It wasn’t until October 3, 1961, that BGA actually filed a request for a permit to construct the 16-story office building on the north edge of the site. Although James McHugh Construction Company was expected to bid on the project – its equipment and crews were already on site – other contractors were invited to submit bids.

Goldberg often described the office building as a fence, separating Marina City from its surrounding area. Expected to cost $10-11 million, it would contain a 54-lane bowling alley, retail shops, swimming pool and health club. The sixth-floor roof of the building would be a plaza for use by office workers and building visitors, with a garden complete with trees and benches. Each of the top ten floors would have 18,000 square feet of office space.

Original tenants included Sperry-Univac (now known as Unisys) and Goldberg’s architectural firm. Bertrand Goldberg Associates moved into Marina City in 1963 from its previous location at 721 North Michigan Avenue. His 30-person staff occupied the entire sixth floor.

In 1966, the construction market development operation of General Electric established a central regional office, managed by Robert B. Day, at Marina City.

With 44 major construction projects in progress or completed between 1958 and 1961, downtown Chicago was in the middle of a building boom. Much credit for this was given to the Chicago central area committee, created by business leaders for the sole purpose of promoting the downtown area. They were reversing a ten-year trend of decline in Chicago's downtown similar to what was happening in other major American cities.

Soon, more than a billion dollars would be invested in such projects as Richard J. Daley Center, McCormick Place, and Marina City.

Marina City office building from northeast in late afternoon. State Street at left. East residential tower in background.