DOWNTOWN — Big art is planned for the Merchandise Mart.
Light displays will be projected on the riverfront landmark next year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Merchandise Mart announced Sunday.
The project marks City Hall's latest plan to attract 55 million annual tourists and turn the Downtown riverfront into a destination akin to the beaches of Lake Michigan.
“I commend the Mart on this visionary project, as it will bring new energy to the Chicago River while strengthening our city’s reputation for iconic public art," Emanuel said in a statement.
Vornado Realty Trust, which owns the 4-million-square-foot Art Deco building at 222 West Merchandise Mart Plaza, has tapped two design firms for the privately-funded art project. One of those firms, Obscura Digital, has made similar displays for sites such as the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building and St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
The project aims to emulate this 2011 display in Sydney. [Provided]
Once the biggest building in the world, the 25-story Merchandise Mart was built in 1930 and named for its show rooms for retailers. The limestone-and-terra cotta Mart has found new life in recent years as an incubator for tech startups.
Emanuel announced the art project as he hosts a global mayoral forum on urban waterways. Emanuel has previously floated a plan to project live performances on the Civic Opera House.
