Construction Update: 1001 West Chicago rises in River West

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

1001 West Chicago, with an impressive photobomb by Saint John Cantius, which I hope you visited during Open House Chicago.

1001 West Chicago is rising on the site of the old Gonnella Baking Company site, which is the yeast of the bread puns I could have made. Developed by Bond Companies and Morgan Holdings, designed by Fitzgerald Associates, the dual-tower project will deliver 363 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Power Construction is on the build.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: Gloomy crane.

830 North Milwaukee is now Linkt

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Linkt Apartments, 830 North Milwaukee Avenue.

For a long time, it was known by its address, 830 North Milwaukee. Now, the apartment development from Akara Partners in River West shall henceforth be called Linkt Apartments. (Just think, if they added a few hotel rooms, they could call a portion of it the Linkt Inn. We could all post our resumes in the lobby.)

The bKL Architecture-designed project brings 47 new luxury apartments over five stories to the neighborhood, with 24 parking spaces. Summit Design + Build is the general contractor, tasked with having Linkt Apartments ready in Spring 2017.

: A rendering of Linkt from bKL Architecture.

: bKL rendering.

: bKL rendering

: February progress.

: April progress.

: Linkt was a pretty yellow back in July.

: The south end.

: The back.

1200 South Indiana gets a permit for 792 apartments in the South Loop

Posted on October 15, 2016 by danieldschell

A rendering of 1200 South Indiana from Rafael Viñoly Architects.

We knew it was coming. It’s here now.

1200 South Indiana, the 76-story supertall by Rafael Viñoly Architects, received a permit from the City of Chicago on Friday to begin foundation work. The Crescent Heights development means 792 apartments at the south end of Grant Park, along Roosevelt Road between Michigan and Indiana Avenues. Expect 12 (twelve?!) levels of parking and about 12,000 square feet of retail space as well, not to mention all the creature comforts you’d expect from new high-end (and sky-high) rentals in Chicago.

Now skyscraper nerds will have to split our spectating time between 1200 South Indiana and Vista Tower, which is already captivating audiences with caisson work of epic proportions at 363 East Wacker Drive. As with Vista, McHugh Construction is the general contractor on 1200 South Indiana.

: The foundation permit.

: Goodbye ugly, empty lot!

The Gallery On Wells: No room for amenities? Build them next door.

Posted on October 13, 2016 by danieldschell

The Gallery On Wells will have its amenity deck next door, atop 640 North LaSalle.

Yes, that’s what 167 West Erie is called now: The Gallery On Wells. It’s one of the more unique construction projects in Chicago at the moment. Not because it’s pretty. Not because it’s racing floor-by-floor with 640 North Wells across the street. No, this one’s interesting because of where the amenities floor will.

Next door.

That’s right, the rooftop amenity deck for The Gallery On Wells will be atop 640 North LaSalle Street, home the huge Effen Vodka sign. (That means there are three street addresses associated with this project: 167 West Erie Street, 637 North Wells Street, and 640 North LaSalle Street.) A skybridge will connect the residential tower to the outdoor space. MAC Management is a co-developer of The Gallery On Wells, along with Magellan Development Group, and they own 640 North LaSalle. And not just any outdoor space: according to Magellan, the “largest outdoor deck in River North featuring lounge seating, cabanas and grills.” You’re going to want to make friends here.

: The renovation permit for 640 North LaSalle.

3Eleven grows, and Assumption Catholic Church gets a new story

Posted on October 13, 2016 by danieldschell

3Eleven, at 311 West Illinois Street in River North, being constructed on what used to be the parking lot of Assumption Catholic Church.

Progress continues on the 25-story apartment tower 3Eleven in River North. The future home of 245 “luxury” rentals, 3,000 square feet of retail, and 109 parking spaces by the John Buck Company broke ground back in June in the parking lot of Assumption Catholic Church. 3Eleven is a design by FitzGerald Associates Architects. Power Construction is doing the build.

A related project to this is the one-story addition Assumption Church is getting to the priory on the west end of the lot. The architecture firm of McBride Kelley Baurer Architects designed the priory portion; Norcon is the general contractor for the addition.

: The single-story addition to the priory at Assumption Catholic Church.

351 West Huron buries caissons in River North

Posted on October 13, 2016 by danieldschell

Revcon Construction at work on 351 West Huron.

There’s a Revcon rig in River North on the site of 351 West Huron, the 6-unit condominium project from Regency Development Group. And that means caissons are being drilled and filled for the 7-story building designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. If you recall, this project sat idle for awhile, being finally moving forward in August with the addition of Summit Design + Build as the new general contractor.

If you’re not sure quite where 351 West Huron Street is, picture yourself on North Orleans, grabbing an Italian Beef from Mr. Beef, then heading next door to the Green Door Tavern for a beverage. 351 West Huron will sit immediately behind those two establishments. Mmmmmm, Italian Beef.

: Is that a caisson rig in the distance? I better get over there.

: Foundation work on 351 West Huron, under the watchful eye of the still-under-construction 400 West Huron.

Vista Tower caisson work, second only to the Cubs as a spectator sport

Posted on October 12, 2016 by danieldschell

Even the pigeons are mesmerized by caisson work going on at Vista Tower.

Vista Tower doesn’t need pre-sales of condo units. Just charge $5 for each one of us leaning against the railings along Wacker Drive, and by The Tides and The Shoreham atop Field Boulevard. It would raise a fortune.

Case Foundation continues to bore holes into the Lakeshore East earth, then fills them up with cement and rebar and corrugated metal tubes and even the occasional iron tube. Seriously, stop by and watch some time. Unless you have a meeting to go to. because you won’t make it back to the office in time.

: Found you! My trun to hide!

Tower crane assembly is underway at 171 Aberdeen

Posted on October 12, 2016 by danieldschell

The forst section of tower crane is added to the stub at 171 Aberdeen.

Two tower crane permits. An additional foundation permit to add more caissons. Both scenarios conspiring to delay the assembly of a tower crane for 171 Aberdeen, the 11-story mixed-use apartment project in the West Loop.

But that’s all in the past. Tuesday, Central Crane Service was on site putting the crane together at long last. By the end of the day, the main shaft was up, with the cab sitting atop it. Expect the boom Wednesday, and an operational crane no later than week’s end.

Videos and photos follow:

Another day, another new name. The Linea forms on the right.

Posted on October 11, 2016 by danieldschell

What hasn’t changed about Linea is that it looks wonderful in the morning sunlight.

Goodbye, Level Apartments. Hello, Linea.

As the Chicago Architecture Blog reported yesterday, the abodes formerly known as Level Apartments were renamed recently. The residential tower at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop has confused us with names before. Early renderings of the project showed the word “Elevate” on some photos, and that name was picked up by some outlets. Then came Level, complete with a website, and signage at the construction site itself. That signage is still present, but the old website name has been erased. Erased from existence, as Doc Brown would say.

And now we have Linea. Not to be confused with the best restaurant in the world, Alinea. (Or is it? There is expected to be several thousand feet of ground-floor retail space at Linea; could Alinea be taking some of that space? That’d be rad.)

Quick reminder: Linea will be 33 stories tall, with 265 apartments and 150 or so parking spaces. Thomas Roszak Architecture did the design; Clark Construction is on the build. Completion is expected in 2017.

: Old sign, with Level website.

: Same sign, with Level info gone.

640 North Wells stakes its claim as prettiest Chicago construction

Posted on October 11, 2016 by danieldschell

640 North Wells, rising in River North.

Exhibit on Superior held the title for awhile. But then they covered up all the construction materials with finishing work, so a new leader had to be chosen.

I give you 640 North Wells. All orange and blue. On a sunny day, you can’t beat it. Though the Marriott Marquis comes close.

Shut-out to Lendlease for the nice artwork.