Even though it is blocks from the lake, Water Tower Place brings in a flood of visitors to Chicago, especially the famous Gold Coast neighborhood near Michigan Avenue. As it functions simultaneously as a shopping mall, hotel, condominium, skyscraper and tourist attraction, Water Tower Place has had an enormous effect on the city. Before the vertical mall opened in 1976, the center of Chicago shopping had been State Street rather than Michigan Avenue. The impetus for construction was the decision by the Marshall Field company to open a new location near the John Hancock Building soon after it was completed. Other companies joined the project, including a condominium developer and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel chain. Recent tenants of Water Tower Place include the flagship store of the American Girl doll company, Lego, Macy’s, Godiva chocolates, Swarovski jewelry and the Chicago Broadway Playhouse. With tourists coming from all over to shop in the vertical mall, it would be prudent to book a Water Tower Place parking spot ahead of time with ParkWhiz, so you can enjoy the mall and not worry about where to park.

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