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Weekly UpdatesNo matter how cold it gets in the Windy City, Chicagoans are always in the mood for a party. The Second City doesn't hold back when it comes to holiday spirit. Its trademark holiday lights, events, famous department store windows and overall good cheer can make even the most gloomy winter day enjoyable.
Central to the city's year-end holiday happenings is the John Hancock Center, which anchors Chicago's most prestigious shopping district on north Michigan Avenue. While it may be the city's second tallest building (next to the Sears Tower), its holiday spirit is second to none among the city's impressive skyline. With an observatory and upscale restaurant on the top floors, retail space on the lower levels, and office and residential space completing the 100-story tower, the building has something for everyone.
KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE
When Golub & Company, LLC and Goldman Sachs purchased the building from Shorenstein Co., in January this year, they were determined to maintain and improve upon the building's traditional role as a warm, inviting and festive stop for visitors and tenants alike.
"Essentially, what we try to do every year is enhance the visitor and tenant experience during the holiday season," said John Kapp, general manager.
After the Hancock's renovation in the mid 1990s, the building's ownership wanted to draw the north Michigan Avenue shoppers and visitors into the center. To do so, management purchased a large model train for the concourse during the holidays.
Since then, the model train has become central to the building's holiday decor and is a huge draw. Construction of the train begins in October and takes about six weeks to install. It is then unveiled on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
"As a bit of a marketing tool, as well as being a gift back to the city, the building bought the train," Kapp said. "It is wonderful to see the kids coming into the building to see the train."
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Attracting more visitors also allows the Hancock management to market the observatory, and, thus, bolsters business on the top floor. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, Santa and his sleigh are stationed in the observatory, where visitors can get their picture taken with Saint Nick and enjoy the spectacular city views.
While holiday spirit permeates inside the building, the Salvation Army Tree of Life in the building's plaza takes the festivities to a whole other level. A typically 45-to 50-foot tall tree is erected on the plaza in one night and is covered in more than 10,000 lights over the course of two weeks. A kick-off luncheon the Wednesday before Thanksgiving sets the stage for the tree's unveiling. Kapp said it's essentially where the Salvation Army starts its bell-ringing/kettle collections.
"It gives [the Salvation Army] an opportunity to promote and kick [the holiday collection] off." Kapp said. "After that, you begin to see the kettles all over the city. It gives me and the rest of the staff a great sense of pride in helping the Salvation Army do that."
RESIDENT REVELRY
While much of the building's holiday happenings focus on visitors, management also goes the extra mile for its 90 office and retail tenants. Each year, the Hancock management hosts a holiday party for its tenants.
"It is kind of a meet-and-greet, and it allows us to get in front of our tenants on a more casual basis and have a conversation with them," Kapp said. "It allows us face time with them."
In addition to the holiday party, the overall festive feeling throughout the building is exciting for tenants.
"Everything we promote for the tourists, we also promote for our tenants," Kapp said. "It is a nice place to work during the holidays. It is very convenient to shopping and it has a festive feel. We hope that when people walk into the building on a Monday thinking, 'Oh, I'm back at work,' the decorations will perk them up a little bit."
If individual tenants want to decorate their office spaces, the Hancock's management team is there with a helping hand.
"Tenants can decorate their spaces themselves and we have a staff that provides various services to the tenants throughout the year. So if they request our staff to help them put up a tree or string some lights, we can certainly accommodate them," Kapp said.
With so much happening around the building and more visitors coming through the doors each day during the season, the management team has to be even more organized and proactive. The building increases engineering, janitorial and security staff to ensure a positive experience for visitors and tenants.
"We need to be on our toes just because of the sheer volume of visitors," Kapp said.
Of course, this fine attention to detail and faster holiday pace is a small price to pay for the rewards of managing such a high-profile building during this time of year.
"I am a big fan of the holidays, and it is a great feeling to be able to be a part of helping to promote the holidays," Kapp said. "People are in a great mood. The building comes more alive from Thanksgiving to Christmas."
Furthermore, the building's holiday spirit goes above and beyond the Hancock's 100 stories.
"It enhances the city in the nation's eyes and the world's eyes," Kapp said. "[The Festival of Lights] is a great parade; it is a great experience and Chicago is a great town. When you see the Hancock in the skyline, you know that is Chicago. It is very visible and we just want to enhance that picture that people see in their minds when they think of the Hancock."
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Diana Mirel is a contributing writer for JPM. Send questions regarding this article to mnaso@irem.org.
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