Construction Update: Sedgwick at Locust

Posted on September 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Sedgwick at Locust, 367 West Locust Street in Near North.

Sedgwick at Locust is a new condominium building (someone’s building condos in Chicago?!) in the Near North neighborhood at 367 West Locust Street. Developed by Belgravia Realty Group (CA Washington across from the now-dust Harpo Studios, and the soon-to-begin Renelle On The River next to Trump Tower) , designed by Sullivan Goulette & Wilson Architects, “SL” will have 44 condos in 2-bed/2-bath and 3-bed/3-bath configurations. The six-story building will also include 52 parking spaces.

Sedgwick at Locust is being built on the site once occupied by Saint Dominic’s Church. Long vacant, it was demolished last summer.

: Demolition of Saint Dominic’s Church preceded Sedgwick at Locust construction.

: Sedgwick at Locust from the west. That’s Niche 905 hulking in the background.

: Humble beginnings, Winter 2016.

Apple makes headlines with new tower crane at Chicago flagship store

Posted on September 9, 2016 by danieldschell

That’s a crane-building crane (in yellow) building a building-building crane (in red)

Headphone jack or no headphone jack, it was hard to miss the tower crane being assembled at the new Chicago Apple flagship store on Michigan Avenue Thursday. Although, if you happened to be looking for it, but missed it, it could be because you were looking too high. Unlike most tower crane, which tend to, you know, “tower” over their respective job sites, the Apple Store crane stands barely three stories in the air. But that’s really all the height you need, when your two-story building has only half its height above street level.

We’ve been waiting for this tower crane for weeks. Luckily, Twitter user @RobertLoerzel, as he’s known to do from time time, was wandering around town Wednesday night tweeting photos, including these, showing tower crane parts awaiting assemblage.

https://twitter.com/robertloerzel/status/773717730319097857

Clearly, that meant I had to be on Michigan Avenue in the morning to catch the action. Which leads to this: more photos of the Chicago Apple Store than you would ever really appreciate. But I took them for you anyway. A few from the morning, and then a few later in the day, after the boom had been attached. Enjoy.

: This photo, as well as the next 3, taken at the LondonHouse Chicago.

351 West Huron (finally) moving earth to make way for condos

Posted on September 7, 2016 by danieldschell

Demolition happened in 2012. This is what the lot at 351 West Huron had looked like since then. Until now.

It took some time, but the new 7-story condo building slated for 351 West Huron Street in River North is starting to make some headway. 351 West Huron, from Regency Development Group of Northbrook, IL., will boast just six condominiums, each with four bedrooms, and its own parking. According to @Properties, each unit will have 4,528 square feet of space, with 1,530 of that being outdoors.

Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, 351 West Huron received a building permit back on May 10. But the vacant lot sat idle until this month, after a new permit was filed, back on August 16, that, among other changes, transferred the general contractor duties to Summit Design + Build.

: A rendering of 351 West Huron from Regency Development Group.

: 351 West Huron has a banner and a website.

: The Permit, Part 1

: The Permit, Part 2

: The demolition permit that turned 351 West Huron into an empty lot.

: The empty lot.

Marveling at the restored facade at Brooklyn Bowl

Posted on August 30, 2016 by danieldschell

#sitevisit pic.twitter.com/qzXttj6c6J

— OKW Architects (@OKWArchitects) July 21, 2016

It’s been six weeks since OKW Architects gave us that sneak peek behind the curtain at Brooklyn Bowl in the West Loop. That view, showing the inner walls to the two preserved facades facing south and west, still showed some scaffolding through the windows. But all that is gone now, and we can finally get a good look at the work W.E.O’Neil has done on the exterior. Sure, the blue supports looked cool in afternoon sunlight, but the restored brickwork looks much nicer. See for yourself:

: Looking at the corner of Fulton and Peoria.

: This is the west facade along Peoria Street.

: Fulton facade #1…

: …#2…

: …and #3.

: This gem sits high atop the corner of Fulton and Peoria.

: Looking west on West Fulton.

: Never forget how all those supports gleamed in the sun.

: The facade, from inside.

: Here’s a rendering from Convexity Properties of what Brooklyn Bowl will look like when complete.

Ironwork as artwork at 312 North Carpenter

Posted on August 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The artwork of ironwork, at 312 North Carpenter.

New York City’s Madison Capital is renovating its three-story building at 312 North Carpenter in the Fulton Market District. And while the front still looks like an old brick facade in desperate need of some fixing up, the rear of the building is nothing short of an iron work of art.

LG Construction is the general contractor for the 312 project, designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, which includes some demolition work of the building next door at 328 North Carpenter, allowing 312 to be more accessible for renovation. (Madison Capital owns both properties.) A permit was filed back in February to, and I quote (copy, actually…)

RENOVATIONS AND ADDITION TO EXISTING 3 STORY OFFICE AND MERCANTILE BUILDING. CONVERT 1ST FLOOR RETAIL, 2ND AND THIRD FLOOR INTO OFFICE SPACE. 3 STORY ADDITION, ROOFTOP AMENITY DECK TO BE ADDED IN PLACE OF DEMOLISHED 1 STORY WAREHOUSE AS PER PLANS

**Some emergency demo work was necessary back in September when a large portion at the back of the structure collapsed (see the DNAInfo story here.)**

: The Carpenter Street frontage of 312 North Carpenter.

: 328 North Carpenter in the foreground. Madison Capital’s website shows big plans for that structure as well.

: 312 and 328 North Carpenter Street.

: The emergency demolition permit, filed when a portion of the building collapsed.

: The renovation permit.

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.

The bricks hit the wall at Fulton West

Posted on August 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The front of Fulton West is bricked in, up to the setback.

Fulton West is looking a lot less like an old skeleton, and a lot more like its renderings. Sterling Bay is developing Fulton West, which will provide 290,000 square feet of office space and 610 parking spots to the Fulton Market District.

Leopardo Construction crews have added five additional floors to the existing 4-story structure, and now some major brick work covers the facades. The Gensler-designed office building is destined for an April 2017 opening.

: From the northwest corner of Fulton and Ada.

: Admit it. This rendering from Sterling Bay is starting to resemble the actual work taking place at Fulton West.

: Gratuitous south facade with tower crane shot.

: Is this a means to go up? or a way to come down? I’m guessing the ladder.

: Duct work around back.

: The west facade is in on the brick act too.

Construction Update: The Cubs’ “Triangle” Office Building

Posted on August 18, 2016 by danieldschell

The Ernie Banks statue stands tall in front of the triangle-lot office building.

It’s not a triangle like Phil Jackson and Tex Winter brought to the Bulls’ offense. It’s the triangle that used to be the Red and Purple lots at Wrigley Field. And it’s where the Chicago Cubs are now developing a new 6-story office building that will also includes the team’s 30,000-square-foot clubhouse.

Designed by VOA Associates, the new facility is being built by Pepper Construction. Which is strange, because I could swear I’ve seen several NO PEPPER signs around Wrigley Field.

Centrum Bucktown digs a foundation at 1767 North Milwaukee

Posted on August 18, 2016 by danieldschell

Centrum Bucktown is being built at 1767 North Milwaukee Avenue.

Centrum Bucktown, another collaboration (see also: Centrum Hubbard, 412 North Wells, among others) from Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates (Forum Studio is the architect of record), is digging foundations along the Bloomingdale Trail in Bucktown.

Centrum Bucktown will sit in the large lot at 1767 North Milwaukee Avenue, at North Leavitt Street. The site is the former home of an Aldi store, and will be again. Plans call for a 6-story building with 100 dwelling units, plus a new Aldi store at ground level. Surface parking will be provided for shoppers, while underground parking will be included for residents. Arco/Murray is the general contractor.

Demolition Update: Addison & Clark tears up Wrigleyville

Posted on August 11, 2016 by danieldschell

The old Starbucks building is coming down. They’ve already reopened on Sheffield.

There’s a lot going on up near Wrigley Field. And I’m not just talking about the Cubs winning the NL Central.

A whole lot of demolition is taking place along the Clark Street corridor. On Addison Street, buildings are being removed for Addison & Clark, an 8-story mixed-use project that will see 148 apartments, a whopping 150,000 square feet of commercial space, and over 400 parking spaces. A joint venture from M&R Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties, Addison & Clark replaces, among other structures, the Starbucks at 1023 West Addison that made Theo Epstein famous in Chicago.

Environmental Cleansing of Markham, IL are out there as we speak ripping stuff apart, then Power Construction will take over the lot and start the new SCB-designed development. Project completion is expected in Summer 2018.

: A rendering of Addison & Clark from SCB.

: This Kris Bryant mural has nothing to do with the Addison & Clark project, but GO CUBS!

: Whoa, gettin’ kinda close there, big fella.

: A latte of the Starbucks building is gone. (sorry)

: Bricks are being salvaged, palletized, and trucked away.

: The Starbucks demolition permit.

: The 1027 West Addison demolition permit.

: The Addison & Clark foundation permit.

An overview of Chicago’s Apple flagship store

Posted on August 5, 2016 by danieldschell

Looking down at the Apple store construction from LondonHouse Chicago.

You didn’t need another post about the Apple flagship store being built in Pioneer Court on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. You’ve seen the concrete cutters, you’ve seen the tower crane stub. By now, you’re ready to see the actual store.

But I couldn’t help it. From the spectacular 22nd-floor lounge of the brand new LondonHouse Chicago across the river, you can get an amazing bird’s-eye view of the goings-on at Apple down below.

So here, enjoy the third update of the same construction site this week. And enjoy the view from LondonHouse. You’ll want to get up there yourself soon; it really is amazing.