A Simpson-Querrey Tower Crane Blooms in Streeterville.

Posted on July 20, 2016 by danieldschell

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

Tower Crane alert!

They’ve been digging a hole — a real big hole — since breaking ground in May of 2015 at 303 East Superior Street in Streeterviile for Northwestern University’s Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. This is Phase One, which calls for a 14-story tower designed by Bridget Lesniak of Perkins + Will that will fully integrate with the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center next door. Phase Two will add an additional 16 stories atop Phase One.

The Chicago Architecture Blog spotted a new tower crane stub against the north wall of the pit. How did I miss this one coming? It didn’t make my list of six to watch for because it’s been so long — January 26th — since the City of Chicago filed the tower crane permit. So I simply failed, again, to scroll far enough.

There’s another surprise ahead for me, though. There are two tower cranes permitted for the site. One for the north end, one for the south end. Will the south crane be coming any day now? Or will the north have a chance to get some work done before the second crane arrives?

Oh my goodness, do you realize what this is? North vs South! It’s a Tower Crane Civil War!

: Some native vegetation thriving along the north wall.

: When will we see a second tower crane here at the south end of the construction site?

: This has been a vert deep dig.

: North tower crane permit.

: South tower crane permit.

Tower Crane Update: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Posted on July 20, 2016 by danieldschell

McHugh Construction’s Morrow tower crane rises in the distance.

‘Tis time for another installment of the three tower crane updates from early July, when three stubs were anchored into the ground around Chicago. Monday, the DePaul School of Music got all the attention. Yesterday, 8 East Huron. Today, it’s the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 822 North Clark Street in Near North.

This is another of those pretty yellow Morrow cranes. They’re like sunshine on a cloudy day.

: The 822 North Clark tower crane, dwarfed by the 833 crane. Which is unfair, because that’s a 31-story tower.

Quick Look: Marriott Marquis Chicago Getting Connected

Posted on July 19, 2016 by danieldschell

Steve’s out, and a big yellow crane is in, setting the pedestrian bridge in place.

Part of The Collection at McCormick Square, the Marriott Marquis Chicago hotel is growing by leaps and bounds in the South Loop. There will be two pedestrian bridges included in the new development, one connecting the Marriott to the McCormick Place Events Center, and one that will carry people over Cermak Road, between the hotel and the West Building of McCormick Place.

That second bridge is half in place. Not quite connected to the West Building yet, it’s just kinda hanging out over the sidewalk along Cermak.

Ryan Companies’ 833 North Clark Approaches Full Skyscraper

Posted on July 19, 2016 by danieldschell

833 North Clark Street Apartments.

At 833 North Clark Street in the Near North neighborhood, the multi-talented Ryan Companies is getting close to the top of its new rental tower, 833 North Clark Street Apartments.

Fans of keeping things in-house, Ryan Companies is the a) design architect, with assistance from architect of record Antunovich Associates, b) developer, along with Lincoln Property Company, and c) general contractor of 833 North Clark.

What they’re building is a 31-story, 373-unit rental building with a sundeck,outdoor pool, private cabanas and outdoor fireplaces on the rooftop. Ryan broke ground on the site in July of last year, and expects to be ready for move-ins next spring.

: Rendering of 833 North Clark from Ryan Companies.

: The tower crane across the street at 822 North Clark with the photobomb.

: From Chestnut Street, looking southeast.

: The is the north end of the tower.

: Looking south down Clark Street.

: How do I know there’ll be a rooftop pool? Well…

: The tiny three-story building at the north end of the lot gets to stay right where it is.

: Dueling tower cranes, at 822 and 833 North Clark Street.

: The south and east walls of the tower.

: From State Street, lloking northwest.

: Looking straight up from Clark Street.

: Ryan Companies, doing it all.

Tower Crane Update: 8 East Huron

Posted on July 19, 2016 by danieldschell

If you erect them, they will come watch. Them being tower cranes, they being I.

To be fair, and uncreepy, I was hardly the only interested party spectating at State and Huron Streets Saturday, as a crew from Morrow Equipment Company erected another of its pretty yellow cranes at the 8 East Huron construction site.

Recapping 8 East Huron, it will be a 26-story apartment tower with 105 units. CA Ventures is the developer, Valerio DeWalt Train Associates the designer, and Clark Construction he general contractor. Units are expected to be ready for occupancy in 2017.

: The stub.

: This looks like a scene form Charlie & The Chocolate Factory to me.

: The crane-building crane.

: None of these men are in danger of losing their jobs to me.

: East Huron was closed for the festivities, between State and Wabash.

: Piecing the cab together.

: Lifting crane parts off a truck.

: Staging equipment on East Huron Street.

: The cab.

: Preparing for lift-off.

: Artsy.

: Looking down State Street.

: Monday morning finishing work.

: Monday morning, and the tower crane is almost ready for use.

1001 South State Approaches the Finish Line, Nails Its Mural Game

Posted on July 18, 2016 by danieldschell

These outdoor skylights seem to be all the rage lately.

1001 South State, the Solomon Cordwell Buenz-designed apartment tower in the South Loop, continues to hurtle towards completion. Developer and building manager Golub + Company plans to have residents moving into the 40-story tower before summer is over.

Walsh Construction has been working on the tower since December 2014. When completed, it will feature 397 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units, with 248 parking spaces. The fifth level will feature an outdoor pool and sundeck, while ground level will contain 8,800 square feet of retail space.

: Shot of the Walsh tower crane and moon that I will forever include in every single 1001 South State post.

: The mural on the south wall.

: The podium and “front” of 1001 South State, looking up State Street.

: Usable space atop the north end of the podium, as well as the south end, where the pool and sundeck will be.

Tower Crane Update: DePaul School of Music

Posted on July 18, 2016 by danieldschell

In the first week of July, three tower cranes were planted around Chicago. My job was to go find them. Then, it was my duty to follow up on them. Because no one wants part of the story. Or part of the tower crane, for that matter.

Our first update is at the DePaul School of Music. Warning: Don’t get too close to this one, or it won’t fit in your photo. This won’t be a tall undertaking, but it’s a big lot. And a tower crane needs to reach every corner of that lot. So this one is as long as any I’ve seen.

: I thought the best way to get the whole thing into one shot was an iPhone panorama. I was mistaken. If your tower crane looks like this, start over.

: July 14th was the big day, when tower crane assembly began.

: None of these people are in any danger of losing their jobs to me.

: Evening of July 14th. Taken from a moving train. Cut me some slack.

: Monday morning shot from the Fullerton L platform.

Could Those Be Signs of Life at 111 West Chestnut

Posted on July 18, 2016 by danieldschell

Work crews were using the 111 West Chestnut excavation as a parking lot. Has to be a good reason for that, right?

The Chestnut Row Homes were approved by the Chicago Plan Commission way back in February 2015. And the commission didn’t just approve the Tawani Enterprises development. They raved about them.

The foundation permit, issued 9 months ago.

The City of Chicago filed a foundation permit for the project, at 111 West Chestnut Street in the Near North, on October 21. Dirt was dug, piles were driven.

And then…nothing.

Until now. Maybe. As 833 North Clark rises across the street, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse begins its foundations next door, and the Bush Temple project rolls along next to that, there’s activity at Chestnut Row Homes as well.

Part of the reason for the delay, or a result of it, could be a change in general contractors. Cordos Development is out. Berglund Construction is in. They’re job? Eight townhomes designed by Booth Hansen, each three floors, each with two private parking spaces. And these will be rentals, by the way. To the tune of about $15,000/month.

Tawani originally hoped to have these homes completed by now. 2017 is now the targeted finish.

: Crews were putting protection over the sidewalk on Clark Street in July.

: Sidewalk, protected.

: A good sign the GC has changed: A sign for a new GC.

: Not a new permit. Just new contractors.

The Calm Before the Storm at 165 North Desplaines

Posted on July 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Where did all that equipment go? 165 North Desplaines is (temporarily) very quiet.

Tear it down.

Smooth it over.

Dig the holes.

Smooth it over.

Such is the cycle of life for a construction site. We’re in that fourth phase now at 165 North Desplaines. It’s eerily quiet, now that caisson equipment has been shipped off (is some of it now at 3Eleven?).

Of course, the silence won’t last. Expect Power Construction to swamp the lot soon to build the foundation and set up a tower crane. (Perhaps in that first big hole in the southwest corner of the lot?)

Seems to me this could be a good place for a new tower crane.

Things got all smoothed over in June, too. After demolition was complete, but before caisson work started.

Shout-out to Power Construction for having a chair waiting for me on site.

Spotted at 3Eleven, another Power site. Did it travel direct from 165 North Desplaines?

590 West Madison Pocket Park Finally Starting To Sprout

Posted on July 15, 2016 by danieldschell

Shrubbery in the 590 Madison pocket park.

It may look more like a Christmas tree farm than a pocket park, but at least something is happening at 590 West Madison Street in the West Loop. And that could mean something much, much bigger is just ahead.

As the Chicago Architecture Blog reported back in February, 590 Madison is an office tower proposed for the block of North Jefferson Street stretching from Madison to Washington. But the city said no such tower can be built until the pocket park at the Washington end of the lot is addressed. And address it they have.

590 Madison dreams of being a 41-story tower. Designed by Goettsch Partners, it would have a 330-room hotel on the lower floors, the 616,000 square feet of rentable office space from the 19th floor on up. But we must wait and see. Let’s get that park finished up first, then look for permission from the City of Chicago to start building.