Dirksen Federal Building

Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
Illustration of the Dirksen Federal Building.
General information
Architectural style	international style
Location	Chicago, Illinois
Address	219 South Dearborn Street
Country	United States
Current tenants	U.S. officials
Construction started	1960
Completed	1964
Client	U.S. government
Height	384 feet (117 m)
Technical details
Floor count	30 floors
Floor area	1.4 million gross square feet
Design and construction
Architect	Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

The Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, commonly referred to as the Dirksen Federal Building, is a skyscraper in downtown Chicago, Illinois, at 219 South Dearborn Street. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1964. The building is 384 feet (117 m) tall, with 30 floors; it was named for U.S. Congressman and Senator Everett Dirksen. The building houses the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and local offices for various court-related federal agencies, such as the Federal Public Defender, United States Probation Service and United States Trustee. It is one of three buildings making up the modernist Federal Plaza complex designed by van der Rohe, along with the U.S. Post Office (Loop Station) and the Kluczynski Federal Building. Separate from the Federal Plaza, but opposite the Kluczynski Building across Jackson Boulevard, is the Metcalfe Federal Building.

In 1960, Congress authorized the U.S. General Services Administration to construct a new office complex in Chicago's Loop District. The Federal Center consolidated over thirty agencies formerly scattered throughout the city in substandard leased space. Four Chicago architectural firms joined forces for the commission. The world-renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe served as the chief designer with Schmidt, Garden and Erikson; C. F. Murphy Associates; and A. Epstein and Sons all working on the project.