First set of photos are the more recent, from March 29. Second set was taken February 26.
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Moon and tower crane over 868 North Wells, 2/26/2023.
Know what’s great about procrastination? It means you get two updates within a single space.
868 North Wells is the second phase of JDL Development’s sprawling North Union project on the Near North Side. I stopped by here in September when caissons got started, then didn’t come back until February 26. And even then, I took a bunch of photos, yet posted nothing. But today, I shall make up for that, as you not only get to see those February photos, but also a new set of pictures taken March 29. The added benefit, of course, is getting to see and compare progress without leaving this page. Because I like you. Stay awhile.
General contractor Power Construction, with an assist from concrete contractor McHugh Concrete, has elevated all of 868 above street level, rising to the second floor overall. I’m going to guess the concrete core is about about the fifth floor. They’ll eventually rise to 27 stories containing 411 units. Around the back, there’s another project going up to five stories, but I couldn’t begin to tell you where one ends and the other begins.
All the big permits are official for 868 North Wells, including:
foundations permitted 9/6/22 tower crane permitted 10/12/22 full building permitted 1/4/23 hoist permitted 3/3/23
Below, you’ll find both sets of photos, with the more recent edition first (920 North Wells makes several cameos):
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I took these photos on Wednesday last week. At the rate it’s going, 920 North Wells might be done by now. AT the very least, there’s likely another full floor done.
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One of the first caissons for 868 North Wells at North Union.
One day after getting a foundation permit for the next two buildings at North Union, crews were drilling holes in the earth and filling them with concrete at 868 North Wells Street in Near North.
That single permit issued Tuesday allows Power Construction and Keller North America to work on two structures here: a 27-story residential tower with 411 units, and a five-story building with 23 units. (JDL Development shows a 25-story tower, so we’ll assume the two extra floors are the two below-grade parking levels mentioned in the permit, which includes 129 spaces. They also show 428 units instead of 411; we’ll just wait and see how many there will be when the dust settles and the appliances are installed.)
As they were for North Union’s first tower, a block north at 920 North Wells, Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture is the design architect. McHugh Concrete joins the team as concrete contractor.
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I’m not upset the pretty lights in the sky at Big Deahl are gone; I’m upset the tower crane at Common Lincoln Park holding the pretty lights at Big Deahl is gone. Alas, lots of good things come to an end. It’s at least nice to see lots of windows on The Seng.
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1475 North Kingsbury will be a 27-story building, with 327 rental apartments, atop a three-level parking podium. Amenities will include a rooftop pool with a view of the Chicago skyline.
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Here are the pics from last week (they could well be on the sixth floor by now):
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DAC Developments’The 808 Cleveland (808 North Cleveland Ave) topped out last month, putting another Chicago tower crane in danger of coming down in August.
The 22-story, 200-unit apartment tower by Pappageorge Haymes Partners is almost as glassy as it is tall, with just five levels of glazing remaining to be installed. That’s Focus Construction’s handiwork on the build.
The project team plans to have The 808 open for renters in Spring 2023, while also leasing about 28,000 square feet of retail and office space.
The following gallery was taken August 17, with a few photos from July 29 thrown in for good measure. Because I couldn’t bear to leave out a couple I took from Division Street and Halsted.
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The North Union megadevelopment from JDL Development is now evidenced in two locations. 920 North Wells, the first building to get started, has risen above street level. At 868 North Wells one block to the south, demolition is underway to clear space for another residential tower. 868 will be a 25-story building with 428 units and 12,000 square feet of retail space.
The most fun thing about this is you get two galleries; one for 920 construction by Power Construction, and one for 868 demolition by Atlas Industries. It’s like getting extra free stuff with the free stuff you already got.
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The topped -out Common Lincoln Park, with the 1475 N Kingsbury tower crane behind it.
In more topping out news, word comes this week that Common Lincoln Park, part of the Big Deahl Phase II development at 853 W Blackhawk, has topped out. Phase II kinda sorta came in two phases itself, with The Seng, a five-story condo building at 869 West Blackhawk, and Common Lincoln Park, a 10-story apartment tower at 853 West Blackhawk, getting started first, followed soon thereafter by 1475 North Kingsbury.
The following gallery shows Power Construction’s progress on The Seng and Common Lincoln Park. We’ll get to 1475 in another post. Hopefully.
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