Two cores compete for attention at Wanda Vista Tower

Posted on April 4, 2017 by danieldschell

It’s East Crane vs. West Crane in the Battle of the Cores at Vista Tower.

It’s time for another installment of Vista Tower Photo Gallery. What’s new in the New East Side? There are two cores competing for sunshine, the way trees do in a crowded forest. It would make a good reality show, if it wasn’t McHugh Construction responsible for building both segments. There’s no reason they crews at each core should compete against each other. Unless a passing photographer started some trash talk about how much faster West seems than East. But no one would do that. Right?

: Sometimes I forget where I am…

: …so this signage helps.

: The view from Lakeshore East Park.

1101 South Wabash digs deep

Posted on April 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Foundation work, getting down and dirty, at 1101 South Wabash.

There’s a hotel being built at 1101 South Wabash in the South Loop. And besides it being at the corner of Wabash and 11th Street, behind the Best Western Grant Park Hotel, that’s about all I can tell you of it. Sure, the original foundation permit tells us it will a 30-story hotel. But now there’s a revised permit, which calls for a 30-story mixed-use building.

Okay, not huge news. But there’s more; the revised permit now names Skender Construction as the general contractor, where Lendlease held that distinction on the original permit. Lothan Van Hook DeStefano Architecture remains the architect of record.

With the former two-story parking garage a distant memory, the foundation is being dug and shored up. A tower crane permit was issued February 22, so we have that to look forward to.

: The new general contractor, according to the revised foundation permit.

: Lendlease signage remains all over the construction site.

: The Tower Crane permit, issued Feb 22.

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile sets foundations in Streeterville

Posted on March 31, 2017 by danieldschell

Stalworth Underground is on the foundation beat at the new Aloft Chicago Mag Mile.

Aloft Chicago Mag Mile rendering from the Tishman website.

With the former home of Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art erased from existence, the new Aloft Chicago Mag Mile has begun putting down roots into the Streeterville soil. This is a design from Valerio Dewalt Train Associates, but the project itself is all Tishman. That’s because Tishman is not only the developer, owner, and manager of the new 18-story, 336-room hotel, but they’re the general contractor too.

For now, Stalworth Underground is on the scene, drilling caissons upon which the Aloft Chicago Mag Mile will sit. Next, they’ll do sheeting work (not the making-the-bed kind) before Tishman sends the new hotel vertical. They expect have it open in Winter 2018.

Anyone else ready for Nobu caissons? (corrected)

Posted on March 22, 2017 by danieldschell

Yes, let’s get that thing put together and rip up some earth!

*** STOP THE PRESSES!

Too late? Twitter user and follower @Rjoyce21 informs me that I’m not looking at the assembly of a caisson rig, but rather a “quad sheet press.” So, still a step toward foundation progress, but no caissons. Bummer.

Thank you, Ryan. ***

Because I sure am.

Construction of the Nobu Chicago Hotel at 854 West Randolph Street in the West Loop has been a roller coaster ride at best, a roller coaster ride where you stood in line for two hours and then they closed the ride for repairs just as you got to the front of the line at worst.

All exaggeration, of course. But it’s been interesting. Ground was broken in June. Soil was sampled in July. Then additional height was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in September, and caisson material was delivered to the site. Then, those materials were gone. Then everything was gone. A foundation permit was issued December 1st, but still no action.

Finally, earlier this month, a crew from Taylor Excavating showed up and started digging. And now yesterday, folks from Hayward Baker were on site setting up a caisson rig. So it looks like the 11-story, 119-room hotel is really happening.

Fact: Even in the snow, Vista Tower construction is still cool

Posted on March 20, 2017 by danieldschell

A cold, sunny day at Vista Tower.

While last week’s wintry weather threatened to slow down air traffic and snarl roadways, it didn’t cancel the show at Vista Theater, as McHugh Construction crews plowed through snowy conditions to continue progress at Vista Tower.

Similar to the McHugh project over at the new McDonald’s HQ, Vista Tower seems to have several separate sections of different activities ongoing, from holes being dug and ramps being started to the continuing extension of Upper Wacker Drive.

One request though, if I might add to the growing list of chores to be done: Can we get a pedestrian bridge over Field Boulevard? That long walk around The Tides, GEMS Academy, the Shoreham et al to get optimal views is starting to wear on me. Or maybe just have a tower crane hoist us across the Field void. Thanks.

: All’s weld that ends welded.

: One level above Field Blvd.

: Looking into the guts.

: Ramp.

: Wacker Drive extension.

: Taking out the trash.

: Ramp.

: We want you on that wall. We need you on that wall.

: Considering there are 2 tower cranes, one gratuitous tower-crane shot doesn’t seem all that gratuitous.

: Hammering away at a brand new concrete column.

: Tightrope walking.

: Road’s closed.

: Top of ramp.

A Sunny Day At: The Phoenix Hampton Inn and Suites

Posted on March 9, 2017 by danieldschell

The Hampton Inn and Suites by The M.A. Mortenson Company, at Polk and 1st Streets in downtown Phoenix.

I hear sunny days are fairly common around these parts. So far, I concur.

Out in the far west suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, the M.A. Mortenson Company has just started construction on an 11-story Hampton Inn and Suites at the intersection of Polk and 1st Streets in the heart of downtown. Designed by PK Architects, the $33-million hotel will provide 210 guest rooms, and include amenities including a fitness center, meeting rooms, a business center, and a bar/lounge.

Here’s an OxBlue construction webcam

You can read more about the Hampton Inn and Suites at AZ Big Media

: Working on some sort of sunken maze.

: The Maze.

: This has nothing to do with the construction, but it’s either a tornado, or a huge margarita glass, and it’s kinda cool.

Dig this: There’s action at Nobu. (No, really, there is!)

Posted on March 4, 2017 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/MalcolmMossman/status/837021488054222849

Just when we were starting to believe the Nobu Hotel project might be kaput, there appears to be whole-scale excavation happening on the lot at Randolph and Peoria Streets in the West Loop.

Twitter user @MalcolmMossman tweeted the above photo on Wednesday, after wandering past the site and noticing Taylor Excavation’s equipment peeking out above the secretive fencing. And sure enough, a closer inspection shows some real-live digging. Foundation work? Let’s hope so. It’s nice to see some ground move after it was broken way back in June.

: A machine that makes big dirt small. Cool.

: Not seeing any action at Nobu was getting tired, so this makes sense.

It’s Craning Day at the Triple Hilton McCormick Place

Posted on March 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Thursday morning, this tower crane cab rolled past the B.U.C. HQ. On its way to the Hilton McCormick Place? Sure seemed like it.

Last week, we found the makings of a tower crane at the Triple-Branded Hilton Hotel at McCormick Place. That always means to be on high alert for assembly. Now, I can’t prove the crane parts I watched being driven down the Kennedy to the Dan Ryan this week were headed to McHugh Construction’s site, but it sure added up. A peek out the window Thursday morning confirmed that the crane was being set up down in the Prairie District. And field trip ensued, resulting in the following photos. Best guess is, assembly will be completed Friday.

Way off in the distance, tower crane set-up has been spotted. Time to head to the South Loop.

: This rolled by B.U.C. Wednesday morning, then exited at 18th Street.

: hat-tip to some blue sky for showing up out of nowhere.

: This crane is the real star of tower-crane assembly.

: Stacking counterweights.

Yep, I got more from Wanda Vista Tower for ya

Posted on February 24, 2017 by danieldschell

There’s still a lot going on, so why wouldn’t construction and skyscraper nerds take more photos? Really, it’s out of our control. So here ya go, another slew of action shots from this week at the ever-changing Vista Tower site.

Caisson work almost complete for three-headed Hilton monster at McCormick Place

Posted on February 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Caisson work is wrapping up at the triple-brand Hilton hotel project at McCormick Place.

If you think it’s tough work building a hotel, try building three of them. At once.

That’s what First Hospitality Group and Hilton are doing. You may remember this started out as McHugh Construction’s baby, as they owned the lot, until the developers signed on to triple-brand the project. Under just one roof will be a Hilton Garden Inn, a Hampton Inn by Hilton, and a Home2 Suites by Hilton. Seems like a lot to say? It is. But remember, you’ll only need to book a room at one of the three. Unless you really like having options when you sleep. According to the press release from Hilton linked above, the three hotels will be officially named the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Center, the Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center, and the Home2 Suites by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center.

The 23-story hotel(s), designed by Antunovich Associates, will provide 466 rooms and suites at 123 East Cermak Road. A skybridge will connect the new building to McCormick Place. There promises to be a whole host of amenities and dining options, which, again, you can read about straight from the Hilton’s mouth here.

The permit to build was filed by the City of Chicago back in December. Foundation work began in earnest almost immediately, and now caisson work is just about finished. A tower crane permit was flied last week, on the 9th, so look for that to appear in the Prairie District skies very soon. McHugh Construction is, of course, the general contractor.