A new private event venue atop the former John Hancock Center will begin accepting bookings in early 2027, ahead of its planned opening in 2028, 360 Chicago announced on Thursday.The nearly 14,000-square-foot space, called Elevaire Chicago, will occupy the 96th floor of 875 N. Michigan Ave., offerin g views of Lake Michigan and the city's skyline. It will be available for weddings, corporate meetings, networking receptions, galas and other events.“Our goal is to create an experience that is deeply personal and unlike any other venue in Chicago,” Nichole Benolken, managing director at 360 Chicago, said in a news release.Details about the venue’s capacity, food and beverage offerings, room configurations and event packages will be announced before the venue begins accepting bookings, according to the company.The venue is part of a broader expansion by 360 Chicago, which operates the building’s 94th-floor observation deck. The company plans to extend its popular attraction into the 95th and 96th floors, eventually creating more than 50,000 square feet of space that the company calls Chicago’s "first multistory observation deck."The 95th floor will have additional visitor space and programming. A three-story staircase overlooking Lake Michigan will connect the floors.The expansion will transform the two-level space formerly occupied by the Signature Room, a restaurant and lounge that closed in September 2023 after more than 30 years. While the full-service restaurant is gone, visitors can still enjoy drinks, cocktails and snacks at CloudBar, a ticket-required bar on the 94th floor.Magnicity, the Paris-based parent company of 360 Chicago, acquired the space in 2024 and announced its expansion plans the following year. The company has hired Skidmore, Owings Merrill, the architecture firm that designed the building, to lead the renovation. ...read more read less