If you walk down the Loop in Chicago, past the towering glass of the Willis Tower or the historic facades of LaSalle Street, you’ll eventually hit a massive, sloping concrete monolith that dominates the skyline. That’s 10 S Dearborn Street. Or, as locals and finance nerds know it, Chase Tower. It isn't just a building. It's basically the heart of the Midwest’s financial engine.
Standing at 850 feet, this thing is a beast.
It was designed back in the late 1960s by the legendary firm C.F. Murphy Associates and Perkins & Will. When it opened in 1969, it was actually the tallest building in the world outside of New York City. Think about that for a second. Chicago was basically staking its claim as the global hub of commodities and banking, and this curved, distinctive silhouette was the flag it planted in the dirt.
The Architectural Weirdness of 10 S Dearborn Street
Most skyscrapers are just boxes. They’re efficient, boring, and predictable. But 10 S Dearborn Street is different because of that "sweeping" curve. It’s a vertical curve, meaning the base is much wider than the top. Why? It wasn’t just because the architects wanted to be fancy. It was actually a functional choice to accommodate the massive trading floors and banking halls required by the original tenant, First National Bank of Chicago.
Banks need space. Like, a lot of it.
The curved design allowed for larger floor plates at the bottom where the action happened, while the upper floors—where the executive offices lived—could be narrower. It’s an elegant solution to a logistical nightmare. Honestly, if you look at it from the side, it looks like the letter "A" without the crossbar. Some people call it the "First National Bank Building" still, even though the logos have changed multiple times over the decades.
The Plaza: Where Art and Finance Collide
You can't talk about 10 S Dearborn Street without mentioning the plaza. It’s officially known as Exelon Plaza now, but for decades, it’s been the primary gathering spot for the downtown crowd. It’s sunken. It’s vast. And it houses one of the most famous pieces of public art in America: Marc Chagall’s "The Four Seasons."
It’s a massive mosaic.
We’re talking 70 feet long and 14 feet high. Chagall actually came to Chicago to install it in 1974. It’s made of thousands of pieces of glass and stone from all over the world. Most people just walk past it on their way to grab a salad at Sweetgreen, but if you actually stop and look, it’s a vibrant, swirling depiction of human life. It’s a weird contrast—this colorful, whimsical French-Russian art sitting at the feet of a brutalist-adjacent concrete skyscraper.
But it works.
The plaza also hosts a pretty legendary clock. People meet "at the clock" all the time. It’s a landmark within a landmark. During the summer, the fountain is running, and the place is packed with office workers. In the winter? It’s a wind tunnel that’ll make you question your life choices.
Who Actually Works in 10 S Dearborn Street?
While it’s called Chase Tower, JPMorgan Chase doesn't own the whole thing in the way you might think. They are the anchor tenant, occupying a massive chunk of the 2.1 million square feet available. But it's a ecosystem.
- JPMorgan Chase: They run their commercial and retail banking operations out of here. If you’ve ever wondered where the "big decisions" for the Midwest economy are made, this is the room.
- Legal Powerhouses: Because of its proximity to the courts and the financial district, several top-tier law firms have called this address home.
- Tech and Consulting: Lately, we’ve seen a shift. It’s not just "suits" anymore.
The building recently underwent a massive renovation. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars. Why? Because in a post-2020 world, nobody wants to work in a dark, 1970s office. The owners had to modernize the elevators, the lobby, and the amenities to keep companies from fleeing to the newer glass towers in the West Loop. They added a massive fitness center and updated the "Sky Lobby" on the 57th floor.
The Logistics of a 60-Story Giant
Maintaining a building like 10 S Dearborn Street is a Herculean task. It has 50 elevators. Fifty! If you’ve ever been caught in the morning rush when a couple of those banks are down for maintenance, you know the struggle.
The building also sits on top of a literal labyrinth. The Chicago Pedway system connects to it, allowing workers to travel blocks and blocks underground without ever touching a snowflake. It’s a weird sub-city. You can get your shoes shined, grab a haircut, buy a greeting card, and get a mediocre taco all without seeing the sun.
Why This Address Still Matters in 2026
You might hear people say that the "Loop is dead" because of remote work. They’re wrong.
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10 S Dearborn Street remains a symbol of stability. When the markets get volatile, the institutions inside this building are the ones steadying the ship. It’s a central nervous system. The proximity to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (just a few blocks away) makes this specific plot of land some of the most valuable real estate in the country.
The "curved" skyscraper is also a survivor. It’s outlasted economic crashes, the decline of the traditional department stores that used to surround it, and the rise of the "Silicon Prairie." It stands there because it's built like a fortress.
Facts You Should Probably Know
- Height: 850 feet (259 meters).
- Floors: 60.
- Opened: 1969.
- Architect: C.F. Murphy Associates; Perkins & Will.
- Notable Art: "The Four Seasons" by Marc Chagall.
What to Do If You’re Visiting
If you’re a tourist or a local who usually just ignores the architecture, you should actually spend twenty minutes at 10 S Dearborn Street.
First, go to the plaza. Look at the Chagall mosaic. It’s free. It’s world-class art. Don’t just take a selfie and leave; look at the different scenes depicting the stages of life.
Second, check out the lobby. It’s grand. It’s soaring. It gives you a sense of the "Old Chicago" wealth that built this city. You can't just wander into the private offices, obviously, but the public spaces are designed to impress.
Finally, if you’re a fan of urban photography, stand on the corner of Dearborn and Madison and look straight up the curve. It’s one of the most unique angles in American architecture. The way the light hits the granite facade in the late afternoon is actually pretty incredible.
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Actionable Steps for Your Visit:
- Check the Pedway Map: Before you go, look at a map of the Chicago Pedway. It’s easy to get lost, but it’s the best way to enter the building if the weather is terrible.
- Visit the Mosaic in Daylight: The colors of the Chagall mosaic change depending on the sun's position. Morning light is usually the best for seeing the blues and golds.
- Security is Tight: Remember that this is a major financial hub. If you’re trying to get into the upper floors for a meeting, bring a valid ID and give yourself 15 minutes to get through the security screening.
- Food Options: The plaza level and the surrounding blocks have everything from high-end steakhouses to quick-service chains. If you want a classic "Chicago lunch," hit one of the nearby Italian beef spots.
This building isn't just a landmark; it's a testament to Chicago's grit. It’s big, it’s loud, and it’s unashamedly bold. Whether you call it Chase Tower or 10 S Dearborn, it’s a piece of history that continues to shape the future of global business.