Caisson work is underway at Nobu Hotel. For real this time

Posted on May 3, 2017 by danieldschell

You can’t tell me that ain’t a big ole caisson rig, and it’s hard at work at the Nobu Hotel.

This time I’m certain. A caisson rig used for drilling caissons is drilling caissons at the Nobu Hotel site in the West Loop. It’s not a “quad sheet press,” like the one I misidentified back in March. Nope, this is for real. There’s a big red Revcon rig, digging holes. Plus, there are all those augers and, you know, caisson equipment.

The Nobu Hotel is coming to the Fulton Market neighborhood courtesy of Nobu Hospitality. The 11-story, 119-room hotel features designs by Modif Architecture and Studio K. Centaur Construction of West Lake Street is the general contractor. (The Big Green W will be here doing masonry work.)

Quick Look: The Wicker Park Connection tower crane is up

Posted on April 27, 2017 by danieldschell

The finished tower crane over the Wicker Park Connection, Monday evening.

It got started over the weekend, and by Monday evening it was completed. The Wicker Park Connection can begin going vertical, now that there’s a tower crane on site. We watched most of the erecting from the B.U.C. HQ, but a well-timed going-away dinner (Bon Voyage, Steve!) on Division Street meant a good look at the new kid on that block.

: Sunday morning, a crane-building crane went to work.

: Getting ready to lift the first section of the tower.

: And the tower starts to climb on the stub.

: Lifting the top into place.

: The top is on.

: Hoisting the jib.

: NOPE

: Tuesday afternoon shot of the finished crane.

Continue reading →

The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center gets steelier

Posted on April 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center rises in Streeterville.

More iron, more concrete, more fun for spectators. The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center continues to grow in Streeterville. Northwestern University’s new facility, on the site where Prentice Women’s Hospital once stood, is growing toward its goal of 14 stories. (Phase Two will add up to 16 additional floors.)

Power Construction has been hard at work on this one since ground was broken back in May 2015. Designed by Perkins+Will, construction has included extensive foundation work below grade, now hidden by all the superstructure we see today. And there remains a lot of work to be done, with the goal of a late-2018 opening.

Wicker Park Connection joins the Tower Crane fun

Posted on April 20, 2017 by danieldschell

A freshly-planted tower crane stub springs up at the Wicker Park Connection.

How’s this for quick. On Tuesday, the City of Chicago issued a tower crane permit for the Wicker Park Connection. That’s the 15-story, 140-unit Transit Oriented Development Centrum Partners is building next door to the T.O.D. they built at 1664 West Division Street, Centrum Wicker Park. The Wicker Park Connection is another collaboration with Hirsch Associates Architects, who also teamed with Centrum in River North on 412 North Wells and Centrum Hubbard (is it called “Hubbard221” now?)

Where was I? Oh yeah, tower crane permit. Anyway, general contractor Linn-Mathes wasted no time in getting the tower crane stub planted in the ground. Foundation work is still underway, but expect that new tower crane to start lifting heavy stuff off the ground in no time.

: Rendering of the Wicker Park Connection from Hirsch Associates.

: Rendering of the Wicker Park Connection from Hirsch Associates.

: Rendering of the Wicker Park Connection from Hirsch Associates.

Hideous Greektown hole soon to be filled by bKL tower

Posted on April 14, 2017 by danieldschell

808 West Van Buren will be built here, at the northwest corner of Halsted and Van Buren Streets in Greektown.

Greektown garbage will have to find another hiding place.

The hole in the ground at the corner of Halsted and Van Buren Streets has a permit to be something more than a landfill. Loukas Development of Uptown, who’ve had a sign on the fence around the vacant lot for almost forever, received a foundation permit Thursday for a 12-story residential tower at 808 West Van Buren. Designed by bKL Architecture, the tower will have 148 units, 65 parking spaces, and ground-floor retail. If, of course, that permit is to be believed.

Lendlease will be the general contractor. That gives Lendlease three big jobs in this corner of the West Loop, joining One South Halsted and the Landmark West Loop.

Look, I don’t mean to pick on this little corner lot. But it’s been collecting trash for years now, and it’s fantastic to see construction will finally get moving.

Architectural rendering of 808 West Van Buren courtesy of bKL Architecture.

: Garbage out, construction in.

: The Foundation Permit.

It’s Marlowe time. 675 North Wells lands a permit

Posted on April 13, 2017 by danieldschell

Architectural rendering of Marlowe, 675 North Wells Street, from Antunovich Associates.

Are you ready for Marlowe? Because it’s ready for you.

The surface parking lot at 675 North Wells Street in River North that’s been closed off for several weeks will soon open up again. To construction equipment. Lennar Multifamily Companies (LMC) is the developer for the 15-story apartment tower that received a foundation permit from the City of Chicago on Wednesday. (You may know about Lennar from their Gateway West Loop building. It has pretty lights on the rooftop pool, so you know.)

Designed by Antunovich Associates, Marlowe will have 176 studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments across its 15 stories, plus 11,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. Power Construction will be the general contractor.

The office of Brendan Reilly 42nd Ward has all the info you care to know about Marlowe, plus lots of pretty renderings of floor plans and such. You can see it all here.

The Foundation Permit, issued Wednesday April 12.

No. 508 slowly putting down a foundation in Lake View

Posted on April 11, 2017 by danieldschell

No. 508, at 508 West Diversey Parkway in Lake View, sets a foundation.

Rendering of No. 508 from Broder Properties.

The luxury apartment tower from Broder Properties at 508 West Diversey Parkway continues its foundation work in Lake View, albeit slowly. Our last look back in January showed some pretty deep digging and shoring, and now considerable concrete has been poured on the site. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, No. 508, as dubbed by Broder, will rise to 12 stories, have 53 units, and, according to the renderings, include some ground-floor retail. Completion of No. 508 is slated for this year, so the crew from general contractor Macon Construction Group has their tasks cut out for them.

: The foundation permit, issued way back in August 2016.

: Rendering of No. 508 from the office of the 44th Ward.

Construction Progress: Elevate Lincoln Park

Posted on April 4, 2017 by danieldschell

The old tennis courts with junk strewn about them long since demolished, Elevate Lincoln Park continues to grow along North Lincoln Avenue in (of course) Lincoln Park. Where once stood condos and retail shops will soon be Baker Development Corporation‘s mixed-use project. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Elevate Lincoln Park will deliver 191 rental units, plus three levels of parking and a whole bunch of ground-floor commercial space. McHugh Construction is on the job as general contractor.

You’ll see signage in the following photos telling you to expect Elevate to be ready this summer. A delay getting started set that back, but Baker Development still hopes to have Elevate Lincoln Park open before 2017 closes.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile sets foundations in Streeterville

Posted on March 31, 2017 by danieldschell

Stalworth Underground is on the foundation beat at the new Aloft Chicago Mag Mile.

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile rendering from the Tishman website.

With the former home of Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art erased from existence, the new Aloft Chicago Mag Mile has begun putting down roots into the Streeterville soil. This is a design from Valerio Dewalt Train Associates, but the project itself is all Tishman. That’s because Tishman is not only the developer, owner, and manager of the new 18-story, 336-room hotel, but they’re the general contractor too.

For now, Stalworth Underground is on the scene, drilling caissons upon which the Aloft Chicago Mag Mile will sit. Next, they’ll do sheeting work (not the making-the-bed kind) before Tishman sends the new hotel vertical. They expect have it open in Winter 2018.

Phlashback to Phoenix: Banner – University Medical Center

Posted on March 23, 2017 by danieldschell

The Phoenix Mountains provide the stellar background for Banner – University Medical Center. It’s Prentice-like predecessor sits just to the right.

Way out in the far west suburbs — Phoenix, Arizona — Banner Health is erecting a brand new addition to its Banner – University Medical Center. Designed by HKS Architects, which counts both Chicago and Phoenix as two of the many cities in which it maintains offices, the new facility will consist of a 13-story patient tower atop a three-story podium, housing the emergency department and more. DPR Construction is the general contractor, tasked with having the project complete and ready to treat patients in 2018.