Editing John Hancock Center (section)

==History==
=== 20th century ===
[[File:19680817 09 Michigan Ave. @ Chestnut St. (6101565370) (1).jpg|thumb|The John Hancock Center under construction, August 1968]]

The project, which would become the world's second tallest building at opening, was conceived and owned by [[Jerry Wolman]] in late 1964. The project was financed by John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. Construction of the tower was interrupted in 1967 due to a flaw in an innovative engineering method used to pour concrete in stages, that was discovered when the building was 20 stories high.<ref>''Jerry Wolman: The World's Richest Man'', Joseph Bokol, Richard Bokol, 2012</ref> The engineers were getting the same soil settlements for the 20 stories that had been built as what they had expected for the ''entire'' 99 stories. This forced the owner to stop development until the engineering problem could be resolved, resulting in a credit crunch. The situation is similar to the one faced during the construction of 111 West Wacker, then known as the [[Waterview Tower]]. Wolman's bankruptcy resulted in John Hancock taking over the project, which retained the original design, architect, engineer, and main contractor.

The building's first resident was Ray Heckla, the original building engineer, responsible for the residential floors from 44 to 92. Heckla moved his family in April 1969, before the building was completed.

The 1988 film ''[[Poltergeist III]]'' was set at the John Hancock Center and was filmed in early 1987.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095889/locations | title=Poltergeist III (1988) - IMDb | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref>

=== 21st century ===
On December 10, 2006, the non-residential portion of the building was sold by [[San Francisco]]–based [[Shorenstein Properties]] for $385 million{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|385,000,000|2006}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} and was purchased by a joint venture of Chicago-based Golub & Company and the Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds.<ref>[http://www.golubandcompany.com/pages/golub_whitehall_acquire_john_hancock_center/121.php Golub Real Estate Investment and Development] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183836/http://www.golubandcompany.com/pages/golub_whitehall_acquire_john_hancock_center/121.php |date=March 3, 2016 }}</ref> [[Shorenstein Properties]] had bought the building in 1998 for $220 million.{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|220,000,000|1998}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}

Golub defaulted on its debt and the building was acquired in 2012 by [[Deutsche Bank]], who subsequently carved up the building.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130420/ISSUE01/304209979/carving-up-the-hancock|title=Carving up the Hancock|access-date=July 8, 2016|date=April 20, 2013|work= [[Crain's Chicago Business]] |author=Ori, Ryan}}</ref> The venture of Deutsche Bank and New York–based NorthStar Realty Finance paid an estimated $325 million{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|325,000,000|2012}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} for debt on 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2012 after [[Shorenstein Properties]] defaulted on $400 million{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|400,000,000|2012}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} in loans.<ref name="chicagobusiness.com" /> The observation deck was sold to Paris-based [[Montparnasse 56 Group]] for between $35 million and $45 million{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|35,000,000|2012}}}}{{ndash}}${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|45,000,000|2012}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} in July 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120718/BLOGS08/120719757/boul-mich-deck-with-la-view|title=Boul Mich deck with la view|access-date=July 8, 2016|date=July 18, 2012|work= [[Crain's Chicago Business]]}}</ref> That same month, Prudential Real Estate Investors acquired the retail and restaurant space for almost $142 million.{{efn|equivalent to almost ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|142,000,000|2012}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20120723/CRED03/120729943/hancocks-retail-restaurant-space-sells-for-almost-142-million|title=Hancock's retail, restaurant space sells for almost $142 million|access-date=July 8, 2016|date=July 23, 2012|work= [[Crain's Chicago Business]]|author=Oberlander, Marissa}}</ref> In November 2012, Boston-based American Tower Corp affiliate paid $70 million{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|70,000,000|2012}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}} for the antennas.<ref name="chibusinessantennas">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20121121/CRED03/121129969/how-much-for-the-antennas-atop-hancock-center|title=How much for the antennas atop Hancock Center?|access-date=July 8, 2016|date=November 21, 2012|work= [[Crain's Chicago Business]]|author=Oberlander, Marissa}}</ref> In June 2013, a venture of Chicago-based real estate investment firm Hearn Co., New York–based investment firm Mount Kellett Capital Management L.P. and San Antonio–based developer Lynd Co. closed on the expected acquisition of 875 North Michigan Avenue's {{Convert|856,000|ft2|m2}} of office space and 710-car parking deck. The Chicago firm did not disclose a price, but sources said it was about $145 million.{{efn|equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|145,000,000|2013}}}} in {{inflation/year|US}}{{inflation/fn|US}}}}<ref name="chicagobusiness.com">[http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20130624/CRED03/130629902/new-owners-of-hancock-office-space-plan-45-million-rehab# New owners of Hancock office space plan $45 million rehab]. ''chicagobusiness.com''</ref> This was the last step in that piecemeal sale process.<ref name="chicagobusiness.com" /> In May 2016, Hearn Co. announced that they were seeking buyers for the naming rights with possible signage rights for the building.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-john-hancock-naming-rights-0521-biz-20160520-story.html|title=John Hancock Center shops naming rights to fund plaza redevelopment|access-date=July 8, 2016|date=May 20, 2016|work= [[Chicago Tribune]]|author=Channick, Robert}}</ref>

Hustle up the Hancock is an annual stair climb race up the 94 floors from the Michigan Avenue level to the observation deck. It is held on the last Sunday of February. The climb benefits [[Respiratory Health Association]]. The record time as of 2007 is 9 minutes 30 seconds.

The building is home to the transmitter of [[Univision]]'s [[WGBO-DT]] (channel 66), while all other full-power television stations in Chicago broadcast from [[Willis Tower]]. The [[City Colleges of Chicago]]'s [[WYCC]] (channel 20) transmitted from the building until November 2017, when it departed the air as part of the 2016 FCC spectrum auction.

On February 12, 2018, John Hancock Insurance requested that its name and logos throughout the building's interior be removed immediately; John Hancock had not had a naming-rights deal with the skyscraper's owners since 2013. The building's name was subsequently changed to its street address as 875 North Michigan Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ori |first1=Ryan |title=John Hancock Center skyscraper losing its iconic name |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ori/ct-biz-john-hancock-center-name-ryan-ori-20180212-story.html |access-date=November 19, 2018 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=February 13, 2018 |archive-date=May 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522222242/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ori/ct-biz-john-hancock-center-name-ryan-ori-20180212-story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Incidents ===
On November 11, 1981, [[Veterans Day (United States)|Veterans Day]], high-rise firefighting and rescue advocate [[Dan Goodwin]], for the purpose of calling attention to the inability to rescue people trapped in the upper floors of skyscrapers, successfully climbed the building's exterior wall. Wearing a wetsuit and using a climbing device that enabled him to ascend the I-beams on the building's side, Goodwin battled repeated attempts by the [[Chicago Fire Department]] to knock him off. Fire Commissioner William Blair ordered Chicago firemen to stop Goodwin by directing a fully engaged fire hose at him and by blasting fire axes through nearby glass from the inside. Fearing for Goodwin's life, Mayor [[Jane Byrne]] intervened and allowed him to continue to the top.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9502EEDC1F39F936A25752C1A967948260 Headliners Higher and Higher Published: 15 November 1981, New York Times]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Willis Tower |url=http://www.justonebadcentury.com/chicago_cubs_history_47.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320062017/http://www.justonebadcentury.com/chicago_cubs_history_47.asp |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |access-date=July 4, 2011}}</ref>

On December 18, 1997, comedian [[Chris Farley]] was found dead in his apartment on the 60th floor of the building.<ref name="farley">{{cite web |title=Chris Farley: Trivia |url=http://www.tv.com/chris-farley/person/50825/trivia.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114111957/http://www.tv.com/chris-farley/person/50825/trivia.html |archive-date=January 14, 2009 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=TV.com |publisher=CNET Networks}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Ghosts |url=http://www.chicagohauntings.com/hancock.html |access-date=April 17, 2008 |publisher=Chicago Hauntings Tours |archive-date=July 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727113706/http://www.chicagohauntings.com/hancock.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On March 9, 2002, part of a scaffold fell 43 stories after being torn loose by wind gusts around {{convert|60|mph|km/h|-1|abbr=on}} crushing several cars, killing three people in two of them. The remaining part of the stage swung back-and-forth in the gusts repeatedly slamming against the building, damaging cladding panels, breaking windows, and sending pieces onto the street below.

On November 21, 2015, a fire broke out in an apartment on the 50th floor of the building. The [[Chicago Fire Department]] was able to extinguish the fire after an hour and a half; five people suffered minor injuries.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 21, 2015 |title=5 Injured in 2-Alarm Fire at John Hancock Building |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Fire-Reported-at-John-Hancock-Building-352707061.html |access-date=November 21, 2015 |website=[[WMAQ-TV]] |publisher=[[NBCUniversal]] Media, LLC}}</ref>

On February 11, 2018, a fire in a car on the seventh floor required approximately 150 firefighters to extinguish.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Malagon |first1=Elvia |date=February 11, 2018 |title=Car fire at John Hancock Center extinguished without injuries |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-car-fire-hancock-20180211-story.html |url-status=dead |access-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120055146/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-car-fire-hancock-20180211-story.html |archive-date=November 20, 2018}}</ref>

On November 16, 2018, an express elevator cable broke. Initial reports stated that an elevator with six passengers plunged 84 stories from the 95th to 11th floor. Since express elevators are not accessible from floors within the express zone, a team of firefighters had to break through a brick wall from the parking garage to extricate the passengers, none of whom suffered injuries. Elevators to the 95th/96th floor were closed thereafter pending investigation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elevator in former Hancock building fell 84 floors before rescue |url=https://wgntv.com/2018/11/19/elevator-in-former-hancock-building-fell-84-floors-before-rescue/ |access-date=November 19, 2018 |work=WGNTV |publisher=Associated Press |date=November 19, 2018 |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119214626/https://wgntv.com/2018/11/19/elevator-in-former-hancock-building-fell-84-floors-before-rescue/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequent investigation documented only a controlled descent from the 20th floor to the 11th floor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Hancock building broken elevator cable never caused 'freefall,' 3rd party inspection report says |url=https://abc7chicago.com/former-hancock-building-broken-elevator-cable-never-caused-freefall-inspection-report-says/5264740/ |access-date=January 3, 2020 |work=ABC7 |date=April 23, 2019}}</ref>

On January 5, 2022, a piece of [[Cladding (construction)|cladding]] fell from the building.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Liederman |first1=Mack |title=A Piece Of The Hancock Building Fell Off In 'Freak Incident,' Terrifying Neighbors |url=https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/01/07/a-piece-of-the-hancock-center-fell-off-amid-high-winds-frightening-neighbors-it-terrified-me/ |access-date=12 January 2022 |work=Block Club Chicago |date=7 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>