The famous Kennedy family is seeking to develop their prime piece of Chicago riverfront property with a series of Cesar Pelli-designed towers, including a 900-foot tall tower which would be the eighth tallest in the city. Local residents have already voiced opposition to the plan.

The project is proposed for a 4-acre site called Wolf Point, which juts out into the river at the junction of the North Branch and the main stem of the Chicago River, directly west of Merchandise Mart.

The Kennedy family has owned Wolf Point since patriarch Joseph F. Kennedy purchased the site in 1946. They have not developed the site before now because of opposing zoning laws and lack of support, according to media reports.

Chicago Tribune columnist Blair Kamin writes:

“The fate of one of the choicest parcels in town hangs in the balance. And the issue is whether the design by New Haven, Conn., architect Cesar Pelli will rise to the level of greatness demanded by the site — or whether the Chicagoans of today, like the Indians of long ago, are going to get hustled.”

Mr. Kamin’s full column can be read here.