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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: 215 West Lake

215 West Lake

215 West Lake continues ever skyward.

By now, you know the basic details of 215 West Lake. Designed by Chicago firm Thomas Roszak Architecture (who may or may not be calling the new tower “Level”), the new apartment tower at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop replaces a parking garage and a late-1800s-era office building with 33 stories and 265 apartments. Throw in ground floor retail and 152 parking spaces in floors 2-4, and you’ve got yourself a new downtown digs.

This is a Clark Construction build. They’ve been on the job since demolition started last fall. And they’ll continue to build until 215 West Lake opens in 2017.

 

Quick Look: 151 North Franklin Gets a Non-Tower Crane Tower Crane Permit

151 North Franklin CNA Center

The permit for the kinda-sorta tower crane at the CNA Center, 151 North Franklin Street.

On Thursday, I passed along the heartbreaking news that the new CNA Center, the 35-story office tower being built at 151 North Franklin Street in The Loop, wouldn’t have a regular tower crane, but instead would utilize a crane attached to the structure itself. Well, that apparatus still requires a permit from the City of Chicago, and it was filed on Friday.

Phase 1 Temporary construction of World Free Standing Tower Crane Model Potain MR608

World Free? Wasn’t he an NBA player?

Interesting factoid: The standard tower crane permit shows an estimated cost of $60,000. This pseudo-tower crane permit goes for just $30,000. So they’re saving half from the get-go. Let’s just hope it’s cool to watch.

Site Prep Underway at Centrum Hubbard

First the cars were kicked out of the parking lot. Then the fencing went up. Then the Divvy station got kicked to a different curb. And now, there’s scraping and digging going on at 221 West Hubbard (and 412 North Wells, for that matter) in preparation for Centrum Partners’ two-building development in River North.

Designed by Hirsch Associates Architects, 412 North Wells will be a 9-story office building, next to 221 West Hubbard’s 23-story apartment tower.

Linn-Mathes, general contractor for both structures, must be champing at the bit to get going on this lot. It was hoped building permits would be filed around the first of April, but some soil samples turned up negative results, and that set things back awhile. But they’re up and running now. Jump on a Brown or Purple Line train and enjoy the fun.

Saint Boniface Catholic Church Gets a Demolition Permit

Saint Boniface Catholic Church

Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Noble Square.

Sadly, we saw this coming, didn’t we.

Saint Boniface Catholic Church, at 905 North Noble Street in Noble Square, was issued a demolition permit by the City of Chicago yesterday. The church was built in 1904, and has been empty since 1990.

The demo permit lists “Saint Boniface Senior Living” of Oak Park as the property owner. That might give us some insight as to what to look for next on the site once demolition is complete.

Crunch Incorporated will perform demo work. That almost sounds cruel.

Meet Aurélien. 833 North Clark Tops Out, Gets a Name

Aurélien

This is now “Aurélien”, Ryan Companies’ apartment tower at 833 North Clark Street.

With a press release earlier this afternoon, Ryan Companies announced its new residential tower at 833 North Clark Street has topped out. And, in bigger news, it now has a name: Aurélien.

Sadly, this means another tower crane will exit the Chicago skyline soon, but the way things are going, it will probably just be moved to another construction project.

You can follow this link to the Ryan Companies press release, or read it in full below the photos.

Aurélien Chicago

Rendering of Aurélien Chicago from Ryan Companies.

Aurélien Chicago

Hang in there, tower crane. Hang in there.

CHICAGO (July 22, 2016)—The luxury Gold Coast apartment tower being co-developed by Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Lincoln Property Company at 833 North Clark Street in Chicago has reached two noteworthy milestones. Simultaneous to the ceremonial “topping out” phase of the 31-story, under-construction structure, Aurélien was unveiled as the name and brand identity of the multi-family high-rise community.

Aurélien is a $100-million-plus, 368-unit luxury apartment tower currently under construction at the southeast corner of Clark and Chestnut streets on a 41,000-square-foot land site. Construction on the project began last July and is slated to be completed by early 2017. Daiwa House Texas Inc. is the primary equity investor in Aurélien.

To celebrate the topping out, a 1,200-pound, 9’-0” linear foot steel beam was lifted from the ground to the top of the building’s shell some 340 feet above. Development, design and construction team members and trades workers gathered on site for a private event to sign the beam and observe it being hoisted to the top of the building. Logos of those closely linked to the project were displayed on the beam.

“The topping out ceremony is an appropriate point in the construction process to highlight the progress that has been made to date, while anticipating the completion of this significant downtown development,” said Jim Herbst, Division Manager, Ryan Companies US, Inc. “Raising that steel beam gives further definition to Aurélien’s architectural scope. Celebrating that milestone with those working to make the project a reality was also very appropriate.”

Herbst noted some interesting statistics about the construction of Aurélien. At this point in the construction cycle, 132 tons of steel beams have been used to shape the shell of the building. Additionally, 1,355 tons of rebar has been used, 20,150 cubic yards (2,239 truckloads) of concrete has been poured above grade, more than 500 panels of precast concrete have been installed and 411,000 pounds (or about 150 miles) of post tensioning cables have been utilized thus far during construction.

Herbst also acknowledged that approximately 50 different subcontractor companies, and counting, have been instrumental in building Aurélien. The number of construction workers has averaged about 70 per day, swelling to 130 during the concrete pours. In total more than 155,400 safe hours have been logged to date.

The name Aurélien makes an appropriate yet subtle reference to the development’s prominent location within Chicago’s renowned and highly sought-after Gold Coast neighborhood. Further, the European-based name portrays an image that is both classic and contemporary, reflecting the target audience of future residents that includes technology-driven, educated, young professionals or urban couples who desire a luxury living experience in the upscale neighborhood.

“The name Aurélien, which starts with A-U, the scientific symbol for gold, along with the richness of the finishes being incorporated into the building, is a very appropriate name for this luxury apartment tower,” said Irini Boeder, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Lincoln Property Company. “Everything about Aurélien, from its name and location to its finishes, design schemes and color palettes, speaks to understated elegance, exceptional customer service and lifestyle convenience.”

When it opens in early 2017, Aurélien will comprise 368 luxury apartments, including 78 studios and convertibles, 209 one-bedroom units, 75 two-bedroom units and 6 penthouse apartments. Unit sizes, except for the penthouses, will range from 563 square feet to 1,252 square feet. Penthouse units will range from 1,179 square feet to 3,250 square feet.

Aurélien’s location is ideal for residents living, working and playing in or near the Gold Coast. The site is situated in close proximity to transportation including two CTA stations and other public transportation options important to those who work downtown. It offers easy access to Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway for those traveling by car to suburban destinations.

The building is within walking distance of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile (North Michigan Avenue), the downtown CBD, the Northwestern and Loyola University graduate school campuses, and the Northwestern medical center. Located nearby are an abundance of restaurants, clubs, retail amenities, and cultural facilities. It is also within close proximity to the lakefront, from Oak Street Beach to Navy Pier.

For leasing information for Aurélien, visit the property’s website at www.AurelienChicago.com.

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a 3rd generation, family-owned national developer, designer, capital investment consultant, builder and real estate manager specializing in fully integrated solutions for over 75 years. Key market sectors include:  retailers, industrial, healthcare, senior living, and corporate build-to-suit; and product experience includes work on office, retail, mixed use, hospitality, multi-housing, industrial, medical office building, senior living, distribution center, public sector, and mission critical facilities.  Ryan serves customers throughout the United States with offices in the North, Midwest, Great Lakes, SouthEast, SouthCentral, SouthWest and West regions. Ryan was named the 2007 National Developer of the Year by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. For more information, visit www.ryancompanies.com.

About Lincoln Property Company
Since its inception in 1965, Lincoln Property Company has acquired and developed multi%u210family properties valued in excess of $17 billion. A vertically integrated, multi%u210national real estate firm, Lincoln employs over 5,500 people and operates in over 50 markets across the United States via 21 regional and satellite offices. Lincoln manages over 6,000 apartment units in the Chicagoland area with over 3,000 of those units in the City of Chicago itself.  For more information, visit www.lincolnapts.com.

 

 

Tower Crane Update: 165 North Desplaines Joins The Parade

165 North Desplaines

Don’t hide from us, we want to watch you sprout!

It’s hard to be everywhere every day.

I don’t know what day Power Construction planted their tower crane at 165 North Desplaines in the West Loop. I just know it was there when I went by Thursday. And really, just seeing it there is enough.

To remind you, 165 North Desplaines will be a 14-story apartment tower from developer Gerding Edlen. Designed by Chicago’s GREC Architects, it will contain 199 units, with 99 parking spaces and some retail space on the ground floor.

Exhibit on Superior: More Photos Than I Know What To Do With

The future 34-story, 298-unit tower from Magellan Development Group at 165 West Superior Street in River North known as Exhibit on Superior lost its tower crane early in July. Albeit a sad one, that’s a big step in the progress cycle. The bKL Architecture design still has a long way to go until completion, but a lot of those construction colors will be fading soon, as the exterior finishes up. Linn-Mathes has been working on this one a full year now.

Still, if you find yourself missing the old Howard Johnson motel that was here, I noticed a mattress lying in the alley behind the new tower. Same thing.

Construction Update: 465 North Park Caisson Work

465 North Park

On the horizon, Case Foundation drills caissons at 465 North Park.

They got their permit July 6th. And time is of the essence. That’s why dirt is flying every which way at 465 North Park.

Case Foundation moved equipment from 625 West Adams over to this lot two weeks ago, reassembled it all, and got to work. They’re drilling caissons for Jupiter Realty Company’s 47-story, 444-unit apartment tower at 465 North Park Drive in Streeterville. Once caissons are done, Power Construction will get to work turning the Pappageorge Haymes Partners design into reality.

Demolition Permit Filed for Harpo Studios

WRECK AND REMOVE A 1 TO 3 STORY CONCRETE COMMERCIAL BUILDING

That’s not just any commercial building. That’s Harpo Studios, the former home of Oprah Winfrey’s television empire. By now, everyone knows McDonald’s will be making its new home on this site, And yesterday, the City of Chicago filed the official demolition permit to knock down what should have been called “StudiOprah.” But no one asked me.

Heneghan Wrecking will do the dirty work of tearing down the building.

Harpo Studios

Harpo Studios, 110 North Carpenter Street.

Harpo Studios

Harpo Studios was doomed the moment the soil sampling rig stepped foot on the lot.

Harpo Studios

When they get around to demolishing this, the southeast corner of Harpo Studios, I’ll have the best seat in the house.

Harpo Studios

The Demolition Permit

Demolition Permit Filed for Another Chicago Water Tank

Chicago Water Tank 2210 South Grove

Say goodbye to the Chicago Water Tank atop 2210 South Grove Street. Of course, the bridge house stays. 

Chicago Water Tanks are a vanishing breed. It had been a while since a demolition permit has come through — in fact, the permit filed in March for 2515 South Wabash was the only one so far in 2016 — but ever since the city made it much easier to destroy them, rather than keep them, they’ve been removed from the skyline a lot lately.

And now another. The water tank atop the much-graffiti’d 2210 South Grove Street was given last rites yesterday. Bummer. It had been tagged often, giving it a very distinct, colorful presence, especially if you’re walking across the 18th Street Bridge, where you can get a great shot of it along with the bridge house over top of the South Branch.

Chicago Water Tank 2210 South Grove

Chicago Water Tank 2210 South Grove

Chicago Water Tank 2210 South Grove

The Demolition Permit.