Glazing all the glass is a gas, baby. Can you dig it?

215 West Lake

215 West lake has new glass. And like all new glass, it’s glorious.

215 West Lake can.

Not to be outshone by the brand new, sitting-on-the-coolest-of-cool-steel-truss-work tower crane at 151 North Franklin, Clark Construction has started installing glass in 215 West Lake on the first level above its podium. And while any building getting its first glass is always a major event, it feels even sweeter when it’s a residential tower, when the panels aren’t all exactly alike. A little variety adds character.

That sure *looks* like a real tower crane at 151 North Franklin

151 North Franklin tower crane

So it’s not rooted into the ground. Big deal. This one may be even better, because of that glorious steel truss anchoring it above street level.

151 North Franklin, the new CNA Center in The Loop, started putting up its tower crane this weekend. And while the permit only costs half as much as your standard tower crane permit, it’s full-price-impressive.

151 North Franklin tower crane

Standing on the southwest corner of Franklin & Randolph.

Lendlease, the general contractor for the office tower, will have the luxury of reaching across 4 different blocks if need be. Though I doubt that will be necessary. Or even encouraged. But yes, this monster stretches across the corner of Franklin and Randolph. (It’d be kinda fun to pluck cars from the corner parking lot and put them atop the the parking deck at 200 West Randolph. But that might be why I’m not allowed to operate cranes.)

WARNING: This is a lot of pictures of a tower crane. But when you see it being assembled, you can’t just walk away.

Northwestern Mutual goes mixed-use in Milwaukee

777 North Van Buren Milwaukee

My apologies for the horrible Google Maps photo, but this is the block, before demolition, where construction is taking place, and THERE’S EVEN A SOIL SAMPLING RIG!

This is Part II of my follow-up visit to Milwaukee, and my attempt to sort out what I initially incorrectly wrote about in regards to the Northwestern Mutual development there. You’ve seen the ridiculous number of photos of the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons. Now you can take a look at the nowhere-near-as-far-along project at 777 North Van Buren Street.

777 North Van Buren Milwaukee

A rendering of 777 North Van Buren Street from Northwestern Mutual.

That’s where Northwestern Mutual is building a 34-story mixed-use building to accompany the office tower immediately to its southeast. The Solomon Cordwell Buenz-designed tower will contain retail space on the first floor, along with parking that will extend through the first eight floors. (There will be a whopping total of 1,400 parking spaces, including some underground parking for residents, to be used for the retail shops as well as the office workers at the Tower and Commons.) Atop that will be 25 residential floors containing 308 “high-end” apartments and 14 penthouse units. The 34th floor will be amenity space.

C.D. Smith is the general contractor on the project, with completion expected in Spring 2018.

For now, 777 North Van Buren is barely more than a hole in the ground, but it’s a hole in the ground *with a road leading into it* and that’s enough for me. Here are photos a few photos of the progress as of July 10th. If you’re in Milwaukee, and have more photos of the construction site, email them to the blog, or tweet them to me.

Construction Update: Alta Roosevelt

Alta Roosevelt

Alta Roosevelt, 801 South Financial Place, in the South Loop.

Has the ringing in your ears subsided? Good. That’s because Walsh Construction is done pounding piles into the ground at 801 South Financial Place in the South Loop. Alta Roosevelt is now focusing on height, instead of depth.

Let’s refresh: Alta Roosevelt is a 33-story, almost-500-unit apartment tower designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. It’ll have a whole bunch of parking spots, tons of amenities, and no space for retail. The core is rising out of the ground now, and a full-build permit should be filed in the very near future.

Quick Look: Steel stealing the spotlight at 151 North Franklin

151 North Franklin steel

Construction at 151 North Franklin is rising above street level, highlighted by the steel on the south side of the lot.

I’m kind of obsessed with this steel work going on right now at 151 North Franklin. It reminds me of the glorious contraption on the south end of 150 North Riverside when it first went up. Sadly, the CNA Center requires no massive red crane on a barge.

Climbing Crane Watch: 151 North Franklin

In honor of last week’s double permit festivities — one for the full build, one for the climbing tower crane — I took a quick walk past the new CNA Center at 151 North Franklin again today. Twice, actually. Once in the morning, once on the way back home. Alas, they haven’t set up that pseudo-tower crane thingamobob yet, but they do have some stellar steel work protruding from the ground at the south end of the site. So, rather than waste the trip(s), here are a few pictures:

More Milwaukee: Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons

Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons

Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Back in late June, the Mrs. went up to Milwaukee and brought back a couple souvenirs for me: photos of the under-construction Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons. Thankful for the keepsakes, I posted what I thought I knew about the project. A reader named John Anderson soon let me know, however, that I knew a lot less than I thought I did, and I had erroneously lumped two projects — and their respective information — into one post. (777 West Van Buren is the second project. I’ll post about that another day.)

Well, lucky for me, Sting visited Milwaukee this month. And when Sting is in Milwaukee, you drop everything and go to Milwaukee. That gave me a chance to sing “Roxanne” at the top of my lungs, and to take my own walk around downtown Milwaukee and see what Northwestern Mutual is up to for myself.

So, here’s what I think I now know:

The Tower portion of this project, at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue,  will be 32 stories high, and about 550 feet tall, with the Commons portion extending to the tower’s west. It is a design from Pickard Chilton of New haven, Ct. Northwestern Mutual is, of course, the developer, along with Hines (think River Point here in Chicago, along with a whole lot of others.) Gilbane Building Company is the general contractor. Completion comes in 2017.

That was exhausting. How about some photos from a glorious July afternoon in Milwaukee:

Yes, that’s a lot of photos. Let me know if I got any details wrong, folks.

 

 

Construction Update: 215 West Lake

215 West Lake

215 West Lake continues ever skyward.

By now, you know the basic details of 215 West Lake. Designed by Chicago firm Thomas Roszak Architecture (who may or may not be calling the new tower “Level”), the new apartment tower at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop replaces a parking garage and a late-1800s-era office building with 33 stories and 265 apartments. Throw in ground floor retail and 152 parking spaces in floors 2-4, and you’ve got yourself a new downtown digs.

This is a Clark Construction build. They’ve been on the job since demolition started last fall. And they’ll continue to build until 215 West Lake opens in 2017.

 

Quick Look: 151 North Franklin Gets a Non-Tower Crane Tower Crane Permit

151 North Franklin CNA Center

The permit for the kinda-sorta tower crane at the CNA Center, 151 North Franklin Street.

On Thursday, I passed along the heartbreaking news that the new CNA Center, the 35-story office tower being built at 151 North Franklin Street in The Loop, wouldn’t have a regular tower crane, but instead would utilize a crane attached to the structure itself. Well, that apparatus still requires a permit from the City of Chicago, and it was filed on Friday.

Phase 1 Temporary construction of World Free Standing Tower Crane Model Potain MR608

World Free? Wasn’t he an NBA player?

Interesting factoid: The standard tower crane permit shows an estimated cost of $60,000. This pseudo-tower crane permit goes for just $30,000. So they’re saving half from the get-go. Let’s just hope it’s cool to watch.

Meet Aurélien. 833 North Clark Tops Out, Gets a Name

Aurélien

This is now “Aurélien”, Ryan Companies’ apartment tower at 833 North Clark Street.

With a press release earlier this afternoon, Ryan Companies announced its new residential tower at 833 North Clark Street has topped out. And, in bigger news, it now has a name: Aurélien.

Sadly, this means another tower crane will exit the Chicago skyline soon, but the way things are going, it will probably just be moved to another construction project.

You can follow this link to the Ryan Companies press release, or read it in full below the photos.

Aurélien Chicago

Rendering of Aurélien Chicago from Ryan Companies.

Aurélien Chicago

Hang in there, tower crane. Hang in there.

CHICAGO (July 22, 2016)—The luxury Gold Coast apartment tower being co-developed by Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Lincoln Property Company at 833 North Clark Street in Chicago has reached two noteworthy milestones. Simultaneous to the ceremonial “topping out” phase of the 31-story, under-construction structure, Aurélien was unveiled as the name and brand identity of the multi-family high-rise community.

Aurélien is a $100-million-plus, 368-unit luxury apartment tower currently under construction at the southeast corner of Clark and Chestnut streets on a 41,000-square-foot land site. Construction on the project began last July and is slated to be completed by early 2017. Daiwa House Texas Inc. is the primary equity investor in Aurélien.

To celebrate the topping out, a 1,200-pound, 9’-0” linear foot steel beam was lifted from the ground to the top of the building’s shell some 340 feet above. Development, design and construction team members and trades workers gathered on site for a private event to sign the beam and observe it being hoisted to the top of the building. Logos of those closely linked to the project were displayed on the beam.

“The topping out ceremony is an appropriate point in the construction process to highlight the progress that has been made to date, while anticipating the completion of this significant downtown development,” said Jim Herbst, Division Manager, Ryan Companies US, Inc. “Raising that steel beam gives further definition to Aurélien’s architectural scope. Celebrating that milestone with those working to make the project a reality was also very appropriate.”

Herbst noted some interesting statistics about the construction of Aurélien. At this point in the construction cycle, 132 tons of steel beams have been used to shape the shell of the building. Additionally, 1,355 tons of rebar has been used, 20,150 cubic yards (2,239 truckloads) of concrete has been poured above grade, more than 500 panels of precast concrete have been installed and 411,000 pounds (or about 150 miles) of post tensioning cables have been utilized thus far during construction.

Herbst also acknowledged that approximately 50 different subcontractor companies, and counting, have been instrumental in building Aurélien. The number of construction workers has averaged about 70 per day, swelling to 130 during the concrete pours. In total more than 155,400 safe hours have been logged to date.

The name Aurélien makes an appropriate yet subtle reference to the development’s prominent location within Chicago’s renowned and highly sought-after Gold Coast neighborhood. Further, the European-based name portrays an image that is both classic and contemporary, reflecting the target audience of future residents that includes technology-driven, educated, young professionals or urban couples who desire a luxury living experience in the upscale neighborhood.

“The name Aurélien, which starts with A-U, the scientific symbol for gold, along with the richness of the finishes being incorporated into the building, is a very appropriate name for this luxury apartment tower,” said Irini Boeder, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Lincoln Property Company. “Everything about Aurélien, from its name and location to its finishes, design schemes and color palettes, speaks to understated elegance, exceptional customer service and lifestyle convenience.”

When it opens in early 2017, Aurélien will comprise 368 luxury apartments, including 78 studios and convertibles, 209 one-bedroom units, 75 two-bedroom units and 6 penthouse apartments. Unit sizes, except for the penthouses, will range from 563 square feet to 1,252 square feet. Penthouse units will range from 1,179 square feet to 3,250 square feet.

Aurélien’s location is ideal for residents living, working and playing in or near the Gold Coast. The site is situated in close proximity to transportation including two CTA stations and other public transportation options important to those who work downtown. It offers easy access to Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway for those traveling by car to suburban destinations.

The building is within walking distance of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile (North Michigan Avenue), the downtown CBD, the Northwestern and Loyola University graduate school campuses, and the Northwestern medical center. Located nearby are an abundance of restaurants, clubs, retail amenities, and cultural facilities. It is also within close proximity to the lakefront, from Oak Street Beach to Navy Pier.

For leasing information for Aurélien, visit the property’s website at www.AurelienChicago.com.

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a 3rd generation, family-owned national developer, designer, capital investment consultant, builder and real estate manager specializing in fully integrated solutions for over 75 years. Key market sectors include:  retailers, industrial, healthcare, senior living, and corporate build-to-suit; and product experience includes work on office, retail, mixed use, hospitality, multi-housing, industrial, medical office building, senior living, distribution center, public sector, and mission critical facilities.  Ryan serves customers throughout the United States with offices in the North, Midwest, Great Lakes, SouthEast, SouthCentral, SouthWest and West regions. Ryan was named the 2007 National Developer of the Year by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. For more information, visit www.ryancompanies.com.

About Lincoln Property Company
Since its inception in 1965, Lincoln Property Company has acquired and developed multi%u210family properties valued in excess of $17 billion. A vertically integrated, multi%u210national real estate firm, Lincoln employs over 5,500 people and operates in over 50 markets across the United States via 21 regional and satellite offices. Lincoln manages over 6,000 apartment units in the Chicagoland area with over 3,000 of those units in the City of Chicago itself.  For more information, visit www.lincolnapts.com.