Wynyard Place greets Sydney visitors with a tower crane trifecta

Posted on November 20, 2017 by danieldschell

Look up! These 3 tower cranes greet you from Wynyard Place when you step out of the Carrington Street exit of Wynyard Station.

You know you’re going to enjoy Sydney when you jump on a train at the airport, riding past Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, to Wynyard Station in the CBD, and the first thing you see when you walk out into the light of day are three tower cranes.

Shell House

Those three cranes belong to Wynyard Place, a multi-faceted renovation and new-construction project from Brookfield. Also known as Brookfield Multiplex. And we’re very familiar with Multiplex and their multicranes at projects like Jewel Residences, Collins Arch, and Swanston Central.

The centerpiece of Wynyard Place will be a 27-story, Make Architects-designed office tower being built on the site of the former Menzies Hotel, now being demolished, at 10 Carrington Street. Also included in the project are the renovations of 285 George Street, and Shell House.

Shell House (yes, the oil company) is notable for the clock on top, and the large SHELL lettering along the side. The 12-story Shell House was built by Shell Oil as an office building, was converted to a hotel as part of Menzies, and is now being renovated back into 7,700 square meters of office space.

285 George Street, according to Commercial Real Estate, also goes by the name “Beneficial House,” and used to be the home of menswear store “Peapes.” Peapes signage has been revealed during demolition, just like the Shell sign.

Both buildings being renovated, Shell House and 285 George Street, currently feature tower cranes growing out of their roofs. I can’t say I’ve ever seen, or at least noticed, that before.

All three buildings will combine for nearly 70,000 square meters of office space and 6,700 square meters of retail, plus room for parking 80 cars. Completion of Wynyard Place is expected in 2020.

: Make Architects rendering.

: Birds like construction.

: Tower crane on the roof of Shell House.

: Tower crane on the roof of 285 George Street.

: Sitting down on the clock is frowned upon at construction sites.

: Ghost signs at Shell and Peapes.

: Carrington Street.

: Little remains of Menzies Hotel.

: Cranes on the rooftops.

Two towers of The Lincoln Common are starting to rise

Posted on November 20, 2017 by danieldschell

One of two cores that will become 20-story towers at The Lincoln Common.

Cores for the dual 20-story towers at The Lincoln Common are starting to rise from the deep excavations along Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. W.E. O’Neil has a pair of tower cranes working on-site, so we’re going to assume there’s a little friendly competition going on over there over which tower grows faster.

We’ve pointed this out before: The Power Of Two is hard at work at The Lincoln Common.

There are 2 developers: Hines, and McCaffery Interests
There are 2 design firms: Antunovich Associates, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
There are 2 initials in general contractor W.E. O’Neil’s name
There are two 20-story towers, each containing 269 units
There are two tower cranes (this is the most improtant pair, of course)

There were a couple newsworthy events at other phases of The Lincoln Common last week. First, a tower crane permit was issued for Belmont Village at 700 West Fullerton. Later in the week, a full permit was issued for the 6-story office building at 2350 North Lincoln, directly across the street from the dual towers. W. E. O’Neil is the CG on those two projects as well.

: Dual tower require dual tower cranes.

: No left turn into construction site. Please.

Triple-Branded Hilton McCormick Place missed milestones: Topping out, glassing up

Posted on November 13, 2017 by danieldschell

McHugh Constructions Hilton, Hilton & Hilton has grown to 22 stories at 123 East Cermak Road.

It’s been longer than I realized since we’ve walked around the Triple-Branded Hilton Hotels that McHugh Construction and UJAMAA is building at McCormick Place. Not only are there seven floors all glassed in, but the tower appears to have reached the 22nd floor. And it looks topped out. The permit called for 22 stories, but other specifications show 21 and 23 floors. Guess what? If this is a future 22-story hotel, and construction has indeed reached the 22nd floor, then by golly, she’s topped out.

Expect a skybridge to shoot out of here soon.

One thing not added is the skybridge over Indiana Avenue that will connect the hotel to McCormick Place, but you can see where it will attach on the south corner of the east elevation.

Antunovich Associates designed the 466-room hotel, situated on Cermak between Michigan and Indiana Avenues. It is expected to open late in 2018.

First row of glorious glass has been installed on Ancora at Riverline

Posted on November 10, 2017 by danieldschell

That’s some good-looking glass across the river at Ancora.

Ancora, the Phase One tower of CMK Companies‘ Riverline development in the South Loop, has reached another milestone, as the first level of glass stretches around the exterior. That would be the 7th floor of Perkins+Will’s 29-story, 452-unit design. Overall, co-developer and general contractor Lendlease has the tower at or near the 23rd floor. It’s hard to tell with all that orange wrapping and yellow formwork, but those materials are worth the obstructed view when the setting sunlight hits it.

The Phase Two tower was initially reported to be called “Current,” an 18-story tower with 251 condominiums and 28 townhomes. But the Riverline website no longer includes information about that building.

Eleven40 drops its pretty yellow tower crane

Posted on October 10, 2017 by danieldschell

A crane too low. (It’s okay to be sad.)

When I got home last night, in the dark, which angers me because I hate winter, I said out loud “Hey, does that crane look too low to you?” None of you answered, which is good, because it would have been creepy if you’d have been here, but sure enough, Lendlease began the task of dismantling the tower crane at Eleven40 yesterday, meaning Chicago’s tower crane count dips to 33.

Work will continue for the next couple days on removal. This morning, a crew is taking apart the upper tie-in. Photos follow:

It’s Craning Day Part II at The Lincoln Common

Posted on September 18, 2017 by danieldschell

North Crane’s stub is set in its foundation, and the rest of the crane is being erected starting today.

Out at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service are back at it again, erecting the second tower crane for the dual-20-story-tower mixed-use project from Hines and McCaffery Interests.

The site was blessed with a pair of tower-crane permits back in July and August. The South Crane (The permits call them “East” and “West.” This is a struggle for me.) was erected in late August. And this morning, work is starting on the North Crane. Funny, North got its permit first, yet was erected after South, but that means nothing at all, so it isn’t worth mentioning, even though I did anyway.

As for construction itself, the south tower is starting to go vertical, with the core reaching above street level. Meanwhile, the north tower area is still mostly underground. You’ll notice, in particular, the tower-crane foundation is well below street level. Which is further proof this will be a fascinating site to watch.

Sunset at Riverline shows off Ancora progress

Posted on September 15, 2017 by danieldschell

If you go by floor count, it looks like the Ancora tower at Riverline is a teenager now. The CMK Companies apartment-and-townhome building will grow to 29 stories when all is said and done, and Lendlease continues to build.

Like all new construction wrapped in multi-colored building materials, Ancora is best seen on sunny days. And the best-best views are in the evening, as the sun goes down, from the west side of the Chicago River.

: I missed a recent tower-crane jump.

Counting down Eleven40’s tower crane days

Posted on September 15, 2017 by danieldschell

Eleven40 is topped out, with forms remaining only on the east side. Prepare to lose that tower crane soon.

The way I figure it, as long as there are forms atop Eleven40 in the South Loop, I’ll still have a tower crane to see in the back yard. Once those are all down though, we can expect crane removal to happen post haste, as the apartment tower from CA Ventures and Keith Giles continues toward completion at 1136 South Wabash Avenue. And only the east elevation still has forms at all, so we’re getting down to crunch time.

Lendlease is crazy busy in the South Loop, with Eleven40, Ancora at Riverline, 1407 On Michigan, and Hilton Homewood Suites at 1101 South Wabash all climbing at the same time. Like Eleven40, 1407 is topped out, and its tower crane is expected to come down this weekend. Ancora is less than half way from its ultimate height, and the Hilton is just starting to go vertical.

But back to Eleven40. It will bring 320 apartments across its 26 stories when complete, with delivery expected in Spring 2018. As of Today 2017, there are 14 levels of glass installed above the podium, with crews banging and clanging pieces into place daily. From here, we’d say that Spring opening is a cinch.

: Night shots are the best.

: Mooncrane.

: East-side forms.

Eight Eleven Uptown continues upward up in Uptown

Posted on September 5, 2017 by danieldschell

Multiple levels, as Eight Eleven Uptown rises at Montrose and Clarendon (and Agatite)

Way up in the Uptown neighborhood, Chicago’s northern-most tower crane is making progress on Eight Eleven Uptown, the 27-story apartment tower from co-developers JDL Development and Harlem Irving Companies.

Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects, Eight Eleven Uptown will deliver 381 rental units and nearly 300 parking spaces. Many of those parking spots will be used for the Treasure Island food store to be included in the 36,000 square feet of planned commercial space.

Amenities? Of course there will be amenities. And then some. Harlem Irving’s website says we should expect “an acre and a half of outdoor space, a full size pool, vast greenscape, BBQ area, deck seating, a jogging track, cabanas, dog area, fitness room, lounges, small and large party rooms, a theatre, and a business center” on the project’s fourth level. That should be enough creature comforts to satisfy today’s apartment seeker.

As you’ll see in the photos, Lendlease has built the sprawling site up to the fourth floor. Sorry, the pool isn’t done yet.

W.E. O’Neil erecting Chicago’s 31st tower crane at The Lincoln Common

Posted on August 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The Lincoln Common south tower crane makes its appearance in the Lincoln Park skyline.

It’s almost here.

Chicago’s 31st (and, eventually, 32nd) tower crane is just about ready to lift the heavy stuff at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service have been on the site since Wednesday setting up the South Tower Crane. That means crew members are climbing around at scary heights, fastening what needs to be fastened, tightening what needs to be tightened. By the looks of progress, there’s no reason to believe Southy won’t be operational for work on Monday.

Still no sign of North Tower Crane, but I don’t want to sound greedy. We can just enjoy one for now.