On June 10, 1996 the 860|880 buildings were given landmark status by the City Council of the City of Chicago. Earlier, the city’s Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation proposed the action.
The buildings were initially proposed for landmark status many years earlier. In January 1977 the Commission on Chicago Historical Architectural Landmarks published a brochure named 860-880 Lake Shore Drive. Reprinted in April, 1980 this 12-page brochure provides some background on Mies van der Rohe, but most of the content focuses on the buildings. It includes a photograph by Richard Nickel, as well as several photographs by Hedrich-Blessing and Michael J. Pado, a resident of the buildings.