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.

Throwback Thursday: A Chicago water tank that was actually saved

Posted on October 6, 2016 by danieldschell

The water tank atop 161 East Grand Avenue used to have a bulls-eye painted on it. Coincidence?

Since last year, when the Commission on Chicago Landmarks made it easier to tear down water tanks rather than maintain them, the vessels have been dropping from the skyline on a regular basis. But at least one Chicago water tank remains despite what appeared to be certain doom.

The entire building at 161 East Grand Avenue in Streeterville was destined for a date with the wrecking ball. Miraculously, it was removed from the Demolition Delay List. Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean the water tank itself would survive. But sure enough, in October of 2015, the city filed a permit for the structural repair of the tank. And another piece of history was preserved.

Now, this is just my own theory, but that white circle on the fire-engine-red tank sure did look like a bulls-eye. Was it painted over as a symbolic gesture of no longer being the target of demolition? If I’m wrong, don’t tell me. I’d rather believe it’s the truth.

The building was removed from the Demo Delay List, the tank was repaired, and the bulls-eye was gone.

The permit for repair of the water tank.

The 2015 Demolition Delay List, showing East Grand’s removal.

Quick Look: An overview of Atrium Village construction

Posted on October 6, 2016 by danieldschell

This look at Atrium Village construction is courtesy of Joe Carpita.

Joe Carpita of Chicago (@joecarpita on Twitter) sent in this elevated view of Atrium Village construction Wednesday. Not only is it a great shot of those Fields of Gold from last week’s post, but it also provides a new perspective on just how high The Sinclair (in the background) has risen.

Thanks, Joe!

Quick Look: The 171 Aberdeen tower crane foundation is poured

Posted on October 6, 2016 by danieldschell

The tower crane foundation at 171 Aberdeen is poured and set.

When last we checked on 171 Aberdeen, there was a freshly planted tower crane stub. So freshly, in fact, that there was no foundation around it. But not to worry. A quick perusal Tuesday shows a completed foundation, and I expect full assembly is still on schedule for Monday the 10th. I’ll miss it; I hope one of you can stop by and capture a few photos.

Last week’s tower crane, in the buff.

1136 South Wabash gets permits to begin construction

Posted on October 5, 2016 by danieldschell

The cart has been here for a while; now there’s finally a horse to pull it.

1136 South Wabash is a 26-story apartment tower approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back in May. A development of Chicago’s CA Ventures, the project received a tower crane permit on August 3rd. That’s all well and good; every high rise needs a tower crane. But no one plants a tower crane before starting foundation work. And at long last, that permission has been granted. Yesterday, the foundation permit for 1136 South Wabash was filed, as well as the full-build permit, allowing general contractor Lendlease to begin work on the SCB-designed building.

That’s right, first came the tower crane, then, two months later, both the foundation permit and full-build permit, on the same day. That’s a new one to me.

Those permits tell us to expect 320 rental units, 143 parking spaces, and retail on the first floor. Expect work to begin sooner rather than later, so that tower crane permit can make itself useful.

Nothing to see here. Yet. But soon.

I hope Hebru Brantley can somehow save this work. Or, paint about 2,000 more around Chicago.

The tower crane permit, filed a full two months before the foundation permit.

The foundation permit. At last.

The full build permit.

In the War On Wells, 167 West Erie outglasses the competition

Posted on October 5, 2016 by danieldschell

Windows have arrived at 167 West Erie in River North.

Construction milestones. Let’s see, you have your first permit, groundbreaking, tower crane, topping off, and grand opening. And wedged in there between tower crane and topping off would be the first glass. Be it windows, cladding, skin, whatever your blueprints call it.

Up on Wells Street in River North, there’s been a battle brewing on opposite sides of the street. 640 North Wells is the 23-story apartment tower on the west side of the street, and 167 West Erie, which sits at 637 North Wells Street, or thereabouts, competes from the east side with its 39-story endeavor. Both started construction about the same time, both erected tower crane just days apart, and have been racing ever since toward completion. (My money’s on the tower that’s just over half as tall. Duh.)

But we can declare a winner in the battle for window supremacy. (Side note: 167 West Erie won the tower crane race too, per this from the Chicago Architecture Blog) And it ain’t even close. 167 West Erie has installed glass on a few floors, while 640 remains as open to the elements as the day it was born.

: Sorry, 640 North Wells, but we can’t count those.

Look up! The entrance to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab outdoes itself

Posted on October 5, 2016 by danieldschell

This will be the main entrance to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at RIC.

The question isn’t “Is this the coolest ceiling above a building entrance in Chicago?” No, the question here is “Is there even a second place?”

When the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago opens in March of next year, motorists will need to use caution when driving in and out of the main entrance facing McClurg Court. That’s because the ceiling over that entrance is a work of art all its own, and folks are likely to be standing in the driveway, staring upwards to admire it. At least, that’s what I was doing Tuesday.

Please follow this link to learn all about the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Then have a look at a few photos of that magnificent ceiling.

: Even the service drive looks festive.

Tower Crane Update: 465 North Park starts putting it all together

Posted on October 5, 2016 by danieldschell

See there, off in the distance? They’re assembling the tower crane at 465 North Park.

Another day, another tower crane goes up. This one is for 465 North Park. The 47-story apartment tower from Jupiter Realty and Pappageorge Haymes Partners got its tower crane permit on September 6, then planted the stub during groundbreaking ceremonies on Sept. 20. Tuesday, the street crane went to work, assembling the crane high above Streeterville.

: HOLD ON

: A core begins to rise.

Construction Update: The McCormick Place Event Center

Posted on October 4, 2016 by danieldschell

The McCormick Place Event Center under construction.

It’s surely a combination of blue steel and red crane, but the construction process at the McCormick Place Event Center in the Prairie District of the South Loop is as much fun to watch as any building site in Chicago. And with the rooftop garden at McCormick Place accessible for Open House Chicago this weekend, you can climb up there and take in the view for yourself. (Make a point to check out the vegetables and herbs as well, just to have a memory of being in a garden on a roof, but you’ll be swept in by the construction.)

Quickly, before you’re deluged by a huge gallery of photos: The McCormick Place Event Center will be a 10,000-seat arena designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli serving as the home court for DePaul basketball, as well as a host to concerts, conventions, business meetings, and other sporting events. Clark Construction is the general contractor.

: They always spot me watching them.

Excavation complete, DePaul School of Music has begun composing its new facility

Posted on October 4, 2016 by danieldschell

The bass-ment has been dug, and now tuba-fours are being hammered into place, as the DePaul School of Music begins to take shape in Lincoln Park. Though the new facility will crescendo to just three stories in height, “sprawling” would be a good word to describe the footprint of this construction site. Hence the extra-long tower crane. It’s no reach to say reach is critical on this project.

Two more buildings added to Lincoln Common demolition plan

Posted on October 3, 2016 by danieldschell

2350 and 2356 North Lincoln Avenue, permitted for demolition to make room for Lincoln Common.

They don’t carry quite the glamour Children’s Memorial Hospital has garnered during demolition, but two more buildings along North Lincoln Avenue were slated for destruction last week, as the Lincoln Common project moves along in Lincoln Park.

The pair being torn down next are 2350 and 2356 North Lincoln. The City of Chicago filed demolition permits for each structure on September 28. McDonagh Demolition will do the honors, according to those permits.