Category Archives: New Construction

Alta Roosevelt begins the slow climb skyward

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https://twitter.com/801Financial/status/768916034526904320

If you ever need up-to-the-minutes status reports on the progress of Alta Roosevelt (801 South Financial Place) in the South Loop, look no further than Alta’s own Twitter account. They’re on top of all things constructive as Walsh Construction continues to work on the future 33-story apartment tower. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Architects for developer Wood Partners, Alta Roosevelt will sport 496 rental units, 348 parking spaces, and zero square feet of retail.

There’s a lot of work happening at ground level. Here are a few pictures of the first floor taking shape, though I can’t get as close (nor as high in the tower crane) as the Alta Twitter account.

Glass is in session at 30 East

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30 East

Shiny, newly-installed windows stand along East Balbo Avenue in the new 30 East.

30 East is a residential tower from Gilbane Development Company that will cater to students from the multitude of colleges in and around the South Loop. And when better than Chicago’s official first day of class to tell you about 30 East’s first day of glass?

Last week, Power Construction crews began installing windows along the tower’s third level. In all, there will be 16 floors with 134 furnished apartments, ranging from studios to 4-bedroom units.  Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, 30 East will also have 8,000 square feet of retail space at the ground level. Gilbane expects to have the tower ready for Fall 2017 classes.

151 North Franklin gets crankin’

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CNA Center

The core of the CNA Center has reached the top of the 7-story garage next door. So I’m gonna say it’s about 7 stories high right now.

Admittedly, I became so infatuated with that funky tower crane at the new CNA Center, at 151 North Franklin Street in The Loop, that I forgot to notice how much of the core had risen from the earth. Then, all of a sudden, there it was, right in front of me.

General contractor Lendlease looks to be having a wonderful time pouring concrete and hammering lumber and such. I went ahead and took some pictures, figuring you wouldn’t mind seeing them…

Caisson work completed at Centrum Hubbard

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Centrum Hubbard

It’s back to a clean slate for Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells.

That didn’t take long.

The last pieces of Case Foundation equipment have left the (future) building(s) at Hubbard and Wells in River North. Now, Linn-Mathes can get to the task of digging foundations, so Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells can begin to rise up from the dust.

The development, from Centrum Partners and the architects at Hirsch Associates, received foundation permits back in late June and early July. Up next, expect to see full-build and TOWER CRANE permits.

As Nobu Hotel awaits height decision, caisson equipment arrives

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Nobu Hotel caissons

Caisson equipment offloading for the Nobu Hotel in the West Loop.

When the Chicago Plan Commission meets on the 15th of September, one of the decisions they’ll make is whether to allow the West Loop’s Nobu Hotel project to go to eleven. Stories, that is. Per the Commission’s September agenda:

The proposal will establish an 11-story hotel with 119 hotel keys, amenity space for hotel patrons, ground floor restaurant and 35 off-site accessory parking spaces. (27th Ward)

After a big groundbreaking ceremony featuring co-owner Robert “I Heard Some Things” DeNiro back in June, nothing much has happened (besides some soil sampling in July) on the lot along the Randolph Street Restaurant Row. But Thursday, crews could be seen over, under, and around the secretive plywood privacy fencing, offloading caisson equipment. Because whether you know your height allowance or not, you’re still gonna need a foundation.

 

Chicago’s prettiest new Vista moving soil

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Finally.

When Vista Tower got its foundation permit back in the first week if August, I assumed equipment would flood into the lot in New East Side the following morning to begin tearing up the land. In reality, it took a few weeks for anything to happen at all. But it’s happening now, and what they’re digging in for, is the long haul.

Want to know more about the 93-story Vista Tower? Let me see what I can find for you:

The Tower

Studio Gang

Magellan Development

Crain’s Chicago Business

Chicago Architecture Blog

DNAInfo

Chicago Tribune

Curbed Chicago

Yep. A lot of people are talking about it.

 

1035 West Van Buren continues its climb along the Eisenhower

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1035 West Van Buren

The “back” of 1035 West Van Buren is starting to rise into view of passersby on the Eisenhower Expressway.

Work continues on 1035 West Van Buren, Related Midwest‘s newest residential tower in the West Loop. The tower is beginning to make its presence known at the foot of what will soon be the end of the Jane Byrne Flyover ramp from the Dan Ryan Expressway onto the Eisenhower. The parking podium is up the the fourth floor, while the elevator core continues to climb from within.

The 30-story, 300-unit development by Morris Adjmi Architects of New York City, and Chicago’s own GREC Architects, is expected to be inhabitable before Baby New Year rings in 2018. Lendlease, the general contractor for 1035 West Van Buren, will see to that schedule being met.

625 West Adams putting that shiny new tower crane to good use

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625 West Adams

625 West Adams, from above. Hard to tell from up here what kind of heights have been reached at ground level.

625 West Adams is right outside our back window. It has a big yellow tower crane. Perhaps you’ve heard me speak of it a time or two. And while that new-crane smell may have worn off by now, the new crane’s purpose is just beginning.

As Power Construction continues to make progress on the 20-story office tower, that cranes been throwing things around the lot like a champ. And for good reason; there’s a lot of work to be done to have 625 West Adams ready for its debut in early 2018.

625 West Adams 9

Gratuitous Tower-Crane-And-Building-Up-Chicago-Office shot.

 

Simpson-Querrey doubles down on its crane game

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Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine

In the foreground, South Crane grabs the spotlight, as North Crane fades to the back, like that other guy in Wham!

At the beginning of August, I promised you a second tower crane would appear at Northwestern University’s Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine in Streeterville. Problem is, I told you to wait until the end of August at the earliest, yet upon visiting Tuesday, there was South Crane, standing even taller than North Crane.

The Simpson-Querrey Institute joins The Sinclair in the Gold Coast as the only two projects in Chicago requiring dual tower cranes. Double the fun!

 

 

The Green Green Glass of Home: Optima Chicago Center II

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Optima Chicago Center II

The greenish upper cladding of Optima Chicago Center II. Kinda looks like the Chicago River.

Located at 220 East Illinois Street in Streeterville, Optima Chicago Center II will be a 54-story, 381-unit apartment tower. It was designed by Optima, Inc., and is being developed and built by Optima. because why pay a bunch of other companies to do the things you can do yourself? Its red and green glass will fit wonderfully beside its blue and black glass neighbor and predecessor, Optima Chicago Center.

Optima Chicago Center II