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.

As Atrium Village changes, some of it will remain the same

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Atrium Village January

Construction at Atrium Village way back in January. The now-safe midrise building at 300 West Hill Street is on the left.

As construction of the new 31-story, 400-unit apartment tower at Atrium Village continues, developer Onni Group sent a letter yesterday to residents of the complex, stating the mid-rise building at 300 West Hill Street will not be demolished, as was the original plan. That means 207 households will no longer be displaced by redevelopment.

Onni cited input and concern from current residents about finding new residences as the reason for the decision, and they have the backing of the city, the Near North Unity Program, and Alderman Walter Burnett.

More January progress photos:

 

Instruments of construction keeping good time at the DePaul School of Music

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DePaul School of Music

Rendering of the DePaul School of Music from Antunovich Associates.

Construction of the new DePaul School of Music continues in earnest on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus. Bulley & Andrews and their ridiculously long tower crane have been going vertical on the site since Spring of 2016. Antunovich Associates has designed a three-story structure that includes two recital halls, a concert hall, student practice and classrooms, and more than 100 below-grade parking spaces. DePaul plans to have the facility open for student use in Spring 2018.

Phlashback to Phoenix: Banner – University Medical Center

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Banner University Health Center Phoenix

The Phoenix Mountains provide the stellar background for Banner – University Medical Center. It’s Prentice-like predecessor sits just to the right.

Way out in the far west suburbs — Phoenix, Arizona — Banner Health is erecting a brand new addition to its Banner – University Medical Center. Designed by HKS Architects, which counts both Chicago and Phoenix as two of the many cities in which it maintains offices, the new facility will consist of a 13-story patient tower atop a three-story podium, housing the emergency department and more. DPR Construction is the general contractor, tasked with having the project complete and ready to treat patients in 2018.

Sterling Bay’s C.H. Robinson HQ taking shape at 1515 West Webster

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1515 West Webster C.H. Robinson

At left, 1515 West Webster. In the foreground, the Chicago River. In the background, that magnificent Chicago Skyline.

Construction progress has already reached the third dimension at Sterling Bay‘s development at 1515 West Webster Avenue on the western edge of Lincoln Park. The four-story, 207,000-square-foot facility will be the new headquarters of third-party logistics juggernaut C.H. Robinson. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Sterling Bay expects to have the new office digs open in mid-2018. For now, that’s up to Power Construction, who look to be making good headway toward that goal.

McDonald’s goes three-dimensional. And I’m lovin’ it

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McDonald's in 3D

The second floor is showing at the new McDonald’s Headquarters in the West Loop.

Life happens quickly. What did you expect from two tower cranes?

To no one’s surprise, the new McDonald’s Corporation Headquarters in the West Loop has lifted off the ground. After weeks of attending to ground-level matters (they’re still at it) McHugh Construction has started going vertical. That mostly good news, because now we can see what’s going on above the perimeter fencing, but bad news because no one with an adjacent balcony or rooftop has offered their vantage point to me for looking downward onto progress. Stuff is harder to see as it gets higher, you know.

One final fade to black for the Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion

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Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion

The former Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion is a sandlot.

The Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion, which stood at 700 West Fullerton Parkway as part of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital for roughly eight decades, is now an empty lot awaiting its next life. The handsome 7-story brick edifice is a distant memory now, to be replaced by a handsome 7-story brick senior-living edifice.

Anyone else ready for Nobu caissons? (corrected)

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Nobu Hotel Chicago caissons

Yes, let’s get that thing put together and rip up some earth!

*** STOP THE PRESSES!

Too late? Twitter user and follower @Rjoyce21 informs me that I’m not looking at the assembly of a caisson rig, but rather a “quad sheet press.” So, still a step toward foundation progress, but no caissons. Bummer.

Thank you, Ryan. ***

Because I sure am.

Construction of the Nobu Chicago Hotel at 854 West Randolph Street in the West Loop has been a roller coaster ride at best, a roller coaster ride where you stood in line for two hours and then they closed the ride for repairs just as you got to the front of the line at worst.

All exaggeration, of course. But it’s been interesting. Ground was broken in June. Soil was sampled in July. Then additional height was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in September, and caisson material was delivered to the site. Then, those materials were gone. Then everything was gone. A foundation permit was issued December 1st, but still no action.

Finally, earlier this month, a crew from Taylor Excavating showed up and started digging. And now yesterday, folks from Hayward Baker were on site setting up a caisson rig. So it looks like the 11-story, 119-room hotel is really happening.

Illume Chicago plants a tower crane in the West Loop (Updated)

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Illume Chicago Tower Crane

Wait…is that…IT IS! It’s a tower crane at Illume Chicago!

Floating somewhere within the universe that is the City of Chicago’s building permit database that hasn’t updated since Friday, there lies a tower crane permit for 111 South Peoria Street in the West Loop. How do I know this? Well, it isn’t because I’m smart. No, it’s because I wandered past the Illume Chicago construction site, and was greeted by a tower crane stub sticking up out of the ground.

According to Norcon, the general contractor at Illume, full tower assembly will occur this weekend, weather permitting. And if weather doesn’t permit, it will be rescheduled for next weekend. That way, Green Street (at the east end of the site) can be closed for two days without impacting weekday traffic.

Illume Chicago tower crane

Look what popped up Tuesday afternoon: The tower crane permit, issued yesterday. The site finally updated.

P.S. A quick shout-out to Norcon, for strategically installing their crane between the two towers of Emerald Lofts, so I get a clear view of of it from the B.U.C. HQ. This one brings the total to six tower cranes I cold easily zipline to from here.

 

 

 

The heavy lifting ain’t over at the topped-out 1001 West Chicago

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1001 West Chicago

The two towers of 1001 West Chicago have reached peak height in River West.

Sure, the highest of the high stuff is lifted at 1001 West Chicago, which celebrated topping out back on March 9th. But there’s still some heavy hoisting to do. If, of course, you consider giant concrete slabs “heavy.” While the tower crane remains on-site, a street crane is handling the podium work.

There’s also the matter of installing windows at the two-tower development by FitzGerald Associates. These are big square windows, as opposed to the full glass walls we’ve been seeing on so many projects. It’s a nice change.