Stein and Co., the winning realtor, sought Skidmore, Owings and Merrill as designers for the purpose of distinguishing a proposal from the nearby Willis Tower.

[10] The building was built under a self-imposed comprehensive minority contracting and affirmative action package that met the city's 1985 30% hiring rule for public sector projects.

Chicago mayor Harold Washington's administration issued a directive that 30% of the work for public sector projects be set aside for minority and women-owned businesses.

[11] Designed by Adrian D. Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the Franklin Center is one of the most famous and recognized buildings in Chicago.

Designed in the postmodern architectural style, it is a granite-clad steel-framed building resting on pile foundations.

[6] The structure is characterized by strong vertical lines, spiked roof pinnacles, granite cladding and setbacks.

[10] In addition to its design, the building relies on its location at the farthest corner from the Willis Tower to set it apart.

[2] The lobbies are among the most lavish in Chicago, and they are all decorated with patterned marble floors and walls, bronze, gold-leaf oak trim, and stylized lighting fixtures.

[2][14] Located at 125 South Franklin Street, the same developers, architects and design teams were chosen, and the two buildings were built jointly as a block-long complex on an 85,000-square-foot (7,900 m2) site.