Finally! 1001 South State, from the *inside.

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

1001 South State, in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood.

There are three ways us common folk can check out the hot new skyscrapers in Chicago. We can

Make an appointment to look at new apartments in the city
*Pretend* we’re looking at renting a new apartment, just so we can get inside a new development

Wait for Open House Chicago, and hope the new apartments are on the schedule of locations available for tours.

I used the latter method to finally be able to see 1001 South State, after visiting it many times during its construction. And as you might imagine, it’s gorgeous, with all the luxurious amenities you’d expect from new construction. There are 397 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units in the tower. Among the coolest features, besides the pool and all the grills, the outdoor deck atop the podium wraps 360 degrees around the building, so you can get all your steps in without leaving the premises, and without walking up and down a hallway.

A goal of mine is to photograph the entire construction progress of every Chicago development I can get to, from the time a lot is empty, or a building or parking lot is destroyed, through completion. Then, to be able to visit that project once opened. 1001 South State is the first building in Chicago for which I’ve completed that cycle.

The Open House Chicago 2016 Gallery

The Construction Gallery

The Gallery On Wells: No room for amenities? Build them next door.

Posted on October 13, 2016 by danieldschell

The Gallery On Wells will have its amenity deck next door, atop 640 North LaSalle.

Yes, that’s what 167 West Erie is called now: The Gallery On Wells. It’s one of the more unique construction projects in Chicago at the moment. Not because it’s pretty. Not because it’s racing floor-by-floor with 640 North Wells across the street. No, this one’s interesting because of where the amenities floor will.

Next door.

That’s right, the rooftop amenity deck for The Gallery On Wells will be atop 640 North LaSalle Street, home the huge Effen Vodka sign. (That means there are three street addresses associated with this project: 167 West Erie Street, 637 North Wells Street, and 640 North LaSalle Street.) A skybridge will connect the residential tower to the outdoor space. MAC Management is a co-developer of The Gallery On Wells, along with Magellan Development Group, and they own 640 North LaSalle. And not just any outdoor space: according to Magellan, the “largest outdoor deck in River North featuring lounge seating, cabanas and grills.” You’re going to want to make friends here.

: The renovation permit for 640 North LaSalle.

Another day, another new name. The Linea forms on the right.

Posted on October 11, 2016 by danieldschell

What hasn’t changed about Linea is that it looks wonderful in the morning sunlight.

Goodbye, Level Apartments. Hello, Linea.

As the Chicago Architecture Blog reported yesterday, the abodes formerly known as Level Apartments were renamed recently. The residential tower at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop has confused us with names before. Early renderings of the project showed the word “Elevate” on some photos, and that name was picked up by some outlets. Then came Level, complete with a website, and signage at the construction site itself. That signage is still present, but the old website name has been erased. Erased from existence, as Doc Brown would say.

And now we have Linea. Not to be confused with the best restaurant in the world, Alinea. (Or is it? There is expected to be several thousand feet of ground-floor retail space at Linea; could Alinea be taking some of that space? That’d be rad.)

Quick reminder: Linea will be 33 stories tall, with 265 apartments and 150 or so parking spaces. Thomas Roszak Architecture did the design; Clark Construction is on the build. Completion is expected in 2017.

: Old sign, with Level website.

: Same sign, with Level info gone.

Construction Update: The Marriott Marquis Chicago at McCormick Place

Posted on October 6, 2016 by danieldschell

That’s the Marriott Marquis Chicago, way over there. Don’t worry; I’ll get you closer.

39 stories. 1,205 rooms. 25,000 square feet of ballroom space. 90,000 square feet of meeting space. Two pedestrian bridges. Lots of glass.

The Marriott Marquis Chicago will have it all when it opens in July of 2017. But for now, what it has are lots of photo ops. If you’re into that sort of thing.

I am.

: Attaching the Marriott Marquis to the old American Book Company building.

: The pedestrian bridge from the West Building of McCormick Place, to the Marriott Marquis.

: The other pedestrian bridge, connecting the Marriott Marquis to the McCormick Place Event Center.

Quick Look: An overview of Atrium Village construction

Posted on October 6, 2016 by danieldschell

This look at Atrium Village construction is courtesy of Joe Carpita.

Joe Carpita of Chicago (@joecarpita on Twitter) sent in this elevated view of Atrium Village construction Wednesday. Not only is it a great shot of those Fields of Gold from last week’s post, but it also provides a new perspective on just how high The Sinclair (in the background) has risen.

Thanks, Joe!

In the War On Wells, 167 West Erie outglasses the competition

Posted on October 5, 2016 by danieldschell

Windows have arrived at 167 West Erie in River North.

Construction milestones. Let’s see, you have your first permit, groundbreaking, tower crane, topping off, and grand opening. And wedged in there between tower crane and topping off would be the first glass. Be it windows, cladding, skin, whatever your blueprints call it.

Up on Wells Street in River North, there’s been a battle brewing on opposite sides of the street. 640 North Wells is the 23-story apartment tower on the west side of the street, and 167 West Erie, which sits at 637 North Wells Street, or thereabouts, competes from the east side with its 39-story endeavor. Both started construction about the same time, both erected tower crane just days apart, and have been racing ever since toward completion. (My money’s on the tower that’s just over half as tall. Duh.)

But we can declare a winner in the battle for window supremacy. (Side note: 167 West Erie won the tower crane race too, per this from the Chicago Architecture Blog) And it ain’t even close. 167 West Erie has installed glass on a few floors, while 640 remains as open to the elements as the day it was born.

: Sorry, 640 North Wells, but we can’t count those.

Atrium Village plants Fields of Gold, and it Stings so good

Posted on September 30, 2016 by danieldschell

There’s gold in them there excavations!

I don’t know quite what to make of the yellow field Onni Group has put down in its Atrium Village construction site, but I know I like it.

This is Phase One of the Atrium Village project, which will be a 31-story apartment tower designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects. It will have 400 rental units, ground-floor retail, and some 300+ parking spaces.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

Quick Look: A tower crane in the distance

Posted on September 26, 2016 by danieldschell

Alta Roosevelt Tower Crane, September 25, 2016.

There’s more to construction than tower cranes.

But man, tower cranes are cool.

From the West Loop, the photo above shows the tower crane at Alta Roosevelt (801 South Financial Place) with 1001 South State serving as a backdrop.

You remember 1001 South State, right? Yep: Moon Crane

Construction Update: No. 9 Walton rises (now even higher) in the Gold Coast

Posted on September 21, 2016 by danieldschell

No. 9 Walton, 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast.

Over at 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast, JDL Development is erecting what may turn out to be one of the crown jewels in an already rather jewel-encrusted neighborhood. No. 9 Walton, a design from Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, originally set out to be a 35-story residential tower comprised of 67 ultra-luxury condominiums. But then, after beginning construction last summer, JDL asked the City of Chicago to go higher:

A proposal for the amendment of residential business planned development #1043, submitted by West Walton Chicago Investors LLC, for the property generally located at 9 W. Walton Street. The Applicant is proposing to increase the maximum allowable height permitted for tower 2 from the previously approved 430’ to 456’ to allow for the construction of 2 additional floors. The increase would allow for the construction of a total of 5 additional dwelling units. The applicant would be using the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus to allow for an additional 0.29 FAR within the planned development. The Applicant is requesting to rezone the properties from Residential Business Planned Development #1043 to Residential Business Planned Development #1043, as amended. (2 nd Ward)

And sure enough, the Chicago Plan Commission said yes:

https://twitter.com/ChicagoDPD/status/766314903208591361

So now, No. 9 Walton will rise to 37 stories and a height of 456 feet. And if all goes according to plan, Lendlease, the general contractor on the project, will have condos ready for habitation by Summer 2017. Seem optimistic? We’ll just have to sit back and watch them work.

: No. 9 Walton, from a distance.

: Yep. Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: A rendering of No. 9 Walton from Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

: The full-build permit.

: The tiniest sliver of a peek at No. 9 Walton, from atop the John Hancock Center.

Level Apartments continues to rise above Lake Street

Posted on September 19, 2016 by danieldschell

In this view from North Franklin, Level Apartments rises behind what will be the new CNA Center.

Level Apartments, the 33-story rental tower by Thomas Roszak Architecture at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop, keeps edging toward its ultimate height. Dwarfing the much-loved Monk’s Tavern next door, which many feared would meet the wrecking ball to clear additional space, Clark Construction is adding glass and floors to Level at a furious pace. When completed, expect about 260 apartments and 150 parking spaces.