The view of the saved facade from inside Clarkview as Stalworth begins caisson work.

If you’re claustrophobic, you may need to open a window before reading on, as this is a story about tight spaces.

There is no room for error — heck, there’s no room for much of anything — in the tiny space at 3226 North Clark Street in Lake View, where Stalworth Underground has squeezed caisson equipment through the alley to begin work on a new Transit Oriented Development.

Clarkview, a design from Jonathan Splitt Architects (you remember them from the Blue Plate Catering digs) will be seven stories tall and weigh in at 24 residential units. Once home to The Alley, where the cool kids dressed, the facade of the old structure is being preserved and implemented into the new building. That means access to the lot from Clark Street isn’t possible, leaving the alley off Belmont next to the new Lakeview 3200 as the only way in and out.

Stalworth sent over some photos showing just how tight the squeeze was. I looked, and couldn’t find the smallest morsel of sawdust under any of the electrical poles. That’s allowed them to stockpile caisson equipment and get to work in the tiny, enclosed lot.

Stalworth brings in gear

Caisson Work