Lake Point Tower used to be one of three buildings east of Lake Shore Drive. But when the drive's s-curve was straightened out on the mid-1980's, the other two buildings ended up on the other side.
"Everybody's got a view," Lake Point Tower Condo Board President Keith Powell said. "We don't have to worry about if there's going to be a high rise built next to us on the west side, for instance, because we have a 2 ½ acre park."
When it opened in 1968, Lake Point Tower was the first major residential building to have a private park, above the building's three-story garage.
"It's got an outdoor pool, it's got a pond," Lake Point Tower Condo Board Vice President Bob Mack said. "One of the fun things kids like to do every spring is the ducklings hatch, so the kids will come down to feed the ducklings."
The conversion from the original apartments to condominiums in 1988 was, at the time, the largest ever in the country in terms of property value. In terms of the view, it doesn't get better than what you'll see from Lake Point Tower.
On the top floor is a restaurant open to the public, called Cite.
"It's 360 degrees," Mack said. "You have a table that's always by the window. I like to get up and walk around – just fantastic views. Can't be beat."
Designed to be a glass-curtain skyscraper, the building's three arms are equally spaced at 120 degree angles. Just about every unit in the building has a view of Lake Michigan, and no one unit looks directly into another.
They've had some famous residents and visitors, including Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey, who ate at Cite. Contrary to popular rumors, Oprah never lived at Lake Point Tower. She was a frequent visitor. Other famous people who did live there include Anthony Quinn, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa and David Axelrod.
Surprisingly, Lake Point Tower has never had a broken window from wind, from what they can remember. But they have seen some cracks in the windows from the Blue Angels flying by for the Chicago Air and Water Show.
