One Prudential Plaza is a 41-story structure in Chicago completed in 1955 as the headquarters for Prudential's Mid-America company. It was the first skyscraper built in Chicago since the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Second World war. The plaza, including a second building erected later, is owned by BentleyForbes and a consortium of New York investors, since the Great Recession of the early 21st century.History of constructionThe structure was significant as the first new downtown skyscraper constructed in Chicago since the Field Building, 21 years earlier and it was built on air rights over the Illinois Central railroad. It was the last building ever connected to the Chicago Tunnel Company's tunnel network.When the Prudential was finished it had the highest roof in Chicago with only the statue of Ceres on the Chicago Board of Trade higher. Its mast served as a broadcasting antenna for Chicago's WGN-TV.The architect was Naess & Murphy, a precursor to C.F. Murphy & Associates and later Murphy/Jahn Architects.Recent purchaseIn May 2006, BentleyForbes, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm, run by Frederick Wehba and his family purchased One Prudential Plaza, along with its sister property, Two Prudential Plaza for $470 million.
