When the Chicago Tribune's legendary publisher Col. Robert R. McCormick was looking for a site to build a new company headquarters, he had three demands: It had to be close to the center of the city, accessible by rail and close to the Chicago River so newsprint could be delivered by boat.

The property he bought in 1919 on Michigan Avenue met requirements. In 1922, on the newspaper's 75th anniversary, a competition was announced to create "the most beautiful office building in the world." Tribune Tower, which became one of the city's tallest buildings when completed, was the result. Here are a few details about the building:

IMPORTANT DATES

June 10, 1922: Announcement of Tribune architecture competition.

Announcement of Tribune architecture competition. Dec. 3, 1922: Winners announced.

Winners announced. May 24, 1923: Ground broken.

Ground broken. July 6, 1925: Tribune Tower opens.

Tribune Tower opens. Sept. 19, 1982: Presses run for the last time on the lower levels of the tower. Printing operations moved to Freedom Center on West Chicago Avenue.

CONTEST: BY THE NUMBERS

263: Entries in the Tribune architecture competition.

Entries in the Tribune architecture competition. 23: Countries represented in the competition (includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and U.S.).

Countries represented in the competition (includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and U.S.). $50,000: First prize awarded to John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood, New York.

First prize awarded to John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood, New York. $20,000: Second prize to Eliel Saarinen, Helsinki, Finland.

Second prize to Eliel Saarinen, Helsinki, Finland. $10,000: Holabird & Roche, Chicago.

Holabird & Roche, Chicago. $2,000: Offered to 10 U.S. architects or architectural firms for contest participation.

TRIBUNE TOWER: BY THE NUMBERS

$8.5 million: Cost to build it.

Cost to build it. 456 feet: Height from sidewalk to the top.

Height from sidewalk to the top. 36: Number of stories.

Number of stories. 9,316 tons: Steel in building's inner frame.

Steel in building's inner frame. 13,160 tons: Indiana limestone used on buildings exterior.

Indiana limestone used on buildings exterior. 150: Number of rocks, bricks and other artifacts found embedded on the exterior of the first floor.

Sources: "Tribune Tower: American Landmark" by Blair Kamin, Tribune reporting

@ChiTribGraphics