What is Merchandise Mart?
{{Infobox building |name = Merchandise Mart |image = Merchandise Mart.jpg |image_size = 275px |location = 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, [[Chicago]], Illinois |coordinates = {{coord|41.8884|-87.6355|region:US-IL|display=inline,title}} |status = |start_date = August 16, 1928 |completion_date = 1930 |opening = May 5, 1930 |building_type = Mixed | architectural_style = [[Art Deco]] |antenna_spire = |roof = {{convert|340|ft|m|abbr=on}} |top_floor = |floor_count = 18 base, 25 tower |floor_area = {{convert|4000000|sqft|m2|-3}} |architect = [[Graham, Anderson, Probst and White]] |main_contractor = John W. Griffiths & Sons |developer = |owner = [[Vornado Realty Trust]] }} [[File:The Merchandise Mart Photo Walk Chicago September 2, 2013-4874.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The sign on the building]] The '''Merchandise Mart''' (or the '''Merch Mart''', or the '''Mart''') is a commercial building located in the [[Near North Side, Chicago|Near North Side]] of [[Chicago]], Illinois, United States. When it opened in 1930 it was the [[List of largest buildings in the world|largest building in the world]], with {{convert|4000000|sqft|m2|-3}} of floor space.<ref name=Marchitecture>{{cite web|url=http://www.merchandisemart.com/marchitecture/|accessdate=2007-07-10|title=Marchitecture|publisher=merchandisemart.com |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070205155045/http://www.merchandisemart.com/marchitecture/ |archivedate = February 5, 2007}}</ref><ref name=Architects>{{cite web|url=http://www.merchandisemart.com/marchitecture/architects.html|accessdate=2007-07-10|title=Architects|publisher=merchandisemart.com|archive-date=2006-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061024235006/http://www.merchandisemart.com/marchitecture/architects.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The building was once owned by the [[Kennedy family]]. At a brief point, the building was so large,