a 40-story skyscraper with limestone and terracotta facades that rises at the corner of Wabash Avenue and East Wacker Drive. The building overlooks the Chicago River and provides access points on different levels for office tenants.

The building was completed in 1927 and was the tallest structure outside New York City at that time. Architects Frederick Dinkelberg and Joachim Giæver created a landmark that defined the era's ambitions for commercial architecture.

The building reflects an era when Chicago established itself as a business hub and architects created ambitious designs for the growing city. The upper floors once showed how luxury and commerce merged in that period.

The building is accessible from both Upper and Lower Wacker Drive, giving visitors flexible arrival options. The multiple entrances make it easier to navigate in this busy commercial district.

The building originally featured an automated parking lift system on the first 23 floors that allowed tenants to park cars directly on their office floors. This clever system was a remarkable technical feature of its era and is rarely noticed today.

Location: Illinois

Inception: 1927

Architects: Frederick P. Dinkelberg

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture

Floors above the ground: 40

GPS coordinates: 41.88650,-87.62680

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:25