The building is located on the site of the former Masonic Temple, which had once been the tallest building in Chicago.
 Since the demolition of the Masonic Temple, the address had housed a two-story retail building.
One failed previous plan to replace the small retail building on the site was the Market Hall Tower, proposed in 2000, which was to have a two-story European style food market and 75 spacious apartments in the adjacent 26-story, 291-foot (89 m) tower.
 Another failed plan was the subsequent 33-story Randolph Court design.

The Daley administration has been a proponent of the Joffrey Ballet having a permanent Theatre District home in order to establish it as a major Chicago institution.
 However, the cost of building their own building at State and Lake was prohibitive.
 Supposedly, the city of Chicago held the development of this project hostage until the developer agreed to the Joffrey initiative.
 The delay tactic used was to delay closing long enough to cause the developer to have to file suit.
William Daley, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees, is a former Cabinet member in the Clinton administration and clout-heavy brother of Chicago's former mayor, Richard M. Daley.
The arts-loving mayor has revitalized the Loop in part by re-establishing a central theatre district.
 The Joffrey Tower is within three blocks of Cadillac Palace, Chicago, Goodman, Harris, Ford Center/Oriental, and Storefront Theatres, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center, the Tiffany-decorated former central library.
The building is located on the site of the former Masonic Temple, which had once been the tallest building in Chicago.  Since the demolition of the Masonic Temple, the address had housed a two-story retail building. One failed previous plan to replace the small retail building on the site was the Market Hall Tower, proposed in 2000, which was to have a two-story European style food market and 75 spacious apartments in the adjacent 26-story, 291-foot (89 m) tower.  Another failed plan was the subsequent 33-story Randolph Court design.
The Daley administration has been a proponent of the Joffrey Ballet having a permanent Theatre District home in order to establish it as a major Chicago institution.  However, the cost of building their own building at State and Lake was prohibitive.  Supposedly, the city of Chicago held the development of this project hostage until the developer agreed to the Joffrey initiative.  The delay tactic used was to delay closing long enough to cause the developer to have to file suit. William Daley, a co-chairman of the Joffrey board of trustees, is a former Cabinet member in the Clinton administration and clout-heavy brother of Chicago's former mayor, Richard M. Daley. The arts-loving mayor has revitalized the Loop in part by re-establishing a central theatre district.  The Joffrey Tower is within three blocks of Cadillac Palace, Chicago, Goodman, Harris, Ford Center/Oriental, and Storefront Theatres, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center, the Tiffany-decorated former central library.
Joffrey Tower