Darn Near Done: The Elizabeth

Posted on March 18, 2024 by danieldschell

Construction crews works on finishing exterior touches at The Elizabeth.

Formerly known as, and still addressed as, 225 North Elizabeth, The Elizabeth is getting closer and closer to welcoming its first tenants. I don’t know when the name was changed, but I just noticed it this morning, so it’s brand new to me.

Sterling Bay’s 28-story apartment tower in the West Loop is a design by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, and will feature 350 rental units. The project website shows rental fees ranging from just under $2,000 for studio apartments, up to $6,450 for three-bedroom abodes.

Sterling Bay broke ground on The Elizabeth in September 2022, with James McHugh Construction serving as the general contractor.

I dug through the building permits, and here are (some of) the team members deserving of congratulations on another residential development in Chicago’s (and the country’s) hottest neighborhood. There are probably 8.3 million sub-contractors on a project like this. If I could find them all, I’d list ’em:

Sterling Bay – Developer
Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture – Design Architect
James McHugh Construction – General Contractor
McHugh Concrete – Concrete Contractor
All Masonry Construction – Masonry Contractor
JMS Electric – Electrical Contractor
Great Lakes Plumbing & Heating – Plumbing Contractor
Advance Mechanical – Refrigeration, Ventilation Contractor
Map Strategies – Expeditor

You can view posts about construction progress using the 225 North Elizabeth tag.

A few recent-ish photos as The Elizabeth wrapped up exterior construction:

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.

Darn Near Done: North Union’s 868 North Wells

Posted on March 9, 2024 by danieldschell

868 South Wells, the second tower at North Union, is Darn Near Done

The thing about taking a break is that projects in the middle of construction suddenly seem completed when you miss a few months. Take 868 North Wells. I blinked, and now there’s no more tower crane, the glass is full to the top, and there isn’t much left to see.

Granted, I did stop by North Union a few times in late summer, but didn’t get around to posting photos. So what the heck. Let’s post some photos from visits in August and September of 2023, and a few of the Darn Near Done tower from March 2024, starting with the most recent.

Congrats to the development team on topping out at 868:

JDL Development – Developer
Intercontinental Real Estate – Co-Developer
Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture – Design Architect
Power Construction – General Contractor

868’s permit history:

Foundation – issued 09/06/2022
Tower crane – issued 10/12/2022
Full building – issued 01/04/2023
Hoist – issued 03/03/2023
Tower crane phase 2 – issued 04/06/2023

And finally, photos from my last 4 visits to 868 North Wells:

March 2024:

September 2023:

August 2023:

Hotel Riu Plaza Chicago shoots up from Streeterville

Posted on August 24, 2023 by danieldschell

Hotel Riu Plaza Chicago, 150 East Ontario in Streeterville.

And now, for another Streeterville high-rise in a tight lot, it’s the Hotel Riu Plaza Chicago. Construction progress on the 28-story, 390-key hotel looks to have reached the 23rd or 24th level. That’s W.E. O’Neil putting in the work as the GC. The hotel is a design by Lucien LaGrange Studio. The Prime Group is the developer. Opening is slated for late 2024.

Photos of Hotel Riu Chicago Plaza construction from two visits; from this week, and from late March:

The Saint Grand is topped out and glassing up the Streeterville neighborhood

Posted on August 24, 2023 by danieldschell

Saint Grand tops out — The Saint Grand is topped out at St Clair and Grand in Streeterville.

The Saint Grand is an apartment tower replacing that eyesore of a parking deck that used to occupy the corner of St. Clair St. and Grand Ave. in Streeterville. But you wouldn’t know that from this blog, because I’ve been neglecting this construction site. It’s in a tight spot, so it can be a challenge to get compelling shots of progress.

The Saint Grand is a Mavrek Development joint. The 21-story tower will deliver 248 rental apartment, plus 42,000 square feet of office space, 8,000 square feet of retail space, and parking for 100 cars. I guess that’s fair, since it’s replacing a parking garage. NORR is the design architect; Lendlease is on the build, with Goebel Forming on concrete. They’ve topped out, per Urbanize.

The photos are up next. First, from August 21. Then a few from earlier progress back in March:

The glass is half full at 225 North Elizabeth

Posted on August 22, 2023 by danieldschell

A USAF Thunderbird flies over 225 North Elizabeth during the 2023 Chicago Air & Water Show.

Another tower crane gone since my last visit. Of course, it has been three months since I’ve been out and about. The topped-out and craneless 225 North Elizabeth has achieved approximate half-glassness. That’s an industry term; don’t bother looking it up if you’re not privy to insider information. Only us cool, in-the-know construction-types have it.

Darn Near Done: Sterling Bay announces showings at The Dylan

Posted on August 21, 2023 by danieldschell

Another fantastic location is about to be your home, if you so choose. Sterling Bay announced last week in an Instagram post that The Dylan, their new Fulton Market apartment tower, is now showing units. And while I’m not going to fool anyone into thinking these are in my price range just to get a tour, the studio units I looked at on the website are nice sized. At least where I come from, 553 square feet is darn spacious. Plus, I love the West Loop and Fulton Market District. This’d be a great spot for me. Or for any of my dedicated followers who like to invite guests over. (Careful that hint don’t drop on your noggin.)

Here’s a quick look at what The Dylan looks like right this very minute. You can also click on my tags for The Dylan and 160 North Morgan to see how construction progressed.

225 North Elizabeth gets its glass in gear

Posted on May 8, 2023 by danieldschell

The glazing is underway at Sterling Bay’s 225 North Elizabeth.

The future 28-story apartment tower at 225 North Elizabeth in the Fulton Market District is up to about the 20th level. But it’s much easier to count the levels of glass than the levels of concrete. There’s one. One level of glass. I know this for a fact because I took a look on a gorgeous May Sunday and did the math in my head. There’s one level of glass. Not a complete level, mind you. But one, just the same.

Here are some photos to prove it:

Topped-out, craneless, fully-clad 920 North Wells updates

Posted on March 30, 2023 by danieldschell

A CTA train passes 920 North Wells and the tower crane at 868 North Wells, Feb 2023

I have another 2-fer to throw your way, without leaving North Union.

Here are progress photos of the topped-out, fully-glazed 920 North Wells, North Union’s first tower. Almost the same team as today’s earlier 868 North Wells post, including JDL Development, design architect Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, and general contractor Power Construction, but with Adjustable Concrete as the concrete contractor.

First set of photos are the more recent, from March 29. Second set was taken February 26.

A pair of visits to 868 North Wells as North Union brings more apartments to the Near North Side

Posted on March 30, 2023 by danieldschell

Moon and tower crane over 868 North Wells, 2/26/2023.

Know what’s great about procrastination? It means you get two updates within a single space.

868 North Wells is the second phase of JDL Development’s sprawling North Union project on the Near North Side. I stopped by here in September when caissons got started, then didn’t come back until February 26. And even then, I took a bunch of photos, yet posted nothing. But today, I shall make up for that, as you not only get to see those February photos, but also a new set of pictures taken March 29. The added benefit, of course, is getting to see and compare progress without leaving this page. Because I like you. Stay awhile.

General contractor Power Construction, with an assist from concrete contractor McHugh Concrete, has elevated all of 868 above street level, rising to the second floor overall. I’m going to guess the concrete core is about about the fifth floor. They’ll eventually rise to 27 stories containing 411 units. Around the back, there’s another project going up to five stories, but I couldn’t begin to tell you where one ends and the other begins.

Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture designed this one, just as they did Phase One of North Union, 920 North Wells.

All the big permits are official for 868 North Wells, including:

foundations permitted 9/6/22
tower crane permitted 10/12/22
full building permitted 1/4/23
hoist permitted 3/3/23

Below, you’ll find both sets of photos, with the more recent edition first (920 North Wells makes several cameos):

Another apartment tower rises in Fulton Market, as 225 North Elizabeth climbs

Posted on March 29, 2023 by danieldschell

Sterling Bay’s 28-story, 350-unit apartment development at 225 North Elizabeth.

More two-week old photos today, this time spotlighting progress at 225 North Elizabeth. I haven’t been here since dirt was being moved, so it was a surprise to see this apartment building from Sterling Bay already up to the underside of the ninth floor. And since it’s been two weeks since this visit, it’s a safe bet McHugh & McHugh have reached 11 or 12 by now.

Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, 225 North Elizabeth will deliver 350 new units across 28 stories, with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and room to park 90-some cars.

225 has all the big permits lined up, including:

caissons permitted 9/17/22
tower crane permitted 10/17/22
superstructure permitted 11/8/22
full building permitted 1/5/23
hoist permitted 1/6/23

Sterling Bay plans to open the tower to residents in 2024.

Here are some photos taken March 15: