It might be time for the construction barriers surrounding No.9 Walton (9 West Walton Street) to be re-painted with the slogan “Here we grow again!”
For the third time since it was first approved by the city, the skyscraper is going to get taller.
Back in 2006, when toner first fused to paper on this project, it was going to be a respectable addition to the corner of State and Walton, joining its little sister Walton on the Park (900 North State Street). It took a little while for construction to start, for reasons that are still obvious, painful, and global in scope.
In 2015, once diesel and dirt started filling the air to create the Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture design, there was also a sense of exuberance. Exuberance expressed in the form of JDL Development filing paperwork with the city asking for a hight increase to 430 feet. The city said “yes” and there was much rejoicing.
Then, just a year later that same kind of exuberant paperwork showed up in City Hall once again. This time, a request for another height increase to 456 feet. The city said “yes” and there was much rejoicing.
Now comes one last flourish of exuberance, as the building nears completion. Once again it’s a request for a height increase, and once again the city said “yes” and there was much rejoicing.
The new height for No. 9 Walton (write it down) is 491 feet, four inches. That’s 131 feet taller than little sister next door, and just a hair shorter than The Columbian (1150 South Michigan Avenue) in the South Loop. Not too shabby.
But wait… there’s more.
Along with the heigh increase comes (say it in Rod Roddy’s voice)… A brand new swimming pool!
No. 9 Walton under construction (Courtesy of Joe Zekas/YoChicago!)
You can’t see it yet in the photograph above from Joe Zekas over at YoChicago!, but you can read it in the permit snippet below — the city’s approval allows the construction of a private rooftop pool. No more slumming it with the blogger moms and elderly water aerobics classes. This pool, and its epic views in all directions, are yours to drink in alone while you contemplate what kind of caviar goes best with awesome.
REVISIONS INCLUDE A REVISED RESIDENTIAL PENTHOUSE WITH PRIVATE ROOFTOP POOL, REVISED MECHANICAL PENTHOUSE AND REVISED ENVELOPE DESIGN ABOVE LEVEL 35. CHANGES RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL 7,092SF OF FAR AREA AND A REVISED OVERALL HEIGHT OF 491′-4″. ADDITIONAL REVISIONS TO PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED RETAIL, AMENITY AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE ALSO INCLUDED.REVISIONS INCLUDE ALL ARCHITECTURAL, STRUCTURAL, AND MEP WORK REQUIRED FOR THE ADDITIONAL SCOPE AS WELL AS ANY REVISIONS REQUIRED TO PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED SCOPE; ALL AS PER PLANS
Of course, you’ll have to purchase the penthouse residence first in order to drift away the afternoon on your alligator-shaped pool raft, made from a real alligator. The home is currently listed for just a Mercedes less than $13 million. So keep up that fight for fifteen. You’ll get there.