Riverside Plaza: Another of Chicago’s Great Art Deco Designs

by Matt B on July 21st, 2008

riverside plaza

If you take a ride down the Chicago River, you'll notice that many of the buildings actually incorporate the river into their design, either with reflective glass or stylish promenades and restaurants. But riverside buildings weren't always this way. Originally, many of the structures were industrial, and a trip down the River would not have been a very scenic one. One of the first buildings to embrace the river as part of its architecture is the Riverside Plaza.

Completed in 1929, the Plaza stands 302 feet tall (92 m) with 26 stories and was originally home to the Chicago Daily News, an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978. The newspaper was known for its distinctive and aggressive writing style. In 1922, after rival Chicago Tribune began to broadcast radio news, the Daily News launched WGU-AM, which eventually became WMAQ-AM. Those call letters should sound familiar to Chicagoans; in 1931, WMAQ was sold to NBC.

riverside plaza art deco

Across the River from the Civic Opera House and the UBS Tower, the building itself is one of Chicago's most beautiful examples of Art Deco design. Made of limestone, granite, white metal, and marble, the ornamentation unique to the '20s and '30s can be found everywhere. However, in 1993, a large exceptional ceiling mural by John W. Norton was removed and put in storage indefinitely. While it was meant to be restored, the building's management company has determined the costs to be too high for now.

riverside plaza