Inland Steel Building To Get Boutique Upgrade

"We're excited to see her shepherd this iconic building as it's reshaped into one of Chicago's leading boutique office destinations," says Richard Cohen, president and founder of Capital Properties.

The 19-story building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service in the first half of 2009. The building was declared a landmark by the city of Chicago in 1998.

The building is considered the first skyscraper to be constructed in the Loop after the Great Depression, coming out of the ground in 1958. According to executives with Capital Properties, at the time of its construction the Inland Steel Building was a trend setter. It was the first building to be erected on steel pilings; the first Chicago property to have a basement-level parking garage and the first building in the Loop to have built-in air conditioning throughout the property.

Skidmore, Owings & Merril designed the structure and oversaw construction. Not building owner Capital Property has called on SOM again to help turn the building into boutique office space without destroying the landmark status.

The plan is to restore the building's interior to look like the original classic design. Capital Property executives say renovations will include new lobby space and elevator lobbies, HVAC upgrades as well as a green roof. The company is also considering additional green measures for the interior.

The timeframe and cost of the renovations were not released.

Bykowski was formerly the North American site services and facilities leader for Hewitt Associates. She has extensive knowledge of the Chicago market having managed operations for a variety of companies including Equity Office Properties, Golub & Co., Hines Interests and CB Richard Ellis.

"Allison has a proven track record of maximizing the performance and value of buildings under her management, which includes handling a variety of capital projects," Cohen says.