Author Archives: danieldschell

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About danieldschell

I'm Daniel Schell, Chicagoan, Twitter fiend, and picture taker. I like sunsets, travel, and long walks through construction sites. If you build it, I will come.

Construction Update: Ancora at Riverline

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Ancora at Riverline at Sunset

Ancora at Riverline, at sunset, from the Harrison Street bridge.

Ancora at Riverline

Ancora from above, courtesy Olin Eargle of @properties.

Call it Ancora, call it Phase One of Riverline, call it whatever you want, but it’s growing. And will continue to do so until it reaches 29 stories. CMK Companies’ first portion of the Riverline development along the Chicago River is making its presence known in the South Loop. The podium has reached the fourth level, while a pair of cores shoot up through the center. You’ll find the best spots to view Lendlease’s handiwork along the Harrison Street bridge.

Demolition Update: Grant Park Packing gives way to the Hoxton Chicago

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Tuesday morning:

Monday morning (with sunshine):

Pile driving has begun at 1326 South Michigan

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1326 South Michigan

A few of the first H-piles at 1326 South Michigan.

If you’re out searching for caisson work, don’t waste your time at 1326 South Michigan. The 46-story, 500-unit tower from Murphy Development Group and CIM Group won’t have them. Instead, the SCB-designed tower will sit atop H-piles, which Stalworth Underground is on site attending to now. According to Stalworth, the South Loop soil simply isn’t made for caisson work, so H-piles will be driven about 90 feet down into the bedrock.

How many H-piles does it take to support a 47-story building? 360, again according to the folks at Stalworth. Each pile is capable of supporting 350 tons, so that’s 252 million pounds of concrete and steel and glass and sofas and appliances that can be supported. Oh, and 190 cars. That’s a decent amount of weight there, too.

Stalworth started driving piles at 1326 South Michigan last week.

Lots more glass as 465 North Park continues to grow

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465 North Park

Glassin’ up the joint at 465 North Park in Streeterville.

Back in early April, cladding made an appearance at 465 North Park in Streeterville. Now, as Jupiter Realty’s apartment tower continues to push upward, the glass is spreading throughout the podium. When completed, the 48-story tower designed by Pappageorge Haymes will have (sorry, I chickened out on the math) a whole bunch of windows adorning it’s 444 glassy rental units. Maybe I can’t count all those panels, but I assure you, the Windex people are licking their chops. But if statistics are your thing, there will also be 181 parking spaces and nearly 12,000 square feet of retail and commercial space within 465 North Park. Power Construction is on the build; their task is having the tower ready to open early in 2018.

A Chicago Water Tank, a skyscraper, and a timely appearance by the sun

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Chicago water tank, 527 South Wells Street

Chicago water tank, 527 South Wells, b/w Roosevelt University.

Chicago water tank, 527 South Wells StreetNo, not another theme. Just a shot resulting from being in the right place at the right time.

The water tank sits atop 527 South Wells Street, home of Jos. Cacciatore & Co. Real Estate. The tower in the background is the Roosevelt University building at 425 South Wabash Avenue.

The photo was taken from West Harrison Street, as the sun came out after an otherwise cloudy day, just in time for sunset. This is one of my favorite Chicago Water Tanks, and with the RooU building behind it, it’s a tough view to beat.

Have a great weekend, Chicago!

More from Vista Tower, just because

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Wanda Vista Tower May

The two cores of Wanda Vista Tower, Chicago’s best free entertainment.

I could do three posts a week on the changing landscape that is Vista Tower construction. The site looks that different from day to day. The number of small individual projects going into making this one huge project a living, breathing being are fascinating to watch, even when I have no idea what most of it is. Combine that with the viewing platforms of Upper Wacker Drive to the north and the walkways along the south, and Vista Theater provides hours of entertainment for passing construction nerds.

But pulling up a lawn chair and camping out is not only discouraged by nearby residents and construction firms alike, but somewhat impractical in spring’s temperamental weather conditions. I can still offer to go by a few times each month though, and when I do, I’ll share bunches and bunches of photos with you, and then it’s like we’re all camped out there. And remember, when this thing climbs above Upper Wacker level, there won’t be nearly as much to see. You won’t get tired of photos before that happens.

Sound like a plan?

And then there were 32: The Landmark West Loop lowers the tower crane

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Landmark West Loop tower crane removal

When the crane disappears behind its own building, that’s a good indication it’s coming down.

Chicago’s ever-fluid tower crane count has changed again, as Landmark West Loop begins to lower its crane at 1035 West Van Buren Street. Landmark topped out March 23, so we knew this day was coming. The loss of this shiny yellow Liebherr EC-12 Litronic model brings our count down to 32.

Landmark West Loop tower crane removal

One South Halsted is waiting for a Liebherr, so…

Caissons begin at Marlowe in River North

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Marlowe caissons 675 North Wells

Stalworth Underground drills the first caisson for Marlowe,  675 North Wells Street in River North.

Just over a week after caisson work started on the other side of the block (676 North LaSalle) at The Ardus, caisson work got underway this morning at 675 North Wells Street in River North, home of the future Marlowe development from Lennar Multifamily Companies. Stalworth Underground has the honor of ripping holes in the soil and filling them with concrete for the 15-story, 176-unit apartment project. Antunovich Associates took care of the designs; Power Construction will be on the build.

The good word from Stalworth is there will be 59 bell caissons dug at Marlowe, down to about 80 feet. Diameters range from 2-and-a-half to 3-and-a-half feet, with bells up to 10 feet.