1450 West School Street gets a demo, new build permit within a week

Posted on April 28, 2024 by danieldschell

Demolition has begun at 1450 West School Street in Lake View.

You hate to see a building torn down, only for the resulting lot to remain vacant for weeks, months, and even years. Fortunately, that looks like it won’t be the case at 1450 West School Street in Lake View.

Two-unit buildings aren’t generally my theme here — I doubt this one will need a tower crane — but it was nice to see a New Construction permit issued the same week as the demolition permit. So I figured I’d go take a quick look. Plus I was in the neighborhood.

1450 West School is already being demolished, but just barely. Naturally, demo contractor Tir Conaill Concrete (they’re also listed as a masonry contractor for the new construction) is working from the rear, towards the front, and they’ve just gotten started on the residential structure; the garage is gone. The demo permit for both was issued Tuesday, April 23.

The permit for the new three-story, 2-unit home was issued just three days later, on April 26. V & M Development is listed as the general contractor. The permit calls for a detached two-car garage, plus two wood decks; one atop the garage, and one at the rear of the first floor.

Wish I had renderings for the new place, but I’ll assume two things: 1. That these will be condos. And 2. That this will be brick. Because why wouldn’t they be brick, and the inclusion of two masonry contractors. Though to be honest, I have no idea whether that correlates to how the building is constructed.

Photos from Saturday, April 27:

Little remains of Ryan Field. So let’s get ready for construction

Posted on April 22, 2024 by danieldschell

A neighbor’s perspective of Ryan Field demolition.

There’s talk in Chicago about building a new football stadium (for the Bears.) There’s also talk in Chicago about building a new baseball stadium (for the White Sox.) Truth is, we might see one or the other, or we might not see either of them. To be honest, I only care about watching construction, not if either team gets new digs.

What we do know, for sure, is that Northwestern University is building a new football stadium up in Evanston. And let me assure you, I plan to photograph the HECK out of that construction. I was in Pittsburgh when both Heinz Field and PNC Park (ask me about the two-way mirrors in the men’s room) were built, but I didn’t even have a camera then, much less an interest in chronicling the construction process. I’m not missing out on this one. And we’ll just have to wait and see what happens for the Bears and Sox.

There isn’t much left to see up at Ryan Field. Even the goal posts are gone now, along with (what I thought was) that gorgeous willow tree that stood right inside the main construction entrance. It’s firewood now. The tree, not the entrance. They’re also grinding up the parking lots, so it’s like demolition and road construction in one project.

Alpine Demolition. thank you for your hard work. You did indeed Knock It Down. Turner Construction, The Big Green W, and Central Street Consortium, I’ll see you again soon for construction. Maybe even the groundbreaking ceremony?

Anyway, here are likely my last photos of demolition at Ryan Field, taken Monday, April 22. I knew there wasn’t much left to see when I headed up there, so I convinced myself not to spend too much time and take too many shots. I took 120….

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago using the form below.

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Ryan Field demolition progress, in photos

Posted on March 22, 2024 by danieldschell

Demolition continues on Northwestern University’s Ryan Field in Evanston, IL.

Because “Ryan Field demolition progress, in words” would just be “Ryan Field demolition progress continues” and that doesn’t show you much. Much sunnier on this day. Perfectly sunny, in fact. Wednesday March 20, to be specific.

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(Ryan) Field Trip! Building Up Chicago visits Tearing Down Evanston

Posted on March 4, 2024 by danieldschell

Not my video. Not my helicopter.

That’s a great video from YouTuber MikeLoweReporter over Ryan Field in Evanston. I had to settle for a pair of comfortable walking shoes to make my way around the former home of the Northwestern University Wildcats.

I think this is the first big stadium demolition I’ve watched live since they dynamited Three Rivers Stadium back in 2001. Sorry, I don’t have video of that because all our phones did back then was make phone calls. And you had to leave them at home.

You’ve probably heard by now, Northwestern is building a new Ryan Field on this site once demolition is complete. Because not everyone in Evanston is pleased with this development, there has been extensive media coverage of the proposal process over the past couple years. Do a quick Google search, and you’ll instantly head down the rabbit hole. Enjoy.

Alpine Demolition is on site with some pretty cool demo toys. The General Contractor for the stadium rebuild is a two-parter. Turner Construction and Walsh Construction have teamed up (football is, after all, a team sport) to form the “Central Street Consortium.” And that’s an official-enough name to have it emblazoned on the back of their branded construx gear.

And here are the pics (there’s a LOT of purple debris):

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Demolition is underway for 350 North Morgan

Posted on September 11, 2022 by danieldschell

350 North Morgan demolition, from Dan’s truck.

A funny thing happened in the Fulton Market District Wednesday.

I try to be somewhat discreet when I’m out taking photos. Not everyone likes having their picture taken, and not everyone appreciates the paparazzi being around while they’re working. So I try not to stick my camera in anyone’s face, or to make it too obvious that I’m taking photos. Which is hard to do when you’re holding, and aiming, a camera.

Anywho, I wandered over to where Atlas Industries is tearing down the former Pioneer Wholesale Meat facility at 1000 West Carroll to make way for Sterling Bay’s 350 North Morgan. Demolition work was done for the day, but there was still a work truck parked in front, so I kept my distance…….right up until I didn’t want to keep my distance. I got right up to the fence to peek through it, and “Dan” got out of his truck and said “stand on the back bumper. You’ll get a better shot.” And I did. And I did. Amazing what the slightest elevation can do. Then Dan and I talked for awhile, and thanked him a few times, laughed about that being a first for me, and went on my way.

Thank you, Dan. That was cool, fun, and very nice of you. I’ll probably just start jumping on vehicles at construction sites from now on.

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Caisson news abounds, as 150 North Ashland gets in on the fun

Posted on August 29, 2022 by danieldschell

We’ve lost three tower cranes (160 N Elizabeth, One Six Six, Common Lincoln Park) in Chicago during the month of August, but be heartened by the amount of caisson work being done as we speak. It means more cranes are on the way. The one with the longest-standing tower crane permit (from April 14, and that’s among projects that are actually being built) is 150 North Ashland.

150 North Ashland is another joint effort between developer Marquette Companies and design architects Brininstool + Lynch. This dup is known for hits like 513 South Damen, Parq Fulton, and EVO Union Park.

Along with rehabbing a five-story 1930s-era building immediately south on the 100-block, 150 North Ashland will be a new-construction, 12-story apartment building. There will be 210 new apartments, and parking for 62 cars. Power Construction is the general contractor. Those are Thatcher Foundations caisson rigs doing the drilling. (Omega handled the demolition work.)

Other permits for this one include:
Renovation for 140 N Ashland on 11/1/2021
3-story demolition on 3/30/2022
Caissons on 6/9/2022
Foundation on 8/3/2022
The entire project was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in April of 2021.

I’ve got some caisson shots for you, as well as a bunch of late-in-the-process demolition photos, along with a few pics of the building being rehabbed at 140 North Ashland.

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Construction math: 1000 W Carroll demolition permit + fencing = 350 North Morgan

Posted on August 28, 2022 by danieldschell

1000 West Carroll will be demolished to clear space for 350 North Morgan. That’s another Sterling Bay office building, 345 North Morgan, in the background.

350 North Morgan rendering from its website.

350 North Morgan coming. And it’s coming soon.

There’s demolition fencing all around the former Pioneer Wholesale Meat facility, located at 1000 West Carroll. Atlas Industries has equipment on site, prepared to act on the demolition permit the City of Chicago issued August 22. Once that’s dispatched, Sterling Bay will begin construction on their latest office tower.

350 North Morgan is a creation by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. They’ve designed an 18-story office building with 600,000 rentable square feet, 18,000 square feet of retail space, 36,000 square feet of amenity space, and 142 parking spots.

We’ll be on the lookout for building permits soon, and then we’ll know who the general and concrete contractors all.

Going up, and going, going, gone — 920 and 868 North Wells at North Union

Posted on August 24, 2022 by danieldschell

868 North Wells has been reduced to rubble, while 920 North Wells has produced up to the fifth-floor slab, at JDL Development’s sprawling North Union project.

Here are the pics from last week (they could well be on the sixth floor by now):

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Swift & Company demolition, 4155 South Packers Avenue

Posted on July 11, 2022 by danieldschell

Demolition is fascinating to watch. You might hate that it’s happening, but it’s still hard to look away.

Taken back on June 23, here’s a whole mess of photos of demolition at the former Swift & Company warehouse at 4155 South Packers Avenue in the New City (the first post in New City!) community area. That’s Taylor Excavating on the job, who we saw most recently at the 210 North Aberdeen demos.

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Final visit to the Cassidy Tire demolition?

Posted on June 21, 2022 by danieldschell

There ain’t much left to see, as Atlas Industries nears the home stretch at the old Cassidy Tire building. Still looks to be about three years’ worth of reusable brick and timber, not to mention the un-reusable piles of rubble, to be hauled away though.

A couple of iPhone shots in this gallery show how high the rubble is piled in back of the building. We’re in deep Barney here.