353 North Clark welcomes first tenants

44-story building dominates northwest view from Marina City

6-Dec-09 – The diversified financial services firm Mesirow Financial is busy moving from 350 North Clark all the way across the street to 353 North Clark, a 44-story office tower it developed that was designed by the grandson of Mies van der Rohe.

The $446 million building officially opened on October 1 with its first tenant, the diversified energy services company E. ON.

Mesirow has started moving in to lower floors at 353 North Clark and expects to finish the move by December 20, according to Marketing Coordinator Kate Garassino.

On the higher floors is the law firm of Jenner & Block, which has completed its move-in. Spencer Stuart, an executive recruitment firm, is expected to be settled on three and half floors next March.

Three upscale restaurants will be located at 353 North Clark. The Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant, a chain based in Minneapolis, will open its first location in Illinois. The other restaurants are Ruth Chris Steak House and Rosa Mexicano.

The architects are Dirk Lohan of Lohan Anderson LLC and A. Epstein & Sons International. Lohan’s grandfather, Mies van der Rohe, designed nearby 330 North Wabash and is widely regarded as a pioneer of modern architecture.

36 feet taller than the residential towers, 353 North Clark gradually took over the northwest view this year for many residents at Marina City.

There will probably not be an exchange of gifts this holiday between Mesirow Financial and Marina City Online. After initially cooperating with coverage of building construction, it took more than two months to get an update on when the building would open and who the first tenants would be.

At one point, Garassino referred MCO to the web site for 353 North Clark and told it contained “up to the minute news updates.” However, as of December 6, the most recent news link on the site was to a story in Construction Today dated March 12.

Mesirow refused to allow MCO to photograph its building from its property, as part of a planned pictorial. A subsequent request by Lohan Anderson on our behalf resulted in a stern email back to MCO from the building’s Director of Security, Mark Anderson, who said Mesirow was “exercising our right not to use your services.”

Besides Marina City, images were captured from 321 North Clark and Westin Chicago River North, both of which did allow access to their property.

 Related story: 353 North Clark 80 percent leased