Buddy Guy Proposes Jazz Club, Office Building

CHICAGO-The 600 block of S. Wabash Ave. is about to be jazzed up. Blues great George B. Guy is proposing to build a 65,000-sf, seven-story office building at the northeast corner of Wabash and Balbo that would include “Buddy Guy’s Blues Club” on the first floor.

“Buddy Guy’s Legends” now operates at 754 S. Wabash Ave. After the plan commission recently recommended approval of the project, Buddy Guy’s general manager Kevin Blinkal said the blues great turned developer hopes to break ground soon and pour a foundation next month.

The 9,584-sf site is now a vacant lot surrounded by Columbia College, Blackstone Hotel and Chicago Hilton and Towers. The plans met the current C-3-6 zoning, city officials say, and won support from city staff members and 42nd Ward Ald. Burton Natarus after the building’s façade was redesigned and a rooftop terrace was added.

Blinkal says the group continues to work on financing, but adds Columbia College may lease two floors of office space for an archiving class.