Union West may now go 15 stories high in the West Loop

Union West

Union West rendering from bKL Architecture. On the left is the first tower at 939 West Washington.

Ready for more construction in the West Loop? Good. Because Tuesday, Union West got its full-build permit for a 15-story residential tower at 939 West Washington Boulevard. Building atop the foundation permitted back in April, the 939 tower is the first of two structures at Union West that will ultimately contain 357 apartments, with 12,000+ square feet of ground-floor retail space and 255 parking spots.

bKL Architecture designed the two-tower development for ZOM Living. Power Construction is the general contractor, adding to their West Loop projects that include the Hoxton Chicago, 333 North Green, 180 North Ada, Milieu, and 900 West. (Wow. They’re really busy.)

There’s a cool-looking iron contraption on the site now. No idea what that’s about, but we’re pretty sure it’s structural and not sculptural.

And now, the photo gallery, with everything from that cool steel thing, to bKL Architecture renderings, to demo work, to now-removed buildings and parking lots.

There’s glass on them there walls of 56 West Huron

56 West Huron May 2018

56 West Huron glasses up the River North neighborhood.

56 West Huron, the 13-story, 10-unit condominium tower from Kiferbaum Development Group, has topped out in River North, and now Gilbane Building Company has started installing the curtain wall on the building’s exterior.

Designed by Studio Dwell, the tower will include 10 full-floor condominiums, plus one duplex penthouse unit topping them off. Completion is anticipated in Fall 2018.

Skender plants a tower crane stub for the new West Loop Hyatt House

Hyatt House West Loop

Skender has planted a tower crane in the West Loop as they begin construction on Sterling Bay’s Hyatt House.

Very soon, we’ll be adding another name to the Chicago Tower Crane Survey. Skender has planted a stub at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and May Street in the West Loop, where they’re erecting the new Hyatt House hotel.

Sterling Bay is developing the 16-story hotel, conveniently located less than a block from the new McDonald’s HQ they’ve just built. Designed by Chicago firm Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Hyatt House will bring nearly 200 guest rooms to the neighborhood, which you may have noticed is quite busy with construction. And that means people visiting new offices, and dropping in on residents of all those new apartments, will need a place to stay. Hyatt House will be ready for them.

Three Sixty West rises above the River North street

Three Sixty West May 2018

Maris Construction is using this tower crane to build Three Sixty West in River North.

Maris Construction has one, and only one, tower crane in the skies over Chicago. And they’re making it count.

Three Sixty West, the 11-story condominium tower at 360 West Erie Street in River North from Belgravia Realty Group, has risen a floor above street level. The 38-unit, GREC Architects-designed development got its initial building permit back in November, and a tower crane permit this past January.

Those condos should be ready for move-ins early next year.

Progress Update: Home2 Suites rising in River North

Home2 Suites River North will be a 17-story hotel being developed by Akara Partners and designed by NORR.  M.A. Mortenson Company is in town from Wisconsin to erect the 200-or-so-room tower at 110 West Huron Street in River North, and it looks like they’re just two or three levels from topping out. This is Mortenson’s one and only tower crane on our list.

Renelle on the River is topped out and ready for glass

Renelle on the River went up in a hurry. Now, the concrete is topped out, and without any glazing yet, it looks kinda skeleton-like. But that will change soon, as McHugh Construction focuses on getting the outer skin installed and interior work begins. (Then again, maybe that’s what they’re calling an “open floor plan” these days. No windows, no cladding, just you and the elements and your living room.)  The bKl Architecture design brings 50 new condos to the River North neighborhood across 18 stories.

GEMS Academy Upper School wedging its way into small Lakeshore East recess

I desperately wanted to make some sort of school pun. Not sure the recess thing even makes sense, but I tried. Wedged as the new school is between Vista Tower construction and Coast apartment tower, it seemed like a decent analogy.

The Upper School at GEMS World Academy Chicago is rising at 355 East Wacker Drive. Designed by bKL Architecture, as was the first GEMS school, Power Construction has the task of completing the facility.

UIC’s Harrison Hall to top out concrete this week

Solomon Cordwell Buenz designed the complex, which marks the first new dorm facility for UIC since 2007. Included in the residential hall will be 550 student beds, with 16,000 square feet of community space for scholars to share, a top-floor sky lounge, and 1,600 square feet of retail space.
Harrison Hall, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

We can expect Pepper Construction to top out concrete at UIC’s Harrison Hall this week. That comes as no surprise when visiting the site, and seeing how quickly this project has climbed.

Solomon Cordwell Buenz designed the residential/academic complex, which marks the first new dorm facility for UIC since 2007. Included will be 550 student beds, with 16,000 square feet of community space for scholars to share, a top-floor sky lounge, and 1,600 square feet of retail space. UIC plans to open Harrison Hall in Fall 2019.

180 North Ada is starting to poke up out of the ground

180 North Ada April 2018

Power Construction has everything they need to send 180 North Ada vertical.

Our late-April tour of all things West Loop next takes us to the far west end of the neighborhood, where Power Construction is starting to go vertical on 180 North Ada. This 14-story, 263-unit apartment building from Marquette Companies replaces the empty lot at Lake and Ada Streets. Brininstool + Lynch designed the tower, which got its foundation permit back in December, a tower-crane permit in February, and finally, its full-build permit on the 16th of this month.

Milieu is about to move into the West Loop

Milieu 205 South Peoria Street

Construction fencing is up around the Milieu site, as another FiztGerald design, 727 West Madison, watches in the background.

More West Loop news!

A pair of permits last week–one demolition, one construction–signaled the beginning of Milieu, a 19-story, 275-unit apartment project from co-developers White Oak Realty Partners (625 West Adams) and Crayton Advisors. Designed by the West Loop’s very own FitzGerald, Milieu (205 South Peoria Street) will also include 13,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 183 cars. Power Construction will handle the GC honors.

You can read the full press release on Milieu from Murphy Knott Public Relations after you take a gander at a few photos of the soon-to-be-dust 847 and 855 West Adams.

 

WHITE OAK AND CRAYTON ADVISORS ANNOUNCE MILIEU, WEST LOOP BOUTIQUE APARTMENT PROPERTY

First of its Kind:  Lifestyle-Centered, Amenity-Rich; Adjacent to Chicago’s Fulton Market Delivering Summer 2019

CHICAGO— April 4, 2018 — White Oak Realty Partners and Crayton Advisors announce Milieu, a new 19-story apartment development expected to deliver summer 2019 in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.

Milieu, which will feature 275 residential units, will include a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom spaces, with approximately 183 parking stalls and 13,000 square-feet of commercial retail space. When complete, Milieu will be the first of its kind: a lifestyle-centered, amenity-rich, boutique apartment property pushing the norms of residential interior and amenity design. Milieu’s environment will encompass natural earth elements and a superior social engagement experience to meet the desires of Chicago’s discerning apartment dweller.

The boutique apartment property’s prominent location overlooks Mary Bartelme Park, the West Loop’s most sought after green space and urban refuge.  With its close proximity to both Fulton Market and the more traditional West Loop business district, work-life balance will be front and center.

Milieu will be located at 205 S. Peoria St. The property will be built in partnership with Pacific Life Insurance Company, contractor Power Construction, and a design team headlined by architect Fitzgerald Associates, interior designer Patina Collection|Design, and engineering firms WSP, WMA, and Eriksson Engineering.

#  #  #

About White Oak Realty

White Oak is a privately held, fully integrated acquisition and development firm focused on the investment and management of high net worth and institutional capital into apartment, office, and retail investment opportunities in targeted CBD and select suburban locations.

About Crayton Advisors

Crayton Advisors is an investment and advisory firm, who through its affiliated companies, is focused on acquiring and managing multifamily, retail and assets in major markets throughout the U.S. with an emphasis on extending its VCollective Brand.