The Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday approved two new skyscrapers for downtown, but stopped short of allowing the completion of a disputed four-story building at the bustling corner of State and Division Streets on the Near North Side.
Developers Hiffman Shaffer Anderson Inc. won approval for a $250 million, 38-story office tower at 333 W. Lake St. after promising to beautify a nearby section of the Chicago River`s bank. And the American Medical Association and the John Buck Company were given approval for a $90 million, 48-story office and hotel complex at the northeast corner of State and Hubbard Streets.
Not so successful was a development group headed by Louis Wolf. Two years ago the city approved Wolf`s plan for a three-story building at 1163-67 N. State St., but later ordered work halted when Wolf tried to build a four-story building. On Thursday, lawyers for Wolf proposed dividing the structure in half and reducing one section to three stories, but the commission deferred action after discovering that Wolf was trying to use a loophole in the city`s zoning ordinance in order to avoid providing off-street parking spaces.
