Ground has finally been broken at the site of the notorious Chicago Spire project as developers move forward in transforming the long-standing urban void at 400 Lake Shore Drive. After a period of stall and silence, the site where the ambitious Chicago Spire was once proposed is now teeming with activity. This site - once pegged for a spiraling skyscraper that never came to be - will now see the rise of a two-tower residential development.

The intricate details of the venture have been shared by NBC Chicago and Fox32 Chicago. According to their reports, the development promises an injection of housing to a city always in pursuit of more. Related Midwest, an executive vice president of which was reported to have remarked on the long journey to groundbreaking.

“It has been a very, very long time," said Don Biernacki of Related Midwest, in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago. "But when you have vision for great development, great architecture and great projects that are going to be meaningful to a our great city, it takes a while for that to come to fruition.” Biernacki also revealed that the construction is expected to be complete by 2027, thus marking an end to the site's dormant chapter.

The aspect of the project that resonates with a historical significance ties back to the city's legacy, as noted by Nosa Ehimwenman, president and CEO of BOWA Construction. He conveyed a deep personal connection with the project's location, near where Chicago's pioneer Jean Baptiste Point du Sable first landed. "For me as an African American, I got to tell you, it's exciting," Ehimwenman told NBC Chicago. "We don’t get opportunities and moments like this to be building and developing high rises in our city. So I'm hoping that we're able to do this and create change for the next generations."

According to the reports, alongside the revitalized plans for the site is an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk, which Fox32 Chicago highlights as part of the new development. The building itself will boast more than 1 million square feet of floor space and feature 635 rental homes, with 20% designated as affordable housing. The implementation of three underground garage levels affirms both practicality and aesthetic considerations within the urban landscape.

While the city had long looked upon the gaping hole at 400 Lake Shore Drive as a reminder of grand designs unfulfilled, the forthcoming construction anchors fresh aspirations. With the affirmation that "You’ll start to see this building come out of the ground in the next few months," as Biernacki informed NBC Chicago, many will anticipate the new shape of Chicago's skyline.