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A 15-year retail lease for approximately 21,543 square feet of space was signed on July 31, 1997, by Marina City Hotel Enterprises, LLC, and S&W Chicago, LLC.

Smith & Wollensky could open as a steakhouse – or a seafood restaurant named “The Manhattan Ocean Club” – but it could not have an “Italian themed menu.” The first year’s rent would be $428,060 (the 2024 equivalent of $841,433), increasing to $621,947 after ten years. There was no security deposit.

With 13 restaurants nationwide, The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group claims it is the largest-grossing à la carte restaurant in the United States. The company was founded in 1977 by Alan Stillman, who years earlier had borrowed $5,000 from his mother to start the first T.G.I. Fridays in Manhattan.

On April 15, 1998, Smith & Wollensky opened as a steakhouse to favorable reviews. Executive Chef Hans Aeschbacher oversaw preparation of upscale dishes such as steak, lobster, salmon, and pastry desserts.

(Right) Executive Chef Hans Aeschbacher poses with Chicago Blackhawks hockey players outside Smith & Wollensky in February 2011. Photo obtained from Chef Hans Aeschbacher’s Facebook page.

The wooden building that replaced the skating rink was painted forest green with white trim and latticework. The company described the interior of their restaurant as “a turn-of-the-century casual elegance, with shining brass, polished wood floors, and dark wood accents.”

The design may have had some admirers, but they were not at Bertrand Goldberg Associates. In his 1999 interview with Betty Blum, BGA architect Ben Honda said he and Goldberg fought the design. They suggested alternatives but were told it was too far along to change.

“They gave us that ugly monstrosity there,” said Honda, “which is an absolute disgrace on that site.”

(Left) Weathered plaque near the northeast corner of Smith & Wollensky. The plaque reads, “Smith & Wollensky dedicates this building to the memory of Bertrand Goldberg, whose contribution to Marina City and modern architecture in general has left an indelible mark on the City of Chicago. An architect of enormous vision and pragmatism, Bertrand Goldberg accepted two divergent styles of architecture residing alongside one another, ultimately resulting in the revitalization of his revolutionary Marina City project.”

(Above) Smith & Wollensky from State Street Bridge on December 16, 2007. Marina City’s west tower at left.

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