Return to New York City: 520 Park Avenue

Posted on February 9, 2017 by danieldschell

A rendering of 520 Park Avenue from 520parkavenue.com

520 Park Avenue, at 45 East 60th Street, is a 54-story, 33-unit condominium tower in New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood. It’s another design from Robert A.M. Stern Architects, noted in Chicago for their work on One Bennett Park. Zeckendorf Development is the developer; Lendlease is the general contractor. Overlooking Central Park, it will, obviously, have glorious views and severe price tags. Filing this one under “If Only.”

For extensive coverage of 520 Park Avenue, please visit New York Yimby and the CTBUH.

Essex Inn looks under all the mattresses, comes up with money to begin demolition

Posted on January 6, 2017 by danieldschell

It’s demo time! Goodbye parking garage and swimming pool, hello 475 apartments.

As Crain’s Chicago Business reported on Tuesday, Essex Inn at 800 South Michigan Avenue has secured the funding necessary to upgrade the hotel, and add a new a 56-story apartment tower as its new next-door neighbor.

The Demolition Permit.

And no sooner had the ink on the check dried, crews were out on Michigan Avenue, setting up barriers and scaffolding for the temporary sidewalk that will keep pedestrians safe during demolition of the 5-story garage next to the hotel, while also making sure bloggers and skyscraper nerds can’t get too close to the goings-on.

None other than Heneghan Wrecking (we need t-shirts with Heneghan Again on them) will be making space for the new tower, with a demolition permit having been filed way back on October 27.

The Chicago Plan Commission approved the development back in May of 2016, and I quote:

The Applicant intends to create two subareas within the overall 28,744 square foot site. Subarea A, located at 800 South Michigan Avenue consists of an existing 160’ hotel building and will be rehabbed to include a maximum of 290 hotel keys. Subarea B, located at approximately 812 South Michigan Avenue, will be redeveloped with an approximately 620’ residential building including a maximum of 476 dwelling units, 100 hotel keys as well as 100 parking spaces and commercial space.

Essex on The Park, the name of the Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture-designed tower according to Crain’s, should be complete in 2018, and coincide with completion of the hotel renovation.

This rendering, from the Crain’s story, is from Hartshorne Plunkard Architects. Too pretty not to include.

Construction Progress: Optima II surpasses Optima

Posted on January 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Optima Center Chicago II stands up on its heels, accentuating the height difference between it and Little Brother to its right.

It was never a matter of if Optima II would rise higher than its predecessor, Optima Chicago Center, but a matter of when. That’s because we knew from the get-go that Optima Chicago Center II, at 220 East Illinois Street in Streeterville, was expected to rise a full 12 floors higher than the first tower, at 200 East. And 54 stories opposed to 42 stories, when compared apples-to-apples (apartment tower-to-apartment tower, in this case) will always win the height battle.

All that math a side, it’s been several weeks since 220 caught and passed 200, on its way to the aforementioned 54 floors (and 381 apartments.) Optima Chicago Center II is a design, development, and construction project of the multi-talented Optima, Inc.

: From humble beginnings: Site prep in December 2014.

: Caissons done, tower crane planted, July 2015.

: On the right, Optima Chicago Center II. On the left, Optima Chicago Center II reflected in Optima Chicago Center The Original.

: Oh man. Please be careful.

: The red and green cladding was a hit at the holidays.

River Point is open!

Posted on December 1, 2016 by danieldschell

Looking north through River Point Plaza, with the Kinzie Street railroad bridge standing at attention on the right.

River Point, the 52-story office tower from Hines, is now open. That’s likely uncontrollably exciting to those of you who have or will have your new office at 444 West Lake Street in the West Loop, but it’s quite a spectacle for the rest of us, too.

I haven’t been inside yet (insert hopeful emoji here), but I took a stroll through River Point Plaza Thursday evening. The one-and-a-half-acre park, designed by landscape architect The Office of James Burnett, sits above the fork in the Chicago River, offering views to the east past the Merchandise Mart, and to the north toward the Kinzie Street railroad bridge. During construction of River Point, Hines promised us a spectacular public park at the foot of the tower. What Hines delivered is, in fact, a spectacular park at the foot of the tower. But don’t take my word for it. Take my photos that follow instead, then get yourselves over and see for yourself.

Kudos to everyone involved in the River Point project, including design architect Pickard Chilton, civil engineer Magnusson Klemencic Associates, and contractors Lendlease and Clark Construction. Magnificent work, all around!

: Looking east along the Chicago River, with the red-and-green-topped Merchandise Mart on the left.

: Paths and trees and lights on the River Point Plaza.

: Looking south across the plaza, with 150 North Riverside in the distance.

: More plaza, more Chicago River scenery.

: Wreaths and arch.

: The view of River Point from Wacker Drive.

: The north elevation, an angle I’ve been waiting to see.

: Looking up at corners.

: Humble beginnings. Seems like forever ago.

: This was a handsome child.

River Point Plaza is starting to look like a park of dreams

Posted on November 2, 2016 by danieldschell

Some day soon, we’ll be able to hang out in River Point Plaza, gazing up at the glorious new tower.

The one-and-a-half-acre park at the foot of River Point looks more and more inviting every day. That means soon, on days like Tuesday when it was in the high 70s in Chicago, the public will be able to take a book out onto the elevated plaza and enjoy the views of the Chicago River below, and the new office tower directly overhead. Developer Hines (remember our visit to 53W53 last week?) plans to have River Point and its plaza open in early 2017.

: River Point Plaza from a swift-moving Green Line train.

BREAKING: River Point still looks outrageous at night

Gallery

Posted on October 1, 2016 by danieldschell

This gallery contains 9 photos.

The Green Green Glass of Home: Optima Chicago Center II

Posted on August 31, 2016 by danieldschell

The greenish upper cladding of Optima Chicago Center II. Kinda looks like the Chicago River.

Located at 220 East Illinois Street in Streeterville, Optima Chicago Center II will be a 54-story, 381-unit apartment tower. It was designed by Optima, Inc., and is being developed and built by Optima. because why pay a bunch of other companies to do the things you can do yourself? Its red and green glass will fit wonderfully beside its blue and black glass neighbor and predecessor, Optima Chicago Center.

There’s still construction to watch at River Point

Posted on August 9, 2016 by danieldschell

But it helps if you keep your eyes down, instead of up.

There’s a small corner of open space left above the arch.

Yes, there’s still a tiny bit of cladding left to install at the very top of the west-facing side of River Point, and there’s a construction elevator to finish removing. Then all that glass where is used to be will need to be filled in.

Of course, there’s a ton of work to be done inside River Point. But only a chosen few will get to see that process. Which leaves the rest of us to watch the plaza out in front of the tower, along the Chicago River.

Designed by The Office of James Burnett, the one-and-a-half-acre park will sit 35 feet above the river, with fantastic views of the Main and South branches.

: Lendlease dismantles the construction elevator from the west face of River Point.

: River Point Plaza, from the L.

: Construction continues on the plaza in front of River Point.

: A passing architecture cruise reflected in the River Point arch.

More Photos Than I Know What To Do With: Optima II

Posted on June 23, 2016 by danieldschell

Talk about multi-tasking.

This is Optima Chicago Center II. Designed by David Hovey of Optima. Optima is also the developer, and the general contractor. Keeping it in-house to the extreme.

Located at 220 East Illinois Street in Streeterville, Optima Chicago Center II will be a 54-story, 381-unit apartment tower. It sits next to Optima Chicago Center, next door at 200 East Illinois Street. The first Optima tower stands 42 stories tall, and is also a rental building, with 325 apartments. It opened to residents in 2013.

: Site prep, all the way back in December of 2014.

: May 1, 2015, and not much had been accomplished.

: A shot from April, with really good light.

: An April crane shot.

: Optima Chicago Center II, from Cityfront Plaza Drive.

: This will be the “front” and main entrance of the building.

: “Is it really gonna be green and red?” people have asked. Well, there’s your red glass.

: And there’s your green glass.

: The “back” of the building, along Grand Avenue.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

Introducing RP150 to the Chicago Skyline

Posted on June 6, 2016 by danieldschell

May, 2016. RP150 rises above the Metra tracks in the West Loop.

Eurythmics. Wham. Go West. Daft Punk. Air Supply. Names that conjure up images of groups, yet only represent a duo. Now you can add a Chicago act to that list: RP150.

You may know RP150 as two separate entities. But to me, they’re like peas and carrots. It’s hard to remember what this city looked like without them, and now they’ll be here, together, forever.

150 North Riverside is a 54-story office building, designed by the Chicago architecture firm Goettsch Partners, between Lake Street, Randolph Street, and the Chicago River. Right next to it, on the north side of Lake Street, is River Point, a 52-story office tower at 444 West Lake Street designed by Pickard Chilton. Being developed by Riverside Investment & Development Company, and Hines, respectively, the two neighbors will deliver about 2,250,000 rentable square feet to the West Loop. There will also be nearly three full acres of public park space, for those of us who don’t need to rent an office in either building. And glass. Lots of shiny glass.