Tower Crane Update: 8 East Huron

Posted on July 19, 2016 by danieldschell

If you erect them, they will come watch. Them being tower cranes, they being I.

To be fair, and uncreepy, I was hardly the only interested party spectating at State and Huron Streets Saturday, as a crew from Morrow Equipment Company erected another of its pretty yellow cranes at the 8 East Huron construction site.

Recapping 8 East Huron, it will be a 26-story apartment tower with 105 units. CA Ventures is the developer, Valerio DeWalt Train Associates the designer, and Clark Construction he general contractor. Units are expected to be ready for occupancy in 2017.

: The stub.

: This looks like a scene form Charlie & The Chocolate Factory to me.

: The crane-building crane.

: None of these men are in danger of losing their jobs to me.

: East Huron was closed for the festivities, between State and Wabash.

: Piecing the cab together.

: Lifting crane parts off a truck.

: Staging equipment on East Huron Street.

: The cab.

: Preparing for lift-off.

: Artsy.

: Looking down State Street.

: Monday morning finishing work.

: Monday morning, and the tower crane is almost ready for use.

Check One Off The List: 625 West Adams Plants a Tower Crane

Posted on July 14, 2016 by danieldschell

Setting the tower crane base, bright and early this morning.

It was an inadvertent Tower Crane Tuesday post. And here we are on Thursday, and it’s already obsolete. But in the good way. For no longer are there six tower crane permits awaiting actual tower cranes. No, my friends, now there are five.

https://twitter.com/BuildUpChicago/status/753393411969970176

https://twitter.com/BuildUpChicago/status/753580641397116929

625 West Adams trucked in the base of its new tower crane yesterday, and wasted no time this morning rooting it into the ground. It’s one of those pretty yellow ones, too. And it will be right outside my window. Thank you, Power Construction. You know the way to my heart.

Please let me know if there’s an angle of this crane you’d like to see that I haven’t included below…

: It was still sitting on the truck during last night’s storm.

: But it made it through unscathed.

: Final preps on the foundation…

: …as the base was being offloaded.

: And there it stands, along South Desplaines Street.

: Tower crane crew doing what they do.

: Proof that I stayed behind the fence.

: There’s more foundation work happening besides just the tower crane.

: Old St. Pat’s in the background. 625 West Adams is often referred to as “St. Pat’s Tower.”

The New Homewood Suites/Hampton Inn Has Your Room Almost Ready [updated]

Posted on July 11, 2016 by danieldschell

The back of the Homewood Suites-Hampton Inn in the West Loop.

It may not exactly be the kind of room service you’re expecting, but Power Construction is busy getting a new Homewood Suites-Hampton Inn ready for you in Chicago.

At 118 North Jefferson Street in the West Loop, the new combination hotel from developer Jupiter Realty will pack 336 rooms into the 24-story tower that, from the outside, looks close to being done. Designed by architect *Mike Siegel of VOA Associates, Homewood/Hampton will include about 8,000 square feet of retail space, while providing 117 indoor parking spots. The building permit also mentions a restaurant on the 24th floor.

Ready to make a reservation? Jupiter hopes to have the hotels ready for guests in September of this year.

7/25/2016 This story has been updated to show Mike Siegel as the correct designer of the Homewood Suites/ Hampton Inn.

: Power Construction began foundation work got in April of 2015.

: The tower crane came down in May.

: The front of the hotels, along North Jefferson Street.

: Still work to do on the exterior, but not much.

: This is the north wall, from Randolph Street.

: This is the south wall, from Washington.

: Front (east) and south facings.

: The back of the hotel from the alley, straight up. (Thanks to the airliner for the fly-by)

: The parking podium, seen from the alley.

: If your hotel reflects River Point, yours is a good hotel.

The Hudson Flows Into Chicago

Posted on July 5, 2016 by danieldschell

The Hudson, 750 North Hudson Avenue, will sit on the corner of Hudson and Chicago.

The Hudson is a 25-story apartment tower at 750 North Hudson Avenue being developed by the Onni Group of Companies. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, The Hudson will have 240 one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units and 240 parking spaces, with 10,000 square feet of retail space at ground level. Onni Group pulls double duty here by acting as its own general contractor.

If that address, 750 North Hudson, doesn’t ring bells in your head, think of The Hudson as being located at about 425 West Chicago Avenue. That’s where its most prominent facing will be, along Chicago Avenue.

: Getting the gratuitous tower crane shot taken care of early.

: Surely you noticed The Hudson tower crane around Christmas time.

221 West Hubbard Construction Claims Its First Inconvenience: A Divvy Station

Posted on July 5, 2016 by danieldschell

This photo from Divvy shows the old and new stations.

The new construction permitted June 30 for the residential tower at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North has already claimed its first victim, and it’s a Divvy station.

According to an email from Divvy, the Divvy bikes that could be found until today at the southwest corner of Hubbard and Wells are being moved. It’s no cross-country move, but it’s not exactly close either. As seen in the photo above from Divvy, the new station will be at Ohio and Orleans.

If you’ve been using the Hubbard and Wells station (when it isn’t full, which is common after the morning rush) to park your bike before heading into the Merchandise Mart (raises hand) this will make your walk considerably longer. Looks like I’ll be aiming for Orleans/Mart Plaza, or the Kinzie station at the East Bank Club.

221 West Hubbard Gets a Permit

Posted on July 1, 2016 by danieldschell

A rendering of 221 West Hubbard (and 412 North Wells) from Hirsch Associates.

This one took awhile.

When last I heard about the proposed office and residential development at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North, it was February. Crews were working in the dirt, and I jumped the gun, assuming construction was ready to begin. It wasn’t. Turns out, soil sampling results were less than ideal, stalling the entire process.

The Permit

I was told it was hopeful a construction permit would be filed for 221 West Hubbard around April 1. And here we are three months later, and finally, the City of Chicago has filed a permit to begin foundation work on the 23-story residential tower portion of the two-structure project.

Designed by Howard Hirsch at Hirsch Associates Architecture, the Centrum Partners development will have 193 apartments in the tower on the west end of the lot at Hubbard Street and Wells, and a 9-story office building with 41,000 rentable square feet on the east end. 91 parking spaces will be included in the residential portion.

For folks getting on and off the Brown and Purple Line trains at the Merchandise Mart, like me, this will be a prime spectating venue as LInn-Mathes, the general contractor, gets to work.

: 221 West Hubbard will curve along with the passing L trans.

: The lot has been closed to parking for several weeks now.

: Bye bye cars, hello shiny new glass.

: Twice I jumped the gun on this one. Once, when the CTA used the lot to stage equipment…

: …and once when crews scraped some asphalt after a negative soil sampling result.

: View of the lot and the tracks, 221 West Hubbard Street.

SMASHotels’ Marriott Autograph Hotel Rises in Streeterville

Posted on June 30, 2016 by danieldschell

Pepper Construction crews work on the new Marriott Autograph Hotel in Streeterville.

The Ivy Boutique Hotel in Streeterville has a wonderful rooftop deck. And as everyone in Chicago knows, rooftop decks were made for construction spectating.

Directly across the street from Ivy, at 228 East Ontario Street, the ECD Company and SMASHotels are erecting a brand new Marriott Autograph Hotel. The 22-story hotel, designed by Chicago-based Koo Architecture, will have 200 rooms when completed (often referred to as “keys” in developer-speak.)

The Marriott Autograph is being jammed into such a tight space, it’s difficult to get a good view of Pepper Construction at work. Which is why you should get a room at Ivy, head up on the roof with The Drifters, and watch for yourselves.

: Pepper Construction at work.

: More Pepper. Unlike at the ballpark, there are no signs here saying “NO PEPPER”

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot, with airplane.

: Rooftop view.

: The Ivy Boutique Hotel’s rooftop deck is up there, very well hidden from the street.

: You lifting today, bruh?

: Lifting again today?

: The view from behind the new Marriott Autograph Hotel.

: Looking up from East Ontario Street.

640 North Wells Filling Gap Ed Debevic’s Left Behind

Posted on June 27, 2016 by danieldschell

Good ole Ed Debevic’s. May it Rest Its Peas.

Unless you ate there, you miss Ed Debevic’s.

Kidding. Oh, come on. I’M KIDDING!

Okay, I’m done messing with Ed. (You’ll have to go here if you want to see more.)

At 640 North Wells Street, where Ed’s called home, JDL Development is erecting a 23-story apartment tower designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. When completed, 640 North Wells will have 251 units and 12,000 square feet of retail space. Expect about 140 parking spots too, if the building permit is to be believed. 640 North Wells is another Lendlease build.

: 640 North Wells, from the corner of Wells and Erie.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: The moon wedges itself between tower cranes at 640 North Wells and 167 West Erie.

: Wearing orange as camouflage. Interesting strategy.

: The Wells Street facade.

: Lendlease at work.

: The north facade along Erie Street.

: The view along the alley in back.

: The Wells Street facade, looking northward.

: Looks like there’s going to be an exterior construction elevator soon.

: Hoisting.

: The Permit.

: Looking at the corner of Wells and Ontario Streets.

: Inside the belly of the beast for a peek at the guts.

: More insides.

8 East Huron Digs Down, Shores Up

Posted on June 23, 2016 by danieldschell

Foundation work is ongoing at 8 East Huron in River North.

With two buildings torn down at the northeast corner of State and Huron Streets, a new residential tower is starting to grow.

8 East Huron is a 26-story, 105-unit building being developed by CA Ventures. (That’s CA as in Campus Acquisitions, not something from California. CA Ventures is the new branding, as of 2012.) There will be ground floor retail as well, and 30 or so parking spaces on levels 2-4.

8 East Huron is designed by Valerio Dewalt Train Associates. Clark Construction is on the build. Or, under the build, as you’ll see from the photos below.

: Down and dirty at 8 East Huron.

: Iron shoring.

: Foundation workers at 8 East Huron.

: Digging.

: And more digging.

: You’ve painted yourself onto an island.

: The Permit.

: Quality Excavation demolishes 4 and 8 East Huron.

: After demolition, touch-up work on the Consulate General of Ukraine, 10 East Huron, which remains.

: 4 and 8 are gone. 10 East Huron, to the right, remains.

: They were handsome structures.

Riverline Lowers the Boom

Posted on June 19, 2016 by danieldschell

There’s a massive yellow crane on site at Riverline, waiting to throw stuff around.

They started pushing dirt around this March in preparation for the huge Riverline project along South Wells Street in the South Loop. The lot has been level — and idle — for a while now, but the ridiculous yellow crane above looks like a pretty good sign more work is imminent.

Approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back on November 19, Riverline is a massive development from CMK Companies. Expect 5 buildings to rise on the site, in multiple construction phases. They’ll combine for 2,700 dwelling units and 16,500 square feet of retail space.