Promontory Apartments

The Promontory Apartments is a 22-story skyscraper in Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It was the first skyscraper Mies designed and was the first of his buildings to feature concepts such as an exposed skeleton. The cooperative building overlooking Burnham Park has 122 units.HistorySeeking an architectIn 1946, real estate developer Herbert Greenwald decided to build a new cooperative housing high-rise in Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois. Although the area had several tall apartment buildings, this would be the first such building since the Great Depression. Greenwald discussed options with his neighbor, Charles B. Genther, an architect with Pace Associates. Greenwald sought the notoriety that a big-name architect would bring to the project. He first contacted Frank Lloyd Wright, who offered to design the building for an advance payment of $50,000. Greenwald did not have enough money on hand to pay the architect, so he looked for other options. He contacted Le Corbusier, but the architect replied with a message stating that he would not design buildings in the United States. Eero Saarinen also rejected the commission. Finally, he offered the project to Walter Gropius in Boston, who rejected the commission as it was too far away from his main offices. Gropius suggested that Greenwald instead turn to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who had offices in Chicago.