Little remains of the W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building in Uptown

Posted on November 25, 2024 by danieldschell

Demolition of the W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building in Uptown, Chicago Nov 20, 2024.

Demolition of the former W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building has left little remaining of the Uptown structure, save for the rearmost shell of the five stories that stood on the site for 100+ years. The George Kingsley-designed building at 5035 North Broadway was purchased in 2018 by TimeLine Theatre; they’ll soon begin turning the property into their new home, once demo contractor Milburn Demolition has wrapped up work.

The first iteration of the new theatre would have saved the building’s façade, but TimeLine deemed that plan unfeasible due to a number of factors, including further evaluation of the structural integrity of the existing edifice. Architecture firm HGA then drew up new designs to completely redo the front portions of the building for performance spaces, while integrating the rear levels for office use.

TimeLine Theatre’s new venue is set to include a range of features aimed at enhancing both visitor and artist experiences. Plans highlight a lobby café and bar alongside a 250-seat black box theatre designed for flexibility and transformation. The space will also house exhibit galleries to complement TimeLine’s immersive and interactive lobby experiences. Behind the scenes, the facility will offer dedicated areas for collaboration, including a rehearsal room, production and design studios, and staff offices. Additionally, their Living History program will have its own dedicated space, which will also serve as a resource for community meetings and events.

TimeLine has raised nearly $40 million toward toward the new facility. They expect to begin putting on shows here early in 2026.

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition — The W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building, pre-demolition.

Lakeview Landing is showing out on Addison Street

Posted on November 24, 2024 by danieldschell

Construction progress at Lakeview Landing, 835 West Addison Street

Lakeview Landing, the six-story affordable housing development at 835 West Addison Street in Wrigleyville, is really starting to come into view. Powers and Sons Construction has made big progress on the first four stories, and that blue sheathing contrasts well with the stark concrete cores. Probably wouldn’t look great as a finish, but it dresses up the work site nonetheless.

Fun Fact (at least some of us think it’s fun): Lakeview Landing is located at the intersection of Addison Street and Reva Avenue. This is the only block that exists of Reva Avenue. It starts at Cornelia Avenue at its south end (3500 North) and ends at Addison (3600 North) and now you know that, assuming you didn’t before. Because I didn’t.

OTR Housing is building 37 units here, all of them 575-square-foot one-bedroom apartments. The former Lake View Lutheran Church was demolished back in June to make room for the new housing. The church donated the land to OTR in exchange for ground-floor space in the new building to hold their services. Lakeview Landing is a design by Weese Langley Weese Architects. It will include 12 indoor parking spaces on the first floor.

Lakeview Landing — Weese Langley Weese rendering

Alderman Lawson posts plans for Boutique hotel at Halsted and Aldine in Lake View

Posted on November 24, 2024 by danieldschell

Rendering by Jonathan Splitt Architects of the rooftop pool for a proposed hotel at 3257 North Halsted

On Friday, 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson included in his weekly email update the plans for a boutique hotel at 3257 North Halsted Street in Lake View. Located on the southeast corner of Halsted and Aldine, the development would require the demolition of the current structure on the site, most recently the home of Yoshi’s Café on the ground floor. The second floor of the building is residential, and appears to be still inhabited.

Rising six stories, the hotel would contain 51 rooms. Its entrance and lobby would be located on Aldine Avenue, facing north. Renderings from Jonathan Splitt Architects included in an attached pdf show a pretty amazing rooftop space, featuring a pool deck with a retractable roof. At ground level, in addition to the hotel lobby, would be a restaurant space, loading area, and two parking spaces accessed from the north/south alley off Aldine.

Alderman Lawson indicates that Heart of Lake View Neighbors is on board with the development. A zoning change will need to be approved, from the current C1-3 to C1-5 to get this started, but is there any reason to think this isn’t a good improvement to the neighborhood?

Rendering by Jonathan Splitt Architects, looking southeast

Aerial rendering by Jonathan Splitt Architects looking southeast

Looking northeast from across Halsted Street

Looking northwest from the alley off Aldine Avenue.

“Uprising of the Sun” art installation highlights progress at The Obama Presidential Center Museum Tower

Posted on November 11, 2024 by danieldschell

“Uprising of the Sun” by Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu.

Back in September, construction crews at The Obama Presidential Center installed a glass art installation by artist Julie Mehretu, titled “Uprising of the Sun,” on the north façade of the Museum Tower. In the meantime, the granite panels that will surround the exterior of the tower continue to be applied, one at a time.

At the south end of the Presidential Center construction site, work is underway for Home Court, an athletic and community facility featuring President Obama’s favorite sport: basketball. Home Court is expected to be the first feature of the Presidential Center open to the public.

Lots of photos taken November 2, 2024:

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

Demolition permit issued for Our Lady of Fatima Church in Avondale

Posted on October 30, 2024 by danieldschell

A demolition permit was issued October 28 by the City of Chicago to tear down Our Lady of Fatima Church at 3051 North Christiana Avenue in Avondale. Built in 1956, the church was part of St. Hyacinth Basilica about half a mile away on Wolfram Street. “SAINT HYACINTH MISSION CHURCH” remains a prominent fixture on the façade of the doomed church building.

A visit to the church Tuesday, the day after the demo permit was issued, showed no signs of demolition prep. It’s hard to tell when the building was last in regular use, but it doesn’t look abandoned or neglected. It appears to have been most recently used by the non-profit organization Blue Army North.

Three pending permits show three single-family homes coming to the lot, addressed as 3051, 3055, and 3057 North Christiana. Permits name Pro-Plan Architects as the architect of record, and The Christina Collection as the developer. Wawel P.A Inc is listed as the general contractor, with Conrad Roofing of Illinois shown as the demo contractor.

One of the pending new construction permits.

So. Much. Sand. as demolition turns to excavation at 3036 North Sheffield

Posted on October 29, 2024 by danieldschell

Tons of sand to remove at the 3036 North Sheffield construction site.

It never ceases to amaze me how much sand was left behind when Chicago decided to move the shore of Lake Michigan eastward. Turns out, it’s easier to build on sand than on water. I still don’t know exactly how far west the lake used to reach (Ashland Avenue-ish, I’ve heard), but venture past a Lake View construction site and you’ll get an idea.

Such is the case at 3036 North Sheffield. Two multi-unit residences have just been demolished to make room for a new five-unit condominium development here. On October 10, both buildings still stood. Now, demolition contractor Land Enterprises has knocked them down, hauled off the rubble, and begun digging into the never-ending sand pit that will be the construction site. Think of ii like a sand box, without the fun. Or a sandlot, without the baseball and gigantic drooling dog.

The new project, a three-story building with a basement and a rooftop deck, will include a detached five-car garage at the rear of the property. Interestingly, the home that used to occupy the north half of the construction site, 3038 North Sheffield, was at the back of the lot, as if it was a coach house. But according to the demo team, there is no sign of any foundation or other remnants of a “main” residence at the front of the lot. It appears the driveway in front of this house had always been there.

And you know, I could have been wrong earlier. Maybe the dude operating the excavator *is* having fun in that sand box. The guy with the shovel? Maybe not.

3034 North Sheffield, photographed October 10, permitted for demolition on October 9, 2024

Excavation work for residential development at 3036 North Sheffield Avenue in Lake View, Chicago — 3038 North Sheffield, photographed October 10, permitted for demolition on October 17, 2024

Renderings revealed for condominium project replacing former CVS in Old Town

Posted on October 28, 2024 by danieldschell

Big shout-out to Barrett Homes for sending over renderings of their condo building currently under construction at 405 West Armitage Avenue in Old Town. The residences will rise on the highly visible six-point intersection of Armitage Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, and Sedgwick Street.

The four-story, six-unit project will include garage parking for 12 cars and storage space for 13 bicycles. Two ground-floor retail spaces will replace the commercial space lost when the previous building, most recently home to a CVS, was demolished in favor of the new development. One space will have its entrance on Sedgwick Street. The second storefront will be along Armitage, along with the residential entry. You like sunsets? Those west-facing terraces are perfect for you.

Barrett Homes is also the general contractor here, in addition to their developer duties. 360 Design Studio is the architect.

Rendering of 405 West Armitage Avenue from Barrett Homes.

Foundation work at 405 West Armitage, taken October 26

The former CVS building, via Google Street View

Teardown Update: The Chicago Tribune Freedom Center

Posted on October 27, 2024 by danieldschell

Demolition of the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center is ongoing at Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street along the North Branch of the Chicago River. Brandenburg Industrial Service continues carving a cavernous chasm toward the building’s northwest corner, but now they’ll also tearing into the south end of the facility as well.

Here, have a whole mess o’ photos, taken October 26, 2024:

Demolition of the former United Christian Church in Lincoln Park will clear space for The Base

Posted on October 21, 2024 by danieldschell

Demolition of the former United Christian Church is ongoing.

It’s all about The Base, ’bout The Base, no rubble, on the corner of Diversey and Seminary in Lincoln Park. That’s where the former United Christian Church is being razed for a new residential development called “The Base” from Contemporary Concepts. And, obviously, there’s lots of rubble.

The five-story building, designed by Studio Dwell, will contain 24 apartments with a roof deck atop them. There will be one off-street parking space, with access to the Diversey Brow/Purple line elevated platform just three blocks to the east.

A demolition for the church, at 2761 North Seminary, was issued on September 25, with Brophy Excavation handled demo work. The new construction permit, issued to 2763 North Seminary, was issued on September 4, with developer Contemporary Concepts also fulfilling general contractor duties for their own project.

The following gallery shows demolition progress as of October 20, with a few earlier images of demo work and some of the church before razing began:

Aberdeen Crossing begins construction at 1100 West Grand

Posted on October 19, 2024 by danieldschell

Spotted Stalworth’s rig from a rooftop during Open House Chicago 2024.

Aberdeen Crossing is the name of the residential development coming to 1100 West Grand Avenue in West Town, and it is now under construction. Rebar cages have been rolled on the site in preparation for caisson work, and Stalworth Underground has a rig on site to move that caisson equipment around.

Aberdeen Crossing is a project from developer Wildwood Investments. They are delivering 99 units to the neighborhood across a seven-story building designed by bKL Architecture. The will be 1,700 square feet of ground-floor retail space and parking for 28 cars, plus storage space for 99 bicycles. Contemporary Concepts is the general contractor, with Adjustable Concrete Construction as the concrete contractor.

The project replaces a service station on the plat of land that includes Sterling Bay’s Grand Flag. A demolition permit for the former improvement was issued July 17 under the address of 540 North Aberdeen. Precision Excavation handled the razing.

Despite its modest seven-story height, Aberdeen Crossing will be adding a tower crane to Chicago’s construction skyline. A permit for that crane was issued on August 19. The caisson permit preceded that, with an issue date of August 10, while the full building permit came through on October 11. Wildwood Investments plans on welcoming their first tenants in 2025.