Category Archives: West Loop

Flora, at 1114 West Carroll, blossoms into a stellar tower

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The last time I posted about 1114 West Carroll, it was 1114 West Carroll. Now, it has a new moniker: Flora. And a name change is enough of a reason (to me) to throw a few more pics out there. But more so because I just happen to really love the look of this tower.

And I’m not going to be neutral when it comes to the West Loop/Fulton Market District. It’s my favorite neighborhood in Chicago. And while Flora feels like it’s situated a little too far west for my liking, this portion of Fulton Market is going to become very dense very soon, putting Flora right in the middle of everything. Yep, I’d live here.

The 34-story, 368-unit apartment tower should be welcoming its first residents this summer. Won’t be surprised if it fills up quickly.

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Quick Look: Below-grade work at 220 North Ada

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A quick iPhone peek at crews working on underground conduit at 220 North Ada while we wait for a tower crane appearance.

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919 West Fulton continues trending upward in the West Loop

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An overhead view of 919 West Fulton from Skender on Instagram.

As you can see from Skender’s Instagram post above, Fulton Street Companies‘ latest development, 919 West Fulton, an 11-story office building in the heart of the West Loop/Fulton Market District, continues its progress. All work is above street level now.

Photos were taken Monday, April 22:

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No tower crane at 220 North Ada *yet*, but soon

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They’re starting to haul caisson equipment out of 220 North Ada.

220 North Ada is bringing more than 300 new apartments to the west end of the West Loop. But first, there has to be a tower crane. And that tower crane should be arriving very, very soon.

A visit Monday sure looked like caisson work was wrapping up. Some of the equipment has been loaded onto trucks for transport to their next call of duty, while machinery has been dismantled so it can be removed from the site as well. That likely means we’ll have some excavation work coming up next, as well as the planting of the tower crane base.

A reminder that the caisson permit for 220 was issued November 22 or 2023; the tower permit came through March 5 of this year. Next will likely be a superstructure permit, followed by the full-building permit.

Your on-site team consists of General Contractor Clayco and Concrete Contractor Adjustable Concrete Construction. The development team includes the development team of Shapack Partners, CRG, and KMW Communities. 220 North Ada’s Architect of Record is Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Per CRG’s website, 220 North Ada will deliver 308 rental units across the 29-story tower; 62 apartments will be designated as affordable. Units will be a mix of studio, one- and two-bedrooms, and penthouses, all atop three levels of parking. 12,000+ square feet of retail space will be included at ground level. Early 2026 is the projected opening date.

Photos (lots with an iPhone) taken Monday April 22:

Drilling a caisson. March 29, 2024.

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Stuff We Want: 301 South Green

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No action yet at 301 South Green.

301 South Green is to be a 36-story, 362-unit apartment tower in Chicago’s West Loop. Currently home to one- and two-story brick buildings, the new development would wipe out those two structures and replace them with a glass tower designed by Goettsch Partners.

The tower would include about 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 128 parking stalls (for cars) and 250-some spaces to park your bike. Per the Goettsch website, 73 apartments would be affordable units. Per that same website, as well as the presentation shown on the Plan Commission’s site, the developers are GSP Development and Golub & Company.

The Chicago Plan Commission approved the development in October 2022. Since then, news has been quiet.

All renderings are from Goettsch Partners:

919 West Fulton sprouts above street level

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919 West Fulton from under the L on Lake Street.

919 West Fulton had just started poking up out of the ground last time we visited. Now, you can walk along North Sangamon and look up to see progress, as the core juts skyward on this future office building from *Fulton Street Companies.

*Remember the whole 917 vs 919 thing from earlier this month? It looks like perhaps there’s a resolution, as that link from Fulton Street Companies now refers to this project as 919. The old link, the 917 link, is dead.

With the full building permit in hand for this one, having been issued back in November, here are a few more of the players on this team (shameless attempt on my part to chime in on March Madness):
FitzGerald – Design Architect
Thornton Tomasetti – Structural Engineer
Midwest Masonry – Masonry Contractor
Edwards Engineering – Refrigeration, Ventilation Contractor
DW Mechanical Group – Plumbing Contractor
Maron Electric Company – Electrical Contractor
MAP Strategies – Permit Expeditor

Progress continues from Skender and Adjustable. Check it out, photographed on Wednesday, March 20:

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No drilling yet, but caisson work is underway at 220 North Ada

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We’re off to a good start at 220 North Ada.

We told you last week that 220 North Ada has officially and ceremoniously broken ground in the West Loop. And while no caisson has actually been drilled yet, there is caisson activity happening on site. Stalworth Underground has equipment on the lot, and the rebar cages are starting to roll. Let’s go.

Photos taken March 20, 2024:

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Darn Near Done: The Elizabeth

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Construction crews works on finishing exterior touches at The Elizabeth.

Formerly known as, and still addressed as, 225 North Elizabeth, The Elizabeth is getting closer and closer to welcoming its first tenants. I don’t know when the name was changed, but I just noticed it this morning, so it’s brand new to me.

Sterling Bay’s 28-story apartment tower in the West Loop is a design by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, and will feature 350 rental units. The project website shows rental fees ranging from just under $2,000 for studio apartments, up to $6,450 for three-bedroom abodes.

Sterling Bay broke ground on The Elizabeth in September 2022, with James McHugh Construction serving as the general contractor.

I dug through the building permits, and here are (some of) the team members deserving of congratulations on another residential development in Chicago’s (and the country’s) hottest neighborhood. There are probably 8.3 million sub-contractors on a project like this. If I could find them all, I’d list ’em:

Sterling Bay – Developer
Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture – Design Architect
James McHugh Construction – General Contractor
McHugh Concrete – Concrete Contractor
All Masonry Construction – Masonry Contractor
JMS Electric – Electrical Contractor
Great Lakes Plumbing & Heating – Plumbing Contractor
Advance Mechanical – Refrigeration, Ventilation Contractor
Map Strategies – Expeditor

You can view posts about construction progress using the 225 North Elizabeth tag.

A few recent-ish photos as The Elizabeth wrapped up exterior construction:

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220 North Ada breaks ground; 308 apartments coming to the West Loop

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I stopped by the future 220 North Ada last week after seeing the tower crane permit has been issued. The single-story building previously occupying the site had been demolished, and the lot seemed primed for new construction.

Sure enough, ground has been broken. The ceremony took place Tuesday March 12. Congrats to the development team of Shapack Partners, CRG, and KMW Communities on their big day. 29 stories, 300+ apartments on their way to the West Loop. How about we drop in next week and see if Clayco and Adjustable Concrete Construction have gotten started.

The future home of 220 North Ada is ready to rock.

Sunny afternoon at 1114 West Carroll

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1114 West Carroll

When I was at 1114 West Carroll a couple weeks ago, I promised I’d come back soon on a sunny day for better light. Because I think this is one of those building that looks so much better in direct sunlight. I think it’s mostly because of those windows. I love those windows.

A man of my word, returneth I have. And here are the photos to prove it. (…By the way, the above link from ESG Architecture & Design has some fantastic renderings)

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