George Lucas, the visionary creator behind Star Wars, is making headlines in Chicago, but this time it’s not for a galactic saga. He and his wife, Mellody Hobson, are embarking on a real estate venture that’s set to break records—though not at the box office.
The power couple is combining two of their luxurious condos in Streeterville’s Park Tower, creating a 16,000-square-foot duplex penthouse. Their real estate journey began when they purchased an 8,000-square-foot unit on the 66th floor for $11.2 million in January 2023, marking the priciest condo sale of the year in Chicago. But that’s not all—they had previously acquired a 65th-floor unit for $18.75 million back in 2015.
Now, the grand vision involves merging these two units into a single masterpiece, with a total cost of $33.5 million, including construction expenses. This makes it the most expensive finished condo in Chicago’s history, surpassing even the second-priciest condo—a 10,000-square-foot duplex on the 71st floor of the Residences at the St. Regis Tower, which Mexican billionaire German Larrea spent $20.56 million on.
Architect Scott Fortman from Gibbons, Fortman & Associates has been entrusted with designing Lucas’ opulent residence. The plans include integrating two new interior staircases and implementing various electrical and mechanical enhancements on the 65th floor.
But Lucas and Hobson’s real estate prowess extends beyond Park Tower. They’ve previously demonstrated their affinity for the building by acquiring a 48th-floor unit in 2007 and jointly purchasing a 26th-floor condo in 2012.
Interestingly, the identity of the buyer for the 66th floor unit remained a mystery until now. Lucas and Hobson cleverly shielded their identities by using a Delaware-based LLC for the condo purchase, keeping their names off public records.
With a combined net worth of $5.5 billion, according to Forbes, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson continue to amass an impressive global real estate portfolio. Their properties span across California, New York City, Italy, France, and even include the iconic Skywalker Ranch near Nicasio, California—a vision Lucas began assembling back in 1978.
Source: The Real Deal