Chicago Avenue Pumping Station

The Chicago Avenue Pumping Station is a historic district contributing property in the Old Chicago Water Tower District landmark district. It is located on Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois. It is on the east side of Michigan Avenue opposite the Chicago Water Tower.

Chicago Avenue Pumping Station

Chicago Avenue Pumping Station
Address	821 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois United States
Owner	City of Chicago
Capacity	250
Construction
Reopened	2003
Tenants
Lookingglass Theatre Company
Website
lookingglasstheatre.org
Chicago Avenue Water Tower and Pumping Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Built	1869
NRHP reference No.	75000644 [1]
Added to NRHP	April 23, 1975

The 1869 pumping station, located across Michigan Avenue from the Water Tower.

The pumping station was built in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington. In 1918, when Pine Street was widened, the plans were altered in order to give the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station a featured location.^[2]

Renovation

Inside the pumping station

In 2003 and 2004 the building underwent an award-winning adaptive reuse project, in which much of its interior was converted to a theater space which now houses the Lookingglass Theatre Company. The redevelopment projects carried out at this time include roof deck replacement, façade restoration, exterior architectural lighting improvements, landscaping improvements, and lead paint abatement.^{[citation needed]} The remainder of the building still serves as an active pumping station, as of 2018.^[3]

Awards

The following awards were won for redevelopment and renovation:^[4]

• Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois, ACEC Engineering Excellence-State Level: Honor Award-Illinois, Structural Systems category, 2004
• City of Chicago Landmarks Preservation, Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, 2003
• Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois, ACEC Engineering Excellence-State Level: Honor Award-Illinois, 2003
• National Council of Structural Engineers Association, NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Award - Merit Award, Building project under $5 million, 2003
• Richard H. Driehaus Foundation - DePaul University, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Public Innovator Award, Honorable Mention, Local, This award was for a combination of the Roof Deck Replacement and other Facility & Site Enhancements, including Exterior Architectural Lighting & Landscaping Improvements and Facade Restoration in which HDR was vitally involved, 2003
• Structural Engineers Association (SEA), SEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Award: Overall Excellence, Best Small Structure Category, Local, Projects under $5 Million, 2003