As you know, I missed most of October in Chicago. And with only one day to catch up, the easiest way to gather up tower crane pictures was to head up 103 floors to Skydeck Chicago. It is from there that you’ll see 28 of Chicago’s 32 active tower cranes. Three of them: the two at Vista Tower, and the 2nd crane at One Grant Park, are hidden from view. The other, at 210 North Carpenter, I just plain whiffed on and missed.

New since October’s count:

1. 210 North Carpenter
2. The Van Buren (808 West van Buren)

Gone from October’s count:

1. Cook County Central Campus Health Center (1950 West Polk)
2. Eleven40 (1136 South Wabash)
3. Marlowe (675 North Wells)

Coming soon:

1. Home2 Suites (110 West Huron; stub is planted)
2. Hayden West Loop (1109 West Washington; permit issued 09/07, stub expected this week)
3. 3833 Broadway (permit issued 09/06)
4. The Bentham (146 West Erie; permit issued 09/11)
5. Renelle on the River (403 North Wabash; permit issued 10/10)
6. **Simpson Querrey (35-ton Derrick for removal of South Tower Crane; it needed a permit [09/06], so it needs to be on the list!)**

Who has tower cranes:

1. Lendlease – 8
2. Power – 7
3. McHugh – 6
4. W.E. O’Neil – 2
5. Nine general contractors have one tower crane apiece: Leopardo (210 North Carpenter); Macon (No. 508); Linn-Mathes (Wicker Park Connection); Onni Group (Old Town Park); Tishman (Alofty Chicago Mag Mile); Pepper (Moxy Hotel); Centaur (Nobu Hotel); Norcon (Illume Chicago); Walsh (1326 South Michigan; Wolf Point East soon?)

What are they building:

1. Residential – 21
2. Hotel – 7
3. Office – 2
4. Medical – 2

Where are they:

1. West Loop – 8
2. South Loop – 7
3. Streeterville – 6
4. New East Side – 2
5. Lincoln Park – 2
6. Lake View – 2
7. Five neighborhoods have one crane apiece: River North (Moxy Hotel); Uptown (Eight Eleven Uptown); Wicker Park (Wicker Park Connection); Near North (Old Town Park); Gold Coast (No. 9 Walton)

The newest tower crane in Chicago is The Van Buren.

The oldest tower crane in Chicago is…complicated. I’ve got evidence of the Old Town Park crane being assembled on August 2, 2016. And I’ve got evidence of a completed crane at Simpson Querrey on August 4, 2016. Since I don’t know for sure which was operational first, let’s call it a tie.

Here are Chicago’s 32 tower cranes at the start of November 2017: