Lee Albert Miglin (July 12, 1924 – May 4, 1997) was an American real estate developer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist based in Chicago. Born in Westville, Illinois, Miglin built a reputation as a high-profile developer and investor who worked on office buildings, commercial properties and urban development projects. He is best known in architectural circles for his partnership that proposed an ambitious skyscraper project, the Miglin–Beitler Skyneedle.
Career and major projects
Miglin developed properties primarily in downtown Chicago and the surrounding region. Working with partner J. Paul Beitler, he engaged in land acquisition, leasing and building management. The most widely publicized proposal from their firm was the Miglin–Beitler Skyneedle, a conceptual 125-floor tower that, if built, would have been among the tallest buildings in the world. Although that project was never realized, it remains a notable example of late-20th-century ambition in Chicago’s skyline planning.
Beyond speculative projects, Miglin was active in local business circles and philanthropic efforts. He supported charitable causes and community institutions in Chicago, and his name was associated with civic and cultural initiatives throughout his career. Colleagues described him as a determined dealmaker who combined practical development experience with a flair for large-scale thinking.
Death and aftermath
On May 4, 1997, Miglin was killed in his garage in Chicago’s Chicago Gold Coast neighborhood. The killing was committed by Andrew Cunanan, a fugitive involved in a multi-state killing spree that drew national media attention. Miglin’s death was one of several in Cunanan’s crime series; Cunanan later killed fashion designer Gianni Versace and died by suicide during a police manhunt. Miglin’s murder raised questions about personal security for prominent business figures and became part of wider discussions on violent crime in the 1990s.
The case and the broader Cunanan spree have been examined in books, news reports and dramatizations. The second season of the anthology television series American Crime Story, subtitled The Assassination of Gianni Versace, included the events surrounding Miglin’s murder and featured actor Mike Farrell portraying Miglin. The portrayal renewed public interest in the victims and in how the killings unfolded.
Personal life and legacy
Miglin married Marilyn Klecka in 1959. Marilyn Miglin later became a well-known businessperson and television personality, selling cosmetics and household items and appearing on the Home Shopping Network. The couple had two children, Marlena and Duke. Following his death, family members and associates preserved his philanthropic commitments and remembered him for his contributions to Chicago’s commercial landscape.
- Born July 12, 1924, in Westville, Illinois.
- Partnered with J. Paul Beitler on development projects, including the unbuilt Miglin–Beitler Skyneedle.
- Murdered on May 4, 1997, by Andrew Cunanan in Chicago’s Gold Coast.
- Story later featured in American Crime Story, with Mike Farrell portraying Miglin.
- Married to Marilyn Miglin, a business figure associated with the Home Shopping Network.
Today Lee Miglin is remembered as a figure who helped shape conversations about commercial real estate in Chicago and as one of the victims whose deaths highlighted the impact of a notorious crime spree. His proposed Skyneedle remains a subject of architectural curiosity and what-if speculation in studies of unbuilt skyscrapers.