To thousands of visitors who have known and loved Chicago, the city has always seemed changeless. But they should see it now: Chicago is in the midst of a building boom that is transforming its downtown area.
The most ambitious project under construction is the $36 million Marina City, which is rising into the sky alongside the Chicago River. Built around two eyecatching, 65-story cylinders, the multipurpose development will have 896 medium-rent apartments, plus a 16-story office building, a 1,700-seat theater, a 1,000-car garage, boat dock, swimming pool, ice rink and even...