I don’t know much about construction, but I *do* know when a crane sits below the top of its tower, its time there has come to an end.

It was fun while it lasted, wasn’t it? Two tower cranes, standing on either side of Wells Street, looking like they’re begin jousting at any moment?

640 North Wells and The Gallery On Wells (then known as 167 West Erie, or 637 North Wells, or The Building On Wells Street Where Gino’s Used To Be) got started about the same time, then famously (to me) erected tower cranes nearly simultaneously. That’s how the War On Wells began. But when one tower rises 17 stories higher than the other, it’s not really a fair fight.

And so, having topped out at 23 stories, 640 North Wells took down the tower crane over the weekend. But shed no tears for that lost crane. We’re gonna need two tower cranes at the McDonald’s HQ. And have you seen Thursday’s agenda for the Chicago Plan Commission meeting? Tower cranes won’t be out of season in Chicago for quite some time.