7SEVENTY7, at 777 North Van Buren Street, rises is the heart of downtown Milwaukee.

One year ago, we reported in this very space on the large hole in the earth at the corner of North Van Buren and East Mason Streets in downtown Milwaukee. It was there that Northwestern Mutual had just started construction on a 34-story apartment tower to compliment Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons.

Now known as 7SEVENTY7, some familiar names in the booming Chicago construction scene are involved at 777 North Van Buren Street. Hines, who just broke ground on Wolf Point East, is the developer. The design is by Chicago architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz. Structural engineering is by Magnusson Klemencic Associates, which seems to be on the job in every Chicago skyscraper, including the spectacular work going on at Vista Tower. Wisconsin’s own C.D. Smith Construction is the general contractor.

The 34 stories of 7SEVENTY7 will include 8 floors of parking, 1,400 spaces, meant to be used by employees of the new office tower, residents of the new apartment tower, and the public. Units will include 303 one-, two-, and  three-bedroom apartments, plus 14 penthouse units.

A Summer 2018 opening means on next year’s visit to Summerfest, 7SEVENTY7 may well be open.