Video Update: Leopardo Companies pours concrete at 210 North Carpenter

Posted on November 15, 2017 by danieldschell

Special thanks to the CTA for holding up the west-bound trains so I’d have an unobstructed view of 210 North Carpenter as my Pink Line train rode past.

Leopardo Companies is busy building their own future headquarters at the West Loop intersection of Lake and Carpenter Streets. Sterling Bay’s 12-story office building got its first permit in August, and will be under construction for another 12+ months, with a target opening date of January 2019.

The Solomon Cordwell Buenz design will be loaded with the type of creature comforts we’re used to seeing in residential developments. Along with a fitness center with locker rooms, conference facilities, and parking for 40 cars, 210 North Carpenter will also feature a rooftop lap pool? — hold on…this is an office building. That can’t be right — daaaang. Indeed, there will be a pool on the roof. How’s that for a recruiting tool!

Chicago’s Nobu Hotel continues to struggle

Posted on November 15, 2017 by danieldschell

The Nobu Chicago site has been secured, and it sits idle, waiting for construction to resume.

By now, you probably already know that things aren’t going well at Chicago’s Nobu Hotel in the West Loop. Last week, Crain’s reported that work had stopped on the 11-story, 119-room Midwest iteration of the hotel/restaurant brand.

Seems it’s been one delay after another for this thing. Ground was broken back in June (OF 2016!) then sat idle. Some caisson equipment was delivered to the site in September of 2016, the same month the hotel was officially approved by the Chicago Plan Commission, but that same equipment was packed up and hauled away without any holes being drilled.

A foundation permit was issued in December of 2016, but still, no action. Finally, in March of this year, the soil at 854 West Randolph began to turn. The earth-moving machines were followed by a pile driver, which began driving sheeting into the ground for a foundation. Caisson equipment arrived again, but for real this time, in May, and foundation work was underway in earnest. Finally, Centaur Construction had control of the site, and work started to go vertical.

But here’s the thing: If you want work to be done on your hotel, you have to pay the folks doing said work. And according to Crain’s (and one little birdie I heard from recently) that hasn’t been happening.

So once again, Nobu sits idle. 18 months after an 11-story hotel breaks ground, tourists should be sleeping in the beds. Stay tuned.

: Crickets.

The Star Gold Coast antes up for a new hotel and casino tower in Broadbeach

Posted on November 14, 2017 by danieldschell

A 17-story, luxury all-suite hotel has risen at The Star Gold Coast.

The Star Entertainment Group is rolling the dice on The Star Gold Coast, believing it’s time to do a major upgrade on the former Jupiters Casino, situated on its own tiny island in Broadbeach. Along with upgrading the existing facility, they are currently constructing a new 17-story, all-suite hotel.

Probuild, who we’ve also seen on projects in Sydney and Melbourne, is the builder on The Star. Sure looks from here like they had it topped out when we stopped by in October.

Steelman Partners, headquartered in Las Vegas, is the design architect. DBI Design is also involved in the project. Completion is scheduled for first First Quarter 2018.

This isn’t the end of new development for The Star. Also in the works is a 53-story residential tower featuring 423 apartments and 300 hotel rooms atop a 7-level podium with parking, restaurants, and retail space.

: Night rendering of The Star.

: The Star rendering, with 53-story tower on the right.

: Night rendering of The Star.

Triple-Branded Hilton McCormick Place missed milestones: Topping out, glassing up

Posted on November 13, 2017 by danieldschell

McHugh Constructions Hilton, Hilton & Hilton has grown to 22 stories at 123 East Cermak Road.

It’s been longer than I realized since we’ve walked around the Triple-Branded Hilton Hotels that McHugh Construction and UJAMAA is building at McCormick Place. Not only are there seven floors all glassed in, but the tower appears to have reached the 22nd floor. And it looks topped out. The permit called for 22 stories, but other specifications show 21 and 23 floors. Guess what? If this is a future 22-story hotel, and construction has indeed reached the 22nd floor, then by golly, she’s topped out.

Expect a skybridge to shoot out of here soon.

One thing not added is the skybridge over Indiana Avenue that will connect the hotel to McCormick Place, but you can see where it will attach on the south corner of the east elevation.

Antunovich Associates designed the 466-room hotel, situated on Cermak between Michigan and Indiana Avenues. It is expected to open late in 2018.

Conservatory Melbourne adds another 446 units to the Central Business District

Posted on November 12, 2017 by danieldschell

Hickory Group and UEM Sunrise are building Conservatory Melbourne.

Conservatory Melbourne is another residential tower being developed by UEM Sunrise, the Malaysian company we first learned of at Aurora Melbourne Central. Conservatory will be a 42 story building containing 446 apartments, with retail space on the ground floor. Located at 9-23 Mackenzie Street in the Central Business District, the tower overlooks Carlton Gardens, one of the many immaculately-cared-for parks around this city.

Conservatory Melbourne is a design from Richmond, Victoria-based Cox Architecture. Hickory Group is the builder. The apartments are scheduled for an April 2018 opening.

Be sure to click on the Conservatory link, if for no other reason than to check out the video renderings.

: Rendering of Conservatory Melbourne from Cox Architecture.

The glass is full at 1407 On Michigan

Posted on November 10, 2017 by danieldschell

The podium needs some glass, but the residential windows are to the top of 1407 On Michigan.

Save for a few exceptions, where construction hoists get in the way, the curtain wall has risen to the top of the 15-story 1407 On Michigan, Russland Capital Group’s South Loop apartment tower at 1411 South Michigan Avenue.

There’s still some podium work left for Lendlease to do on the BKV Group-designed building, but the bulk of energy on this one is now focused on getting the 199 apartments ready for residents to move in. We’re still looking at the end of the year for that goal, and having all those windows up should certainly help interior work to be a little more pleasant.

: All glassed up.

: North elevation.

: South elevation.

: Lots of pallets of something have been used on the interiors.

: When the hoist comes down…

: …the rest of the glass can go in.

First row of glorious glass has been installed on Ancora at Riverline

Posted on November 10, 2017 by danieldschell

That’s some good-looking glass across the river at Ancora.

Ancora, the Phase One tower of CMK Companies‘ Riverline development in the South Loop, has reached another milestone, as the first level of glass stretches around the exterior. That would be the 7th floor of Perkins+Will’s 29-story, 452-unit design. Overall, co-developer and general contractor Lendlease has the tower at or near the 23rd floor. It’s hard to tell with all that orange wrapping and yellow formwork, but those materials are worth the obstructed view when the setting sunlight hits it.

The Phase Two tower was initially reported to be called “Current,” an 18-story tower with 251 condominiums and 28 townhomes. But the Riverline website no longer includes information about that building.

Brisbane Skytower on its way to becoming Brisbane’s tallest building

Posted on November 9, 2017 by danieldschell

Brisbane Skytower, on the right, will be Brisbane’s tallest building. On the left is Abian Botanic Gardens, a gorgeous tower with a funny name.

Brisbane Skytower is a 90-story residential building currently being constructed in the Central Business District of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It has a familiar name doing the heavy labor: Hutchinson Builders, who we met in the Walan Apartments post.

Being developed by Billbergia of suburban Sydney, Brisbane Skytower will include 1135 units. of course, it’s going to be loaded with creature comforts, but the detail that stands out will be the rooftop infinity pool, which will allow residents to swim to the edge of the Brisbane skyline and look out over the city. Designed by Noel Robinson Architects, it will become the tallest building in Brisbane.

: Brisbane Skytower rendering from Noel Robinson Architects.

: Brisbane Skytower rendering from Noel Robinson Architects.

: Infinity pool rendering from Noel Robinson Architects.

: More on Mary Lane (2 cranes next door) later.

Hayden West Loop plants the neighborhood’s ninth tower crane

Posted on November 9, 2017 by danieldschell

The elder statesman of West Loop tower cranes, at McDonald’s HQ, watches work on the new kid at Hayden West Loop.

With eight tower cranes in the air to begin November, the West Loop already leads Chicago neighborhoods in that category. And now, #9 is within sight.

Crews from Macon Construction were busy pouring the concrete foundation for the Liebherr 550 HC 20 on Tuesday, after planting the stub late last week at 1109 West Washington. That project, named Hayden West Loop, is a two-parter from Sulo Development. Designed by Booth Hansen, it will bring 28 condominiums and 83 parking spaces. The second building is slated for a site around the corner on May Street.

This is Macon Construction’s second tower crane on our count. They also have one in the air at No. 508 in Lake View.

Renelle on the River plants a tower crane on North Wabash

Posted on November 8, 2017 by danieldschell

A tower crane stub has been planted at Renelle on the River.

One of the city’s tightest construction spaces has planted a shiny yellow tower crane stub. Renelle on the River is the 18-story, bKL Architecture-designed condo tower Belgravia Group is sliding atop the underground parking garage at 403 North Wabash in River North. And a walk-by yesterday reveals McHugh Construction working around the new crane.

Rendering of Renelle on the River from bKL Architecture.

Renelle on the River is a curious project. Not only is it the aforementioned tight squeeze where a small plaza once stood, but it will also be angled in such a way as to give all residents a view of the Chicago River. And then there’s the foundation. No caissons were drilled for this one (the building permit went straight to full-build, with no foundation permit), leaving one to assume the existing parking structure was built to support much more weight than a few cars. And that tower crane’s foundation? It appears to be suspended in mid-air, even while being rooted in a huge block of concrete. It’s a mesmerizing set-up, to be sure.

Renelle on the River will bring 50 three- and four-bedroom condominiums to the neighborhood. There’s a sales office right next to the site, if you want to stop in and check them out. We highly suggest taking their virtual tour.