Union West sets its foundations on Chicago’s oddest lot

Posted on June 11, 2018 by danieldschell

I made this fancy drawing from Google Maps of the Union West site.

If it’s funny shapes you like, has Union West got the site for you!

Using a plot of land that will touch on all four street fronts of its block, Union West is in the foundation phase on the block bounded by Washington Blvd to the north, Sangamon Street to the east, Madison Street to the south, and Morgan Street to the west.

Last week, we saw some serious iron beams being delivered to Power Construction’s job site. So if you’re hearing loud noises in the West Loop, it’s likely those suckers being driven into the ground. They don’t sink themselves, you know.

Foundation and full-build permits were issued to Union West on April 12 and May 8, respectively, allowing for the bKL Architecture-designed apartment project to start heading skyward. ZOM Living is developing the two-towered complex, which will ultimately deliver 357 apartments, with 12,000+ square feet of ground-floor retail space, and parking spots for 255 cars.

18 stories and 80 units permitted for 450 West Belmont

Posted on June 9, 2018 by danieldschell

Demolition at 450 West Belmont at the end of May.

Developer CA Ventures received a permit yesterday for the start of construction on an 18-story residential tower at 450 West Belmont in the Lake View neighborhood. Demolition of a pair of three-story residential buildings 450 and 454 W Belmont) and a detached garage were permitted to clear the site, allowing for foundation work to begin.

Antunovich Associates designed the building for CA Ventures, whose Design Build arm will also act as general contractor; Pepper Construction looks to be the concrete contractor and will operate the tower crane.

There’s a plethora of information on 450 West Belmont here, at the 44th Ward website. It’s from back in 2016, so consider some of this out-of-date.

: Rendering of 450 West Belmont from the 44th Ward presentation.

: Rendering of 450 West Belmont from the 44th Ward presentation.

: The Foundation Permit, issued June 8.

: 450 West Belmont demo permit, issued April 19.

: The 454 West Belmont demo permit, issued April 19.

: The garage was demolished on its own permit, issued March 23.

I’ve seen it for myself: Alta Grand Central really is a thing

Posted on June 8, 2018 by danieldschell

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alta Grand Central (@altagrandcentral)

Late last week, we learned from Instagram that Alta Grand Central was a real real estate developing about to begin in the South Loop.

Now, here’s the thing. Instagram is on the internet. And if something’s on the internet, it has to be true. So we had no reason to believe we were just seeing soil pushed around on a farm outside DeKalb. But there’s an old saying in news: “If your mother says she loves you, check the liquor cabinet.” Or something along those lines. What I’m saying is, we needed to see Alta Grand Central for ourselves.

And sure enough, there’s the site. A larger plot of land than we expected to see, at the southwest corner of Wells and Harrison Streets. Soon, all that dirt will be turned into two 14-story, Pappageorge Haymes Partners-designed apartment towers, boasting 346 units. Wood Partners is the developer and Walsh Construction the general contractor, just like they were around the corner at Alta Roosevelt.

Milieu plants a tower crane stub amidst caisson work

Posted on June 7, 2018 by danieldschell

That’s a fresh tower crane stub at Milieu in the West Loop.

Even as Stalworth Underground continues caisson work at Milieu (205 South Peoria) in the West Loop, something even more exciting has taken over the lot: Power Construction has evened out their tower-crane count after taking down the rig at the Hoxton Chicago by planting a stub on this site.

The Power Crane permit was issued Tuesday the 5th; they wasted no time getting that stub in place. Now, progress on the FitzGerald-designed 19-story, 275-unit apartment building can start going vertical immediately after caisson works wraps up. Yes, the West Loop is going to remain a very busy construction hub for quite some time.

900 West is approaching the finish line

Posted on June 7, 2018 by danieldschell

900 West, in between bouts of Wednesday’s sunshine, will open late this summer.

As I wandered past 900 West (900 West Washington) in the West Loop Wednesday, I couldn’t help but wonder how soon its opening would arrive. And then I got my answer.

The PR firm of Murphy Knott sent over a couple new renderings, along with word that residents would move into the new 10-story condominium tower from Taris Real Estate in a mere 90 days. That’s plenty of time to head out to IKEA and pick out your bookcases, sofas, and computer desks.

900 West, designed by Northworks. Rendering provided by Murphy Knott PR.

180 North Ada starts climbing toward 14 stories in the far-West Loop

Posted on June 6, 2018 by danieldschell

Power Construction has driven 180 North Ada up above street level over in the far-west reaches of the West Loop. Granted, that’s only two stories of the 14-story, 263-unit apartment building Brininstool + Lynch has designed for the site. But we all know once groundwork is complete and a project starts going vertical, progress flies. So this is big progress.

Will the tower crane at The Hoxton Chicago be around much longer?

Posted on June 5, 2018 by danieldschell

There’s still a tower crane above Power Construction’s Hoxton Chicago job site. But for how long?

The tower crane atop the Hoxton Chicago hotel in the West Loop has to be operating on numbered days, right? What with the hotel being topped out and nearly glassed up, we’re likely to see this one come down soon. The West Loop can afford to lose a tower crane and still lead all Chicago neighborhoods. so don’t be too upset. For now.

UIC’s Harrison Hall clads without glass

Posted on June 4, 2018 by danieldschell

That’s not glass on Harrison Hall, but we’re clad to see it anyway.

There’s no glass on UIC’s Harrison Hall yet, but swing by the site these days and you’ll notice the exterior getting a new outfit. Pepper Construction is cladding the outer layer, just not with windows. And most impressively, they’re doing it without the tower crane, which is down from the site already. Just one more surprisingly-fast step in progress on the new academic & residential center.

Here comes Alta Grand Central

Posted on May 30, 2018 by danieldschell

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjaperMBZ-8/

Well now, this is news.

A couple new Instagram accounts popped up in our feed last night. And they announced the same thing: There’s a new development coming to the southwest corner of Harrison and Wells in the South Loop: Alta Grand Central.

Alta Grand Central looks like it will be an apartment development comprised of two 14-story towers, with a total of 346 units. Wood Partners is the developer, Pappageorge Haymes Partners the design architect, and Walsh Construction will be the general contractor. If those names sound familiar, just look around the corner for Alta Roosevelt.

According to that Instagram post, site prep got started Wednesday. No permits as of Tuesday, but we should get a fresh round of those any minute now. Congrats, Alta Team!

Chicago’s Nobu Hotel is back in action

Posted on May 29, 2018 by danieldschell

Centaur Construction is back on the build at Nobu Hotel, 854 West Randolph Street in the West Loop.

After a brief (okay, kinda long) hiatus, Nobu Hotel on Randolph Street in the West Loop is back. Centaur Construction found the keys to their tower crane, and work is back in full swing now that financial details have been fixed on the hotel project.

Obviously, that delay has set completion back considerably. Originally planned to open late this year, updated expectations are now for late in 2019. Pending any other holdups, my money is on Centaur being able to push that timeline up a little bit. But we’ll see. We’re just happy to see the hotel wasn’t scrapped altogether.