Metropolitan Correctional Center

What’s that unusual triangular building? That’s the Metropolitan Correctional Center, or MCC Chicago for short. This 28-story skyscraper, completed in 1975, stands as a stark reminder of the city’s commitment to justice. But its story is more than just bars and sentences. It’s a story of unique design and infamous events. The Metropolitan Correctional Center was designed by architect Harry Weese. He chose a triangular shape, a departure from the traditional square prison design. This unique choice wasn’t just for aesthetics. It provided the guards with unobstructed sightlines of the interior. Weese also incorporated floor-to-ceiling slit windows, allowing natural light to flood the cells while making it near impossible to escape through them. The Metropolitan Correctional Center has housed a diverse population of inmates, from notorious mob bosses to white-collar criminals. Perhaps one of its most famous residents was Piper Kerman, whose memoir inspired the hit Netflix series “Orange is the New Black.” Kerman’s time at the Metropolitan Correctional Center offered a glimpse into the realities of prison life, both the mundane and the challenging. The Metropolitan Correctional Center’s history is also marked by daring escapes. In 2012, two inmates managed to break free from their 17th-floor cell. They created a rope from bedsheets and rappelled down the side of the building. This audacious escape, though short-lived, exposed vulnerabilities in the prison’s security and led to significant changes in protocol. Today, the Metropolitan Correctional Center stands as a silent sentinel in the heart of Chicago. It’s a place where justice is served, but also a place where stories unfold, some ordinary, some extraordinary, but all a part of the city’s complex tapestry.