Alta Roosevelt Sends a New Tower Crane Into South Loop Sky

Posted on June 20, 2016 by danieldschell

The new tower crane at Alta Roosevelt in the South Loop, 801 South Financial Place.

Unless you’re the one who has to climb it every day, it just got a lot easier to move things around at the Alta Roosevelt construction site.

Walsh Construction assembled a tower crane last week at the soon-to-be 33-story apartment tower designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. Walsh has been driving piles into the ground since getting a foundation permit from the City of Chicago back in March, while the tower crane permit arrived June 7.

801 Financial tweeted some fantastic photos just after the tower crane was put together.

https://twitter.com/801Financial/status/744170327891054594

It should come as no surprise to you that I have a few more photos of the crane below.

: There’s room for growth.

: Not crane related, just a hole in the ground.

465 North Park Showing Signs of Life

Posted on June 19, 2016 by danieldschell

No, it’s not much. But it’s something. And I’d rather watch something being done than nothing.

Something’s afoot at the foot of the new Loews Hotel in Streeterville. And surprise surprise, it looks like construction.

How’s this for a blast from the past? A 2008 permit for a 50-story tower.

Back in October, the Chicago Plan Commission approved a 47-story, 444-unit apartment tower for the site at 465 North Park Drive. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners (they’re everywhere!). 465 North Park will include 181 parking spaces within its 4-level podium. and, if what I heard at a community meeting last year still holds true, will also include upgrading Ogden Plaza, the small but rundown park at the corner of Columbus Drive and Illinois Street.

: A rendering of 465 North Park from Pappageorge Haymes Partners.

: The lot at 465 North Park, seen from Optima Chicago last fall.

: The two current excavation pieces on site.

: A little dirt scraping is better than this dust lot.

: So far, the only permit on file for 465 North Park is for electric work.

Riverline Lowers the Boom

Posted on June 19, 2016 by danieldschell

There’s a massive yellow crane on site at Riverline, waiting to throw stuff around.

They started pushing dirt around this March in preparation for the huge Riverline project along South Wells Street in the South Loop. The lot has been level — and idle — for a while now, but the ridiculous yellow crane above looks like a pretty good sign more work is imminent.

Approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back on November 19, Riverline is a massive development from CMK Companies. Expect 5 buildings to rise on the site, in multiple construction phases. They’ll combine for 2,700 dwelling units and 16,500 square feet of retail space.

: Bib, big boom.

: There were soil sampling rigs at the Riverline site back in September.

: earth movers spotted from Skydeck atop the Sears Tower back in March.

: Those same earth movers, at ground level.

: April saw a lot of leveling and debris removal.

: Riverline has been a level dirt lot since May.

: Proof they were allowed to play in the dirt.

More Photos Than I Know What To Do With: The Sinclair

Posted on June 18, 2016 by danieldschell

The Sinclair, at Clark and Division Streets, designated 1201 North La Salle on permits.

Up at Clark and Division Streets in the Gold Coast neighborhood, crews are busy building a new Jewel-Osco store to replace the one torn down last year. But this is no ordinary Jewel. This one will have a produce department, dairy section, a bakery, and a 35-story, 390-unit luxury apartment tower known as The Sinclair.

Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, The Sinclair has quickly become one of the coolest construction projects in Chicago. You can thank McHugh Construction for that. But more important than making the project look cool, it’s McHugh’s task to have the tower ready for residents in Summer 2017.

: One of the tower cranes at The Sinclair.

: Yes, there are two of them.

: You remember the old Jewel store, don’t you?

Drillin’ and Fillin’ at 625 West Adams

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

625 West Adams is a beehive of activity.

Monday, I showed you photos of foundation equipment being moved into the construction site at 625 West Adams Street that is soon to become 625 West Adams, a 20-story office tower from CA Ventures and White Oak Realty Partners.

Well, let me do some math for you: That was THREE DAYS AGO. And here we are on Thursday, and Power Construction crews are ripping holes in the earth for caissons like the foundation rigs are due back tomorrow. At this rate, the SCB-designed 625 West Adams might be move-in ready by Tuesday. (Well, not *this* Tuesday, I guess. But *a* Tuesday, for sure.)

: Foundation work is in full force at 625 West Adams.

: It’s like watching dancers. Costumes are kinda cool, too.

: testing the eastern-m ost limits of the lot.

: You know you’re at the edge when the fence has to be opened.

: Rebar teams a fashioning rebar cages to be sunk into the caissons.

: Here comes the cement.

: Cement is being poured into caissons as fast as they’re being drilled.

: Caisson inspection.

: Another delivery.

: Caisson equipment.

: Mounds of dirt are being created…

: …and trucked away.

: New equipment is constantly being delivered to the construction site.

: …and beng moved around. Turn your back, and everything’s in a new place.

Fulton West Takes It Up a Level

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Leopardo Construction crews work atop Fulton West.

Take more than two steps anywhere in the Fulton Market District, and you’ll find signs, both literal and figurative, of Sterling Bay’s presence. In its own words, that’s how the west is getting done.

A rendering of Fulton West.

One of Sterling Bay’s latest and most noticeable projects is Fulton West, a combination of renovation and new construction going on now at 1330 West Fulton Street. From the remains of a three-story parking structure, the Gensler Chicago office has designed a nine-story, 290,000-square-foot office building slated for an April 2017 opening. Over 600 parking spaces will be included, plus 20,000 square feet of green space.

Fulton West also boasts one of the longest tower cranes on the Chicago construction scene, a necessity for overall reach, what with the crane being rooted in the “back” (northeast) corner of the project. As you can see from the photo above, that crane has already helped Leopardo Construction crews add a fourth floor to the existing base.

: A rather raw Fulton West site in March.

: One early demo project centered on this “notch” along Fulton Street.

: “The Notch”

: Leopardo crews went to work making the notch larger.

: Notch demolition.

: By May, The Notch was considerably larger.

: But today, The Notch has been filled in, creating a continuous facade along Fulton Street.

: That huge tower crane.

: Seriously, it’s a massive tower crane.

: The tower crane rises from the northeast corner of the construction site. Its length is necessary to reach all sections.

: More demo work on the existing structure as renovation got underway.

: March demo work.

: Ouch. That had to hurt.

Niche 905 Uploads New Windows

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Sleek, shiny new glass adorns Niche 905 in the Near North neighborhood.

Along what has become in recent months a very busy stretch of roadway for construction, Niche 905 continues onward and upward at 905 North Orleans Street in Near North. And you may now add another achievement to the list of construction milestones: GLASS.

A rendering of Niche 905 from FitzGerald Associates.

Niche 905 is an 18-story, 202-unit apartment tower designed by West Loop architecture firm FitzGerald Associates. Since breaking ground in November, Power Construction has steadily stacked floors atop floors at the site, which used to be the surface parking lot serving St. Luke Church of God across the street.

Included in the final development will be three levels of parking for 152 cars, 110 spaces to park bicycles, and 1,750 square feet of retail space. And, a SKY DECK POOL! (Someone have me over. Please.)

Niche 905 is scheduled for Summer 2017 occupancy.

: A group photo at the Niche 905 groundbreaking ceremony, November 2015.

: Looking north up Orleans Street.

: Tower crane shot.

: Balcony work.

: Some of the new glass. (Of course, everything’s new.)

: Power Construction at work.

: I like the tower crane shots.

: Glass and train.

: The north face and its fresh cladding.

More Photos Than I Know What To Do With: 215 West Lake

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

215 West Lake, in the Chicago Loop.

It started with the demolition of a parking garage, then upping the ante by taking down an office building dating back to the late 1800s. Now, 215 West Lake Street in the Loop is a construction site for a 33-story, 265-unit apartment tower.

Designed by Thomas Roszak Architecture, 215 West Lake started foundation work back in February. Surrounded by parking garages, it’s a fun one to watch. Clark Construction is providing the entertainment.

: What’s in that cooler? I assume it’s High-C.

Demolition Permit Signals Start of CA Washington

Posted on June 14, 2016 by danieldschell

Bye bye, garage. Hello CA Washington.

A demolition permit filed Monday for the auto repair garage at 1045 West Washington Boulevard in the West Loop signifies the first step in construction for the new CA Washington project.

This small sign on the fence proclaims CA Washington’s imminent arrival.

CA Washington is the latest from Belgravia Realty Group. You’ve seen their work in progress from the Brown Line train on Sedgwick at Locust. This time, Belgravia is building 3-bed, 3-bath condos in the heart of the West Loop.

Oh, and have you heard who the neighbor will be across the street? Multiple reports say McDonald’s will make its new home in the former Harpo Studios on the other side of Washington Blvd. Hmm. I wonder if that will drive condo values up at all?

A rendering of CA Washington from Belgravia Realty Group.

Soil sampling across the street at Harpo Studios earlier this month. Expect lots of activity.

165 North Desplaines Gets a Foundation Permit

Posted on June 14, 2016 by danieldschell

152 North Jefferson. It remains, and is being renovated.

The long, three-story building at 152 North Jefferson stays, but the additions it spawned in the back lot have been leveled into a smooth, blank canvas. And now there’s a foundation permit on file with the City of Chicago, as of yesterday, to start construction on the new 14-story residential tower at 165 North Desplaines Street in the West Loop..

Our permit tells us to expect 199 apartments, with 99 parking spaces and some ground-floor retail. Power Construction is on the clock as your general contractor. Donald Copper from GREC Architects of Chicago did the design chores. Gerding Edlen is the developer.

This officially puts us on Tower Crane Alert!