Category Archives: 70-79 Stories

That looks like a wrap on caisson work at 400 Lake Shore

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It looks like caisson work is complete for the North Tower at 400 Lake Shore. Lots of equipment being loaded up on trucks, no more caissons (or precious few) still poking up out of the ground, no caissons being drilled. You know, all the tell-tale signs.

There are a whole bunch o’ steel sheets waiting to be driven into the ground, with some already in place right next to the cofferdam. (Note: It seems cliché at this point to refer to the cofferdam as “The Old Chicago Spire Hole.” I’m going to miss that name.) According to Alderman Reilly’s email to constituents and anyone else who wants to read it last week, those could very well be “tower crane sheeting.” So yeah, this *might* be an indication that the tower crane (or one of them? Still don’t know) will be right next to the old Spire Ho—sorry. Next to the cofferdam.

In fact, here are all the 400 Lake Shore-prudent tidbits from the alderman’s email:

Week of 4/22:

Continue Installation of tower crane sheeting
Demobilization of caisson equipment
Delivery of mobile crane for concrete operations
Begin excavation of site at Ogden slip and under inbound LSD ramp
Begin installation of concrete walls inside the cofferdam

Week of 4/29:

Continue excavation at Ogden slip
Begin installation of concrete walls inside cofferdam
Begin pouring of cofferdam walls and tower crane foundation

This may shock you, but I took a few photos while I was visiting on Thursday, April 25. They kinda look like a sandbox full of toys. Really cool toys. Here’s proof:

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2 Questions at 400 Lake Shore

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These caissons are awfully far from the pit of despair.

Question #1. Are we getting two tower cranes here?

Question #2. There are a few caissons well to the south of the Spire hole. Is the footprint of the North Tower that large? Or are some of the caissons for the South Tower being drilled now?

Photos were taken March 29, 2024:

II In One Contractors rig
400 Lake Shore North Tower construction
400 Lake Shore North Tower construction
400 Lake Shore North Tower construction

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Caisson work is at full bore (heh) at 400 Lake Shore

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The scene Monday, March 11, at 400 lake Shore in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.

CaissonFest is underway at 400 Lake Shore, as Keller North America and team have begun drilling into the earth around the old Chicago Spire’s cofferdam. I’m told about 50 caissons need to be drilled & filled to supplement the support offered by that big hole in the ground, the one that just got a boatload of concrete dumped into it. So this crew should be around for awhile.

Lots of equipment, lots of people on site. So, lots of photos.

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Caissons are about to come rolling along into 400 Lake Shore

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Building rebar cages at 400 Lake Shore

I’ve been posting a lot about 400 Lake Shore. I know it. No, I’m not in the pocket of the developer or the contractors. (I’m available though.) This is just the next big thing in Chicago, I have some free time available, and the Divvy ride from Montrose down to Navy Pier is really, really good exercise. So indulge me.

Here’s a thing I know for certain: caisson work is about to begin in earnest at 400 Lake Shore. Equipment that started pouring onto the site Wednesday tells us Keller North America is about to dig deep. If you’re reading this today (Thursday the 7th) it was expected that the first caisson would start drilling today.

Here’s something I don’t know for certain: one tower crane? Two tower cranes? Chicago’s first tower crane permit of 2024 was issued January 11, for this construction site. And now, another tower crane has been issued for the site on March 5. Thing is, this new permit is identical to the first one. So I can’t clarify if it’s an erroneous duplicate of that first one, or if we can expect two tower cranes to erect this tower. Someone out there knows the answer; let’s hope they read my stuff.

More pics!

Breakin’ rocks
Installing an outer fence

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After-Pour: A quiet Saturday at the old Chicago Spire site after 400 Lake Shore gets tons of concrete

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As you can see above, Nick was at the Big Mat Pour 2024 at 400 Lake Shore last week. I wasn’t, even though he told me himself that morning it was happening. Too cold for me. I’m delicate. (Yeah, I shoulda gone.)

But I was there two days later, on Saturday, when there was absolute silence. Silence. Not an unusual sound at the old Chicago Spire Site. But at least now we know that temporary stay in action will only last over a weekend.

Here, look how quiet it was. If you can “see” quiet:

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It’s really happening: 400 Lake Shore takes over hole-in-the-ground Chicago Spire site

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The Ol’ Spire Pit, now the future home of 400 North Lake Shore Drive

400 Lake Shore is a thing. And now 400 Lake Shore is happening.

More than a decade after foundation work for The Chicago Spire was halted (or just about as long since my last gallery post), Related Midwest has picked up the torch and construction has begun in earnest on their new 72-story, 850-foot-tall North Tower.

The glamorous address for this one is, of course, 400 North Lake Shore Drive. The permit address is 462 East North Water Street. To date, three permits have been issued;
Caissons on 12-6-2023
The tower crane on 1-11-2024
“Three levels of superstructure” on 2-0-2024.

LR Contracting, the boots-and-hardhat division of Related Midwest, is the general contractor, with an assist from Bowa Construction. Goebel Forming is on concrete. Chicago’s Skidmore, Owings & Merrill is the design architect.

Back in mid-January, 400 Lake Shore was the proud recipient of 2024’s first tower crane permit. No idea how long it will be until that crane arrives on site, but it’s another milestone to look forward to.

Tough to get close to this one for a decent view, without walking with traffic on Lower LSD (which I prefer not to attempt.) Of course, once this project starts rising above street(erville) level, there will be lots to see. In the meantime, if you live in a nearby high-rise and have a view, send me an invite. I’ll bring some beverages and we’ll watch construction together. Until then, these photos from distance will have to suffice.

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1000M, for the final construction visit?

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1000M stand tall above Grant Park.

The days of watching construction at 1000M are drawing to a close. Just a handful of the top levels remain unglazed. Soon the tower crane will come down and this will look like a finished product while crews work on the interior.

1000M gave us the rare thrill of watching a skyscraper begin twice. First when caisson work got underway, and then again, after a pandemic-induced delay left the site dormant for months and months. The tower crane base that had been planted was removed, it went from condos to apartments, the design was tweaked, and it roared back to life early in 2022.

It’s always weirdly sad to me when a building wraps up construction and there’s nothing to watch anymore, but this one legit tugs at the heartstrings, knowing Helmut Jahn isn’t here to enjoy its completion.

1000M should be open to residents in 2024. And please, if you get one of these apartments, invite me over. I’ll even help you move in, if that’s what it takes.

More from 1000M as it rises into Chicago’s skyline

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1000M is at that age where the up-closes aren’t as dramatic as the far-offs. Which is why this post exists in the first place. Wednesday the 12th was as perfect a day as Chicago ever sees in mid-April, and while I didn’t set out to take more progress photos of Helmut Jahn’s South Loop apartment tower, the views once I backed away had their way with me.

So here ya go. A bunch more 1000M photos taken from a variety of perspectives, including Northerly Island (my first real visit there and OMG!), Grant Park, and the Museum Campus. Please enjoy:

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Sun’s out, One’s out

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1000M
1000M, 1000 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago’s South Loop.

That’s “One” as in “One Thousand M,” though most folks ’round these parts refer to it as 1000M.

I know I was just here, but it wasn’t sunny that day. So I came back. Nuff said. Here are the pics:

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Catching up on 1000M, the sky-high apartments coming to the South Loop

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1000M construction progress, taken from Grant Park, looking west.

1000M got started, then it stopped. And we had to wait a long time for it to getting revved up again. Sort of like when the sequel to your favorite movie is announced, but then the release is delayed. Once it comes out, you’re the first in line to see it. Then you see it 17 more times over the nest week and a half. That’s what I was going to do; watch progress at the rejuvenated 1000M. But, well, I didn’t.

But I did take a look this past Sunday, in the cold of late January. The JAHN-designed tower bringing apartments in the sky to the South Loop looks to have reached the high 30s in floor count, with glazing covering about 20 0f those. And here are some photos to prove I was there:

Is that light? Is that blue sky? This was taken the same day as all the others.

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