Construction Progress: Addison & Clark in Lake View

Posted on February 27, 2018 by danieldschell

Power Construction has topped out Addison & Clark in Lake View.

M&R Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties are the co-developers of Addison & Clark, the sprawling mixed-use project next to Wrigley Field bringing 148 apartments and 146,000 square feet of retail space to Lake View. Power Construction is the general contractor, and they’ve topped out the eight floors in total. The SCB design involves parking for 400+ cars, which will be used not only by Addison & Clark residents, but also shoppers, diners, and baseball fans.

Two towers of The Lincoln Common are starting to rise

Posted on November 20, 2017 by danieldschell

One of two cores that will become 20-story towers at The Lincoln Common.

Cores for the dual 20-story towers at The Lincoln Common are starting to rise from the deep excavations along Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. W.E. O’Neil has a pair of tower cranes working on-site, so we’re going to assume there’s a little friendly competition going on over there over which tower grows faster.

We’ve pointed this out before: The Power Of Two is hard at work at The Lincoln Common.

There are 2 developers: Hines, and McCaffery Interests
There are 2 design firms: Antunovich Associates, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
There are 2 initials in general contractor W.E. O’Neil’s name
There are two 20-story towers, each containing 269 units
There are two tower cranes (this is the most improtant pair, of course)

There were a couple newsworthy events at other phases of The Lincoln Common last week. First, a tower crane permit was issued for Belmont Village at 700 West Fullerton. Later in the week, a full permit was issued for the 6-story office building at 2350 North Lincoln, directly across the street from the dual towers. W. E. O’Neil is the CG on those two projects as well.

: Dual tower require dual tower cranes.

: No left turn into construction site. Please.

A zillion construction photos of Jewel Residences Gold Coast you knew were inevitable

Posted on November 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Construction on Jewel Residences Gold Coast, from the beach.

You’ve seen the names of the five tower cranes, and you’ve seen them lit up at night. Now, it’s time to get a good look at Jewel Residences construction in the light of day.

Yes, I went by this construction site three times; it’s that good. So to accompany the nighttime photos and tower-crane close-ups you’ve already seen, here are a metric ton of pictures taken both in morning, and late afternoon, sunlight.

As a reminder, Jewel Residences is a three-tower development along Surfers Paradise Beach in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It will include more than 500 apartments and a 171-room Wanda Vista Hotel. It’s being developed jointly by two firms from China: Wanda Group and RDG. The design is by DBI Design, and Multiplex is the builder.

Follow the tower cranes down Surfers Paradise Beach to Jewel Residences.

There should be a prize if you make it through this entire galley.

: Okay, one night shot.

A site almost missed, Melbourne’s Collins Arch will be a sight to behold

Posted on November 2, 2017 by danieldschell

The four tower cranes of Collins Arch. Think that’s cool? Just wait ’til you see renderings.

I wouldn’t normally post about tower cranes I saw from the back seat of a tour van (it’s a long story), but Collins Arch in Melbourne’s Central Business District isn’t your typical development. It was the four tower cranes that got my attention, but it was the fabulous renderings that made me a fan.

Collins Arch is being developed by Cbus Property. The architecture is the work of SHoP Architects and Woods Bagot. Multiplex is the builder. Completion is expected in 2019.

: Collins Arch rendering from Cbus Property.

: Collins Arch rendering from Cbus Property.

: Collins Arch rendering from Cbus Property.

: Getting what I can, from the van.

Lendlease rolls a Lucky Seven at Darling Square in Sydney’s Darling Harbour

Posted on October 31, 2017 by danieldschell

Spotted from the Sydney Tower Eye: The Seven Tower Cranes of Darling Square, by Lendlease.

Please know for certain that I didn’t see every construction project in Australia. Come on. Two weeks? Just not enough time. But of what I saw, this one easily takes the award for Most Tower Cranes.

Darling Square is a mixed-use project being developed and built by Lendlease. Located along Sydney’s famed Darling Harbour, Darling Square will be comprised of many, many parts. So many parts, in fact, that I don’t know if I’ve got them all straight. The main portion of the development will have three towers of 41, 19, and 7 stories, and a 6-story podium, per design architects Tzannes Associates. There will be 581 apartments located here.

Rendering of The Darling Exchange from Kengo Kuma and Associates.

Darling Square will also include a public square, designed by Aspect Studios; a community hub called The Darling Exchange, designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates; and two retail pavilions designed by Archer Office. No wonder they need 7 tower cranes on the site.

And if all that doesn’t sound like enough of a task, Darling Square necessitated the demolition of a 13,000-seat stadium, Qantas Credit Union Arena (previously known as The Sydney Entertainment Centre) in order to clear space for the project.

Whether you’ve been able to process all of that info or not, here comes the photo gallery:

Multiplex dazzles with a Tower Crane Light Show on Surfers Paradise Beach

Posted on October 29, 2017 by danieldschell

Tower cranes light up the night atop Jewel Gold Coast on Surfers Paradise Beach.

As you may have heard, my wife and I spent a couple weeks in Australia. Now that we’re back home in Chicago’s weather instead, it’s time to get myself organized and figure out what to do with the hundreds and hundreds of photos I took. By my last count, I have about 75 files (more than 30 just in Melbourne!) of pictures for different construction sites and buildings. (Yes, two of those files are “Sydney Opera House” and “Sydney Harbour Bridge.” You can’t help it when you’re there.)

I don’t know how many of those files will be shared here on the blog — I’ve only posted about two of them so far, both in Melbourne — but right now the odds are about 50/50 that I post either all of them, or none of them. The big questions are, which sites are most entertaining to see? and in what order do I post?

I was going to try to build up some sort of crescendo, start you out slow, then hit you with the coolest, most sensational posts. But no, I’ve decided to get right to the good stuff.

Along Surfers Paradise Beach in the coastal city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Multiplex is erecting the three-tower Jewel Gold Coast. Chicago has had its own Tower of Jewel project recently, the just-completed Sinclair apartment building at Clark and Division, which also happens to be in Gold Coast, this one being north of the equator. Jewel Gold Coast is a little different. And brighter at night.

Jewel Gold Coast is a joint project from developers Wanda Group and RDG. Both firms are from China. And yes, Wanda Group is part of the development team for Vista Tower in Chicago, which, like Jewel Gold Coast, will include a Wanda Vista Hotel. The design is by DBI Design, which has an office in Gold Coast, hence I would like to work there. (Gold Coast is a spectacular beach city. Go visit.) There will be 171 hotel rooms, 512 apartments, and 816 parking spots, with lots of commercial space thrown in for good measure. And good tourists. According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, the three towers will be 36, 41, and 47 stories high, respectively.

As I’ve mentioned, Multiplex, busy throughout Australia, is the builder. And the lighter of tower cranes. Four of Multiplex’s five cranes (they all have names; I’ll get to that another day) are lit up at night, like light sabers guarding the coastline. And those are what I’ve chosen to show you first, from our walk along the beach on the final night of our Australia trip. Enjoy. Sorry I didn’t have a tripod for these.

: I was trying to get that blue “Jewel” logo. Meet Lotty, everyone.

: MULTIUPLEX

: MULTIPLEX & MOON

Aurora Melbourne Central will light up the sky with a 92-story mixed-use tower

Posted on October 20, 2017 by danieldschell

Aurora Melbourne Central rises at 250 La Trobe Street in Melbourne’s CBD.

Seeing an aurora in the sky is always a special experience.

Seeing Aurora Melbourne Central in the Melbourne, Victoria sky will mean mixed-use architecture has climbed to new heights.

Being billed as the tallest residential tower in Melbourne’s Central Business District, Aurora Melbourne Central will include office space on the first seven floors (where car parking will also be located) to go along with its nearly 1200 rental and serviced apartments.

UEM Sunrise, a developer from Malaysia, is making its first foray into Australia with Aurora Melbourne Central. It is a design by Elenberg Fraser. Probuild is the general contractor. Opening is scheduled for 2019.

: Elenberg Fraser rendering.

: Elenberg Fraser rendering.

: Cross-section rendering.

: Elenberg Fraser rendering.

: Thw tower being built next door is Scape Swanston.

It’s Craning Day Part II at The Lincoln Common

Posted on September 18, 2017 by danieldschell

North Crane’s stub is set in its foundation, and the rest of the crane is being erected starting today.

Out at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service are back at it again, erecting the second tower crane for the dual-20-story-tower mixed-use project from Hines and McCaffery Interests.

The site was blessed with a pair of tower-crane permits back in July and August. The South Crane (The permits call them “East” and “West.” This is a struggle for me.) was erected in late August. And this morning, work is starting on the North Crane. Funny, North got its permit first, yet was erected after South, but that means nothing at all, so it isn’t worth mentioning, even though I did anyway.

As for construction itself, the south tower is starting to go vertical, with the core reaching above street level. Meanwhile, the north tower area is still mostly underground. You’ll notice, in particular, the tower-crane foundation is well below street level. Which is further proof this will be a fascinating site to watch.

Addison & Clark continues filling in its enormous Lake View space

Posted on September 12, 2017 by danieldschell

Curtis Waltz at Aerialscapes, killing the overhead shots at Addison & Clark.

That’s a big lot up that at Addison & Clark. And Addison & Clark is a big project. Seems like the prefect match, doesn’t it?

M&R Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties are the co-developers on the sprawling mixed-use project, bringing 148 apartments and 146,000 square feet of retail space across the street from Wrigley Field. Power Construction is out there doing the heavy labor, and they’ve reached as high as the 5th floor, depending on which part of the site you look, of the eight floors in total. That includes lots of podium work, to be expected when the SCB design involves parking for 400+ cars.

The plan is to have residents and shoppers alike enjoying Addison & Clark in 2018. Progress looks well on the way to that goal.

W.E. O’Neil erecting Chicago’s 31st tower crane at The Lincoln Common

Posted on August 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The Lincoln Common south tower crane makes its appearance in the Lincoln Park skyline.

It’s almost here.

Chicago’s 31st (and, eventually, 32nd) tower crane is just about ready to lift the heavy stuff at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service have been on the site since Wednesday setting up the South Tower Crane. That means crew members are climbing around at scary heights, fastening what needs to be fastened, tightening what needs to be tightened. By the looks of progress, there’s no reason to believe Southy won’t be operational for work on Monday.

Still no sign of North Tower Crane, but I don’t want to sound greedy. We can just enjoy one for now.