350 North Orleans

350 North Orleans is a 24-story commercial building at the fork of Chicago's North and Main branches of the Chicago River in the River North community area. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building opened in 1976 as a major wholesale marketplace for the clothing industry. It was originally promoted as the world's largest wholesale buying center, bringing more than 1,000 apparel showrooms and approximately 3,000 clothing lines into one location. The project was intended to strengthen Chicago's position as a national fashion and wholesale destination by offering buyers a concentrated alternative to visiting numerous buildings in New York City. The property is closely associated with the neighboring Merchandise Mart. In 1988, architect Helmut Jahn designed an enclosed pedestrian bridge over Orleans Street linking the two buildings. Together, the properties are often described as the Merchandise Mart and Apparel Center or as the Merchandise Mart and Apparel Center Annex. They form part of Chicago's larger Mart Center complex, which also includes the Merchandise Mart, the Merchandise Mart ExpoCenter and Wolf Point. The site's ownership history reflects the development of Chicago's central commercial real-estate market. The land was held by the Marshall Field family before being acquired by Joseph P. Kennedy in the mid-1940s. The Kennedy family retained the property through the building's construction and for more than two decades afterward. The building's formal grand-opening celebration took place in January 1977 and included a fashion show attended by roughly 1,200 people, along with members of the Kennedy family and Chicago Mayor Michael Bilandic. In 1998, the Kennedy interests sold the building, Merchandise Mart and other properties to Vornado Realty Trust in a transaction reported at $625 million for the broader portfolio. Shorenstein Realty Services acquired 350 North Orleans in 2012 and invested substantially in the property before selling it to The Blackstone Group in 2015. By 2012, the last apparel showroom tenants had departed, and the building had been repositioned as a fully commercial office property. Its tenant base subsequently centered on marketing agencies, professional-services firms and commodity-trading companies. Later improvements emphasized amenities and the building's relationship with the riverfront setting. In 2018, the upper facade was refinished, an existing conference facility was redeveloped, and the River Room tenant lounge was added with approximately 9,000 square feet of meeting and hospitality space. Studio350, a tenant-only fitness facility operated by LifeStart, opened in 2018 with yoga, spinning and strength-training programs. A tenant-exclusive roof deck followed in 2019. The building has hosted corporate offices including Great Wolf Lodge's Chicago headquarters facility and, formerly, the Chicago Sun-Times. As of 2025, reference material reported that Blackstone faced foreclosure-related pressure on the property.

The site of 350 North Orleans lies at the confluence of the North and Main branches of the Chicago River. In Chicago's early nineteenth-century planning history, the location appeared within the blocks identified in James Thompson's 1830 plat. Its later commercial significance was shaped by its proximity to the Merchandise Mart and by the long ownership of land associated with the Marshall Field and Kennedy families. The Marshall Field family previously controlled the property before Joseph P. Kennedy acquired it in the mid-1940s. Kennedy interests retained the land for more than five decades, including the period during which the present building was developed. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 24-story building opened on November 6, 1976. It was conceived as a consolidated wholesale marketplace for the clothing trade, with more than 1,000 showrooms representing roughly 3,000 apparel lines. The project was part of Chicago's effort to compete with New York as a center for fashion merchandising and buyer activity. Although the building began operating in 1976, its formal grand-opening celebration took place on January 22, 1977. Members of the Kennedy family attended, as did Chicago Mayor Michael Bilandic. A fashion show formed part of the event and attracted approximately 1,200 attendees. The building's launch helped reinforce the Merchandise Mart's claim to being the world's largest wholesale buying center. The Apparel Center was functionally integrated with Merchandise Mart. In 1988, Helmut Jahn designed an enclosed pedestrian bridge spanning Orleans Street, allowing users to move between the two properties without crossing at street level. The two buildings have consequently been treated as a linked commercial complex and are sometimes collectively called the Merchandise Mart and Apparel Center. The wider Mart Center complex also includes the Merchandise Mart ExpoCenter and the Wolf Point property. The Kennedy family sold 350 North Orleans and several related properties to Vornado Realty Trust in 1998. The reported value of the wider transaction was $625 million. Shorenstein Realty Services purchased the building in 2012 for a reported $228 million and invested an estimated $70 million in improvements. By that time, the property's original apparel-market role had effectively ended: the final apparel showroom tenants departed in 2012, and the building was converted to 100 percent commercial office use. The post-apparel tenant roster included marketing and communications companies, commodity-trading firms and other office users. Notable occupants included WPP agencies such as Ogilvy, Ronin Capital, GGP and, for thirteen years, the Chicago Sun-Times. Great Wolf Lodge established a corporate facility called the Great Wolf Den in the building in 2017, with an opening attended by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The Blackstone Group acquired the property from Shorenstein Properties in May 2015 for a reported $390 million. Under subsequent ownership, the building received a substantial amenity and appearance program. In 2018, the facade from the third floor upward was refinished and the original brown aggregate appearance was painted. The existing conference facilities were redeveloped, and the River Room was introduced as a tenant-only lounge and meeting venue with approximately 9,000 square feet of space and views toward the Chicago River. Studio350, a roughly 10,000-square-foot tenant fitness center operated by LifeStart, also opened in 2018. It offered group activities including yoga, indoor cycling and strength training. A tenant-exclusive roof deck opened in 2019. The building remains an identifiable part of the River North commercial district and the broader Merchandise Mart complex. Its history illustrates a shift from specialized wholesale retail infrastructure to flexible office real estate. Reference material available for this dossier states that, as of 2025, Blackstone faced foreclosure-related pressure involving the property; the precise legal and financial outcome is not established here.

• 2019

  Roof deck opens

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  A roof deck opened for exclusive use by building tenants.

• 2018

  Facade and amenity renovation

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  The building completed facade refinishing and added the River Room and Studio350 tenant amenities.

• 2015

  Blackstone acquisition

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  The Blackstone Group purchased the building from Shorenstein Properties.

• 2012

  Conversion to office use

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  The final apparel showroom tenants left, completing the building's transition to entirely commercial office occupancy.

• 1998

  Vornado acquires the property portfolio

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  Vornado Realty Trust bought 350 North Orleans, Merchandise Mart and related properties from Kennedy interests.

• 1988

  Enclosed bridge completed

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  A pedestrian bridge by Helmut Jahn linked the building to Merchandise Mart over Orleans Street.

• 1977

  Formal grand opening

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  The formal celebration included a Kennedy family appearance, Mayor Michael Bilandic and a large fashion show.

• 1976

  Building opens

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  The 24-story building opened on November 6 as a large apparel wholesale buying center.

• 1945

  Kennedy interests acquire the site

  [1]350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org

  Joseph P. Kennedy acquired the property from the Marshall Field family in the mid-1940s, according to historical accounts.

A riverfront Chicago office property repositioned from a nationally significant apparel-wholesale marketplace into an amenity-oriented commercial building connected to the Merchandise Mart complex.

• Real estate · 2012

  Commercial office space

  The building's principal contemporary offering is office accommodation for corporate, marketing, communications, trading and other professional tenants. This use replaced the original showroom-heavy wholesale apparel format after the last apparel tenants departed in 2012.

• Tenant amenity · 2018

  River Room

  River Room is a tenant-exclusive lounge and conference environment created during the 2018 renovation. It provides approximately 9,000 square feet of informal meeting and hospitality space with views toward the Chicago River.

• Fitness facility · 2018

  Studio350

  Studio350 is a tenant-only fitness facility occupying approximately 10,000 square feet on the first floor. Operated by LifeStart for the building owner, it provides classes and programming such as yoga, indoor cycling and strength training.

• Wholesale marketplace · 1976

  Apparel wholesale showrooms

  The building originally housed more than 1,000 display showrooms representing approximately 3,000 clothing lines. The showroom operation made the property a consolidated buying destination for apparel retailers and industry professionals, but it was discontinued when the final showroom tenants vacated in 2012.

• 2019

  Tenant roof deck introducedOther

  Background

  The property continued its effort to compete for office tenants through exclusive building amenities.

  Action taken

  A roof deck was opened for tenant use.

  Aftermath

  The roof deck became an additional shared amenity within the repositioned office building.

  Source

• 2018

  Amenity-led property enhancementStrategy

  Background

  After the office conversion, the owner sought to improve the building's appearance and tenant experience.

  Action taken

  The facade was refinished, River Room was created, and Studio350 was added as an exclusive fitness facility for occupants.

  Aftermath

  The building expanded its tenant services with meeting, lounge, wellness and riverfront-oriented amenities.

  Source

• 2012

  Repositioning from apparel marketplace to office buildingStrategy

  Background

  The building's original apparel showroom model had declined, and the last showroom tenants left in 2012.

  Action taken

  The property was converted to 100 percent commercial office use, with later leasing focused on marketing, trading and other corporate occupiers.

  Aftermath

  The change transformed 350 North Orleans from a specialized wholesale fashion center into a conventional but amenity-rich office property.

  Source

1. 1350 North Orleansen.wikipedia.org