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.

Updating the tower crane updates

Posted on April 27, 2017 by danieldschell

The brand new crane at the Wicker Park Connection Monday evening.

Turns out, tracking tower cranes in Chicago can be exhausting.

Tuesday, the crane was coming down from Optima II.

We were at 31 Sunday with the loss of 1001 West Chicago’s crane, but then 1101 South Wabash had its crane in the air, but under (my) radar, and the Wicker Park Connection, which had planted a stub, finished its crane. That made 33. For, like, an hour. Because yesterday I noticed the luffing crane coming down from atop Optima II in Streeterville. (That crane seemed to be there for about 9 years, didn’t it?)

Long story longer, I believe there are now 32 active tower cranes in Chicago. *This is an unscientific poll.

Remember, there are stubs planted at One South Halsted and the Cook County Central Campus Health Center that should be up and running soon. Essex On The Park, Aloft Chicago Mag Mile, and Nobu have been issued crane permits. But 3Eleven, the Landmark West Loop, and (I think?) 171 Aberdeen have topped out, so we could lose those cranes any day now.

Maybe in the next few days, we can speculate about which just-underway or soon-to-be-started projects will require tower cranes. You know, McDonald’s “vendor village”, Hoxton Hotel, 808 West Van Buren, and the like. What about 508 West Diversey? That’s 12 stories. Yeah, this seems like a conversation for another day.

Scratch 1101 South Wabash off the “Waiting For Tower Cranes” list

Posted on April 26, 2017 by danieldschell

A new tower crane hovers over 1101 South Wabash.

No longer just a large excavation pit, 1101 South Wabash now has a tower crane to help erect the 30-story hotel coming to the South Loop site. Apparently the shiny red crane has been there almost a week now, but I neglected it for a few days. Sorry, crane. Nothing personal. Ya know I love ya.

According to the CTBUH, this is a development from SB Yen management Group in Hinsdale, and will be the Hilton Homewood Suites and Wabash Suites Hotel.

: Yep, this one’s ALL Crane.

: The foundation has been shored up, and the hotel is ready to rise.

The Ardus begins caisson work at 676 North LaSalle

Posted on April 26, 2017 by danieldschell

Chicago, say hello to my new favorite construction crew member.

Tuesday was a big day in the life of The Ardus. A crew from Michels Corporation began drilling caissons at 676 North LaSalle Street in River North, even as the existing building next door continues its gutting and transformation. Booth Hanson has designed 149 apartments to be built into the new and existing structures for Cedar Street Companies. One of those companies, Method Construction, is the general contractor.

Also yesterday, The Ardus received its full building permit from the City of Chicago.

The full building permit arrived in the mail yesterday.

The Caissons

: Drilling the second caisson for The Ardus.

: Working on Caisson #3.

: Storage space is at a premium.

The Renovation

The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center gets steelier

Posted on April 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center rises in Streeterville.

More iron, more concrete, more fun for spectators. The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center continues to grow in Streeterville. Northwestern University’s new facility, on the site where Prentice Women’s Hospital once stood, is growing toward its goal of 14 stories. (Phase Two will add up to 16 additional floors.)

Power Construction has been hard at work on this one since ground was broken back in May 2015. Designed by Perkins+Will, construction has included extensive foundation work below grade, now hidden by all the superstructure we see today. And there remains a lot of work to be done, with the goal of a late-2018 opening.

Illume Chicago puts down roots in the West Loop

Posted on April 25, 2017 by danieldschell

Springtime at Mary Bartleme Park. With tower crane and Sears Tower.

It’s been exactly one month since Norcon grew a tower crane at its Illume Chicago site in West Loop. Now, that crane is contributing to the foundation being shored up for the new condominiums from LG Development.

Located at 111 South Peoria Street, Illume Chicago will be ten stories containing 79 condos, with parking in the basement and first floor, designed by Pappageorge Haymes Architects.

: Straight-up crane.

They keep building Vista Tower, and we keep coming back to watch

Posted on April 24, 2017 by danieldschell

Looking east to west across the ever-changing scene of Vista Tower.They

Three weeks is far too long to go between photo galleries of what’s going on at Vista Tower. Especially when the landscape changes on a daily basis. McHugh Construction continues to entertain with lumber, rebar, concrete, and tower cranes. There’s a lot happening here, as you’re about to see.

: Gratuitous double tower crane shot.

: I was told they’d be no math.

: Ugh. The pool needs cleaned.

: Side job.

: Concrete trucks are staging on Upper Wacker.

: A tower crane looks on from One Bennett Park.

: I couldn’t do the climb.

: A ladder to go up, but not one to come down?

: We need them on that wall.

Checking in on an Old Town TOD

Posted on April 24, 2017 by danieldschell

Six stories of new TOD at 1550 North Wieland Street in Old Town.

When we last paid a visit to the 200-block of West North Avenue in Old Town last fall, a couple venerable old buildings at 227 and 233 West North were being demolished to make room for a new Transit Oriented Development from JAB Real Estate. That new TOD has now topped out.

Located at 1550 North Wieland Street per the city’s building permit, the new six-story, 60-unit building is designed by Space Architects + Planners, and will include parking for 20 cars and 60 bicycles. There will also be ground-level retail. Maris Construction (CA Washington) is the general contractor.

: Rendering of 1550 North Wieland from Space Architects + Planners.

: The Building Permit.

Chicago has 31 tower cranes working. 6 more are on the way

Posted on April 23, 2017 by danieldschell

A photo of the tower crane at 1001 West Chicago, taken Thursday. It was removed over the weekend.

The Cook County Central Campus Health Center tower crane stub.

Last week, we counted the working tower cranes in the sky above Chicago, and came up with 32. We lost the one at 1001 West Chicago this weekend, so that drops the count down to 31. The Landmark West Loop and 3Eleven have topped out, so those cranes will be gone soon as well. But don’t panic. There are six tower cranes already permitted, and most should be active soon.

Here’s the waiting list.

The freshly-planted tower crane stub at One South Halsted.

Three have stubs planted in the ground: Cook County Central Campus Health Center at 1950 West Polk Street in the Illinois Medical District, One South Halsted in the West Loop, and the Wicker Park Connection in Wicker Park.

Two of the unplanted cranes will be at 1101 South Wabash in the South Loop, the Aloft Chicago Mag Mile in Streeterville, both hotel projects. The third unplanted crane is another hotel, Nobu in the West Loop. That one was permitted way back in October of last year, and as you may know, Nobu has had some trouble getting started. Who knows when we’ll see that crane rise up.

You didn’t expect the Apple Store to be shaped like an apple, right?

Posted on April 22, 2017 by danieldschell

The Apple Store on Chicago’ Magnificent Mile, at 401 North Michigan Avenue.

For some reason, there’s been a rash of stories lately stating how the new Apple Store on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile is “taking shape.” Well, we know it’s been in the shape of a future two-story glass cube for quite some time now. Here are a few shots of how things are progressing as of this week.