Walking down the LaSalle Street canyon, you can't miss it. It’s that massive, neoclassical block that feels like it’s holding up the entire Chicago Loop by its sheer weight. Most people know 231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL as the Wintrust Building, but if you’ve lived here long enough, you probably still call it the Continental Illinois Bank Building. It’s a beast. Seriously, the place covers an entire city block.
Think about that for a second. An entire city block dedicated to money.
Chicago’s architecture is usually about the "wow" factor—the Willis Tower’s height or the curvy glass of the newer West Loop towers. But 231 S LaSalle is different. It’s about power. It’s about that old-school, "we have all the gold" vibe that defined the city’s financial district in the early 20th century. When it was finished in 1924, it was one of the largest office buildings in the world. It still feels like it.
Why 231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL is More Than Just an Office
If you walk inside, your neck is going to hurt from looking up. The Grand Banking Hall is arguably one of the most beautiful rooms in America. No joke. We're talking about a space that’s roughly half the size of a football field, lined with massive Ionic columns that are actually made of Italian marble. It’s the kind of room where people naturally start whispering because it feels like a cathedral for capitalism.
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White—the firm behind the Wrigley Building and Union Station—designed this place. They didn't do "subtle." They did "monumental."
The building serves as a literal anchor for the intersection of LaSalle and Quincy. While many historic buildings in the Loop were gutted or, worse, demolished in the 70s and 80s, 231 S LaSalle survived. It didn’t just survive; it stayed relevant. Today, Wintrust Financial Corporation has its name on the door, but the building houses a mix of tech firms, law offices, and high-frequency traders who need to be close to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago right across the street.
The Engineering Feat Nobody Talks About
Everyone looks at the marble. Hardly anyone looks at the basement.
The foundations of 231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL go deep into the Chicago till. Because the building is so heavy, the engineering required to keep it from sinking into the swampy Chicago soil was cutting-edge for the 1920s. It uses a series of caissons that reach down to bedrock.
Also, the vaults.
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Back in the day, the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company was the seventh-largest bank in the country. They had money. Lots of it. The vault system in the basement is a labyrinth of steel and reinforced concrete that would make a modern cybersecurity expert jealous. While we can’t all go down there and poke around, the sheer scale of the security infrastructure built into the bones of this property is a testament to why LaSalle Street became the "Wall Street of the West."
The Great Crash and the 1984 Bailout
You can't talk about this address without talking about the drama. In the early 80s, the Continental Illinois National Bank, headquartered right here at 231 S LaSalle, was flying high. They were aggressive. Maybe too aggressive. They bought up a ton of bad energy loans from a smaller bank in Oklahoma called Penn Square Bank.
When Penn Square collapsed, it started a domino effect.
By 1984, Continental Illinois was facing a massive "electronic bank run." Depositors were pulling billions of dollars out via wire transfers. It was the largest bank failure in U.S. history at the time. The federal government had to step in with a multi-billion dollar bailout because the bank was "too big to fail"—a phrase we all got sick of hearing in 2008, but it basically started right here on LaSalle Street.
It’s wild to think that the quiet, dignified hallways of this building were once the epicenter of a global financial panic.
Modern Life at the Wintrust Building
So, what’s it like there now?
Honestly, it’s a weird mix of 1920s grandeur and 2020s tech. You’ve got people in tailored suits walking past murals by Jules Guerin—the same guy who did the murals in the Lincoln Memorial. At the same time, the building has been modernized with high-speed fiber, LEED Silver certification, and all the "green" bells and whistles that modern tenants demand.
Property managers have a tough job with a place like this. You have to preserve the historic integrity while making sure the Wi-Fi doesn't drop out every time someone walks behind a three-foot-thick marble pillar.
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The building currently offers:
- Massive floor plates (around 50,000 square feet) which are rare in the Loop.
- A high-end fitness center (because everyone in finance is obsessed with Peloton now).
- Proximity to the "L" tracks, making it a commuter’s dream.
- Direct access to the underground tunnel system.
The Architectural Details You Usually Miss
Next time you’re standing outside 231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL, look at the windows. The rhythm of the fenestration is incredibly consistent. It creates this sense of stability. That’s intentional. Bankers in the 20s wanted you to feel like your money was safe, and nothing says "safe" like a massive limestone box.
The exterior is Bedford limestone. It weathers beautifully. Even with the Chicago soot and the lakefront humidity, the building maintains this creamy, authoritative glow.
And those murals in the banking hall? They represent the nations of the world. It was a way of saying that Chicago wasn't just a Midwestern rail hub; it was a global player. It’s pretty arrogant when you think about it, but that arrogance is what built the Chicago skyline.
Navigating the Loop Around 231 S LaSalle
If you're visiting for a meeting or just sightseeing, the area is intense. You’re a stone’s throw from the Chicago Board of Trade. The energy is frantic during market hours and ghostly quiet on Sunday mornings.
If you want a great view of the building, head over to the corner of LaSalle and Jackson. You get the full perspective of how it interacts with the Federal Reserve. It’s a literal corridor of power.
Is it Still the "Wall Street of the West"?
The short answer: Kinda.
A lot of the trading has moved to servers in Aurora or New Jersey. The physical pits aren't what they used to be. But the influence of 231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL remains. Wintrust has used the space to solidify itself as Chicago’s "hometown bank." By taking over such an iconic building, they made a statement: "We aren't going anywhere."
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For a while, people thought these massive, old-school office buildings were dead. Remote work was going to kill them, right? Not really. There’s something about the gravitas of a building like 231 S LaSalle that you can't replicate on a Zoom call. Firms still want the prestige of the address.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit
If you’re heading to the building, don’t just walk in the front door and stand there. You’ll look like a tourist.
- Check the Grand Banking Hall: It’s often used for events. If you can snag an invite to a gala or a networking event there, take it. The acoustics are wild.
- Look at the Bronze: The detail work on the doors and elevators is insane. Most of it is original.
- The Basement Secret: While you can’t tour the vaults, the lower levels are a masterclass in 1920s security design.
- The Rooftop: It’s not open to the public, but some tenants have access. The views of the surrounding skyscrapers are some of the best in the city because you’re right in the middle of the density.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re a business owner looking for space, or just a history buff, keep these things in mind about the LaSalle corridor:
- Transportation: This is the most connected part of Chicago. If your office is at 231 S LaSalle, your employees can get there from almost any suburb via Metra or the "L."
- Networking: The building is a vertical neighborhood. The density of law firms and financial services means you’re always one elevator ride away from a potential partner.
- Historic Tax Credits: Buildings like this are often part of complex preservation deals. If you're interested in real estate development, 231 S LaSalle is a case study in how to maintain a Class A office rating in a century-old shell.
- Dining: Don't just eat at a chain. The area around Quincy and LaSalle has some of the best "power lunch" spots in the city. Check out the historic clubs nearby if you can get a guest pass.
231 S LaSalle Street Chicago IL isn't just a coordinate on a map. It’s a survivor. It survived the Great Depression, the 1984 collapse, and the shift to digital banking. It stands as a reminder that in Chicago, we don't just build things—we build things that last. Whether you're there for a meeting with Wintrust or just admiring the marble, you're walking through a literal vault of Chicago history.
Next time you find yourself in the Loop, stop for a minute. Look at the columns. Think about the billions of dollars that have flowed through those doors. It’s one of the few places in the city where you can actually feel the weight of history.
Don't just take the "L" past it. Walk the block. Experience the scale. It's the only way to truly understand what Chicago's financial heart looks like.
To get the full experience, visit during a weekday morning around 8:30 AM. The rush of people entering the building gives you a sense of the scale of operations that still happen there daily. If you're looking for professional office space, contact the Wintrust leasing office directly, as they occasionally have boutique suites available that offer the prestige of the address without needing to rent an entire 50,000-square-foot floor. For history enthusiasts, the Chicago Architecture Center often includes the LaSalle canyon in their walking tours, which is the best way to get behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the 1984 bailout and the building's construction phase.