Another Chicago Skyscraper Name Change
It’s not official until Friday, November 11th, but already the signs are going up at the Fifth Third Center, the West Loop skyscraper formerly known as 222 South Riverside Plaza.
There are still a few legacy 222 South Riverside signs to be seen around the property, but the main entrance canopy has been emblazoned with a neon “Fifth Third Center” and the more subtle “222″ signs in the landscaping have been augmented with the new name.
The building used to be known as Gateway Center III, but is more commonly known as “that skyscraper that hangs over the tracks at Union Station.”
It is also the building that would have to be demolished if anyone wanted to fulfill former Mayor Daley’s plan to an integrated Metra-Amtrak-High Speed Rail-CTA-Water Taxi transportation hub.
That has gotta be one of the weirdest names for a tower. Fifth Third Center. As a bank name, weeeelll, ok, i guess. But for a skyscraper? It sounds like it’s located at fifth and third street.
The headquarters of Fifth Third, the Fifth Third Center in Cincinnati, is located between Fifth and Sixth Streets! I used to work near there. Fortunately, it’s also on Fountain Square, so you don’t have to say to people, “Meet me at Fifth Third between Fifth and Sixth.”