Caisson work almost complete for three-headed Hilton monster at McCormick Place

Posted on February 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Caisson work is wrapping up at the triple-brand Hilton hotel project at McCormick Place.

If you think it’s tough work building a hotel, try building three of them. At once.

That’s what First Hospitality Group and Hilton are doing. You may remember this started out as McHugh Construction’s baby, as they owned the lot, until the developers signed on to triple-brand the project. Under just one roof will be a Hilton Garden Inn, a Hampton Inn by Hilton, and a Home2 Suites by Hilton. Seems like a lot to say? It is. But remember, you’ll only need to book a room at one of the three. Unless you really like having options when you sleep. According to the press release from Hilton linked above, the three hotels will be officially named the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Center, the Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center, and the Home2 Suites by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center.

The 23-story hotel(s), designed by Antunovich Associates, will provide 466 rooms and suites at 123 East Cermak Road. A skybridge will connect the new building to McCormick Place. There promises to be a whole host of amenities and dining options, which, again, you can read about straight from the Hilton’s mouth here.

The permit to build was filed by the City of Chicago back in December. Foundation work began in earnest almost immediately, and now caisson work is just about finished. A tower crane permit was flied last week, on the 9th, so look for that to appear in the Prairie District skies very soon. McHugh Construction is, of course, the general contractor.

Tower Crane #1 pops up at the new McDonald’s HQ

Posted on February 17, 2017 by danieldschell

East Crane has been planted at the McDonald’s HQ site, under the watchful gaze of the 171 Aberdeen tower crane.

Thanks to a heads-up from Skyscraper Page forum user BB 1871, who pointed out that McHugh Construction has planted the seedling for the first of two tower cranes to be used to build the new McDonald’s Corporation headquarters. The first crane is on the east side of the site; it will henceforth be known as East Crane. Over on the west side of the lot, crews were working on the foundation for West Crane. That’ll mean three tower cranes on two blocks, including the one in use at 171 North Aberdeen.

Caisson work is still ongoing at McDonald’s, but lots of other foundation work has been done as well. There’s a large hole in the ground toward the north end of the site, plus a couple of rebar mats that look like they’re just about ready for concrete pours. So yeah, lots of action going on here.

: That’s the foundation for West Crane.

: When caisson guides go back on trucks, you know that phase is just about a wrap.

One South Halsted officially begins ripping holes in the earth

Posted on February 16, 2017 by danieldschell

The first (?) caisson has been started at One South Halsted.

Having spent the last few days flooding the lot at Halsted and Madison with foundation equipment, Case Foundation is officially on the case for One South Halsted, having begun its first caisson Wednesday.

: Thumbs up

: Rebaristas at work.

Addison & Clark didn’t just get a tower crane; it got a HUGE tower crane

Posted on February 16, 2017 by danieldschell

The tower crane at Addison & Clark can reach every building in Lake View. It seems.

Addison & Clark, the huge mixed-use development being sandwiched around the Sports World Chicago store across from Wrigley Field, erected a tower crane earlier this month, and the thing covers more ground than Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler (sniff) did last season. And for good reason: in order to reach all points of the L-shaped construction site, the longer the crane, there better.

Foundation work is still being done at the site of 140 future apartments, 150,000 square feet of retail space, and 400 parking spots, but that crane’s already pulling its weight, as piles are shored up and pillars jut out of the ground.

A night at 150 North Riverside

Posted on February 16, 2017 by danieldschell

There’s work yet to be done on the outside, and desk space to fill up on the inside, but 150 North Riverside is open, and its night game is solid. Have a look at what’s happening along the Chicago River, and a peek at what’s still in the making.

: The vertical lighting. I love it.

: The Lake Street Bridge got some new lights along the sidewalk.

: New lighting under the Lake Street Bridge as well, for the pedestrian crossing. Includes a stop light.

: The lower plaza.

: Outside looking in.

: The upper plaza is still under construction, and won’t be open for awhile.

: But it’s going to be worth waiting for.

The Wicker Park Connection digs in

Posted on February 15, 2017 by danieldschell

A rendering of the Wicker Park Connection from Hirsch Associates Architects.

After filing a foundation permit late in 2016, the Wicker Park Connection is burrowing into the soil on its lot at 1640 West Division Street. The 15-story project from Centrum Partners will sit right next to the nearly-completed Centrum Wicker Park, another collaboration between Centrum and Hirsch Associates Architects.

Revcon is out there drilling caissons now; Linn-Mathes is the general contractor assigned to sending the 140 apartments skyward.

: Rendering of the Wicker Park Connection via Hirsch Associates.

: Centrum Wicker Park, right next door, is nearing completion.

Clarkview wedges its way into Lake View

Posted on February 15, 2017 by danieldschell

The view of the saved facade from inside Clarkview as Stalworth begins caisson work.

If you’re claustrophobic, you may need to open a window before reading on, as this is a story about tight spaces.

There is no room for error — heck, there’s no room for much of anything — in the tiny space at 3226 North Clark Street in Lake View, where Stalworth Underground has squeezed caisson equipment through the alley to begin work on a new Transit Oriented Development.

Clarkview, a design from Jonathan Splitt Architects (you remember them from the Blue Plate Catering digs) will be seven stories tall and weigh in at 24 residential units. Once home to The Alley, where the cool kids dressed, the facade of the old structure is being preserved and implemented into the new building. That means access to the lot from Clark Street isn’t possible, leaving the alley off Belmont next to the new Lakeview 3200 as the only way in and out.

Stalworth sent over some photos showing just how tight the squeeze was. I looked, and couldn’t find the smallest morsel of sawdust under any of the electrical poles. That’s allowed them to stockpile caisson equipment and get to work in the tiny, enclosed lot.

Stalworth brings in gear

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

: Photo courtesy of Stalworth Underground

Caisson Work

Wanda Vista Tower starts going 3-dimensional

Posted on February 14, 2017 by danieldschell

Those kinds of heights are right about at my level. And you want me on that wall. You *need* me on that wall.

Tired of Wanda Vista Tower photos yet? Don’t be. Because before you know it, all the fun construction will be hundreds of feet in the air, and much harder to watch. So let’s enjoy Vista Theater being presented by McHugh Construction while it lasts.

With the gigantic mat pour done (the junior mat at the east end of the site has been poured too), the tower has started going vertical. I was especially happy to see guys hanging on a wall, four feet off the ground. I could do that; anything over six feet high would have to be someone else’s job, though.

A Sunny Day At: Alta Roosevelt

Posted on February 14, 2017 by danieldschell

Disclaimer: This post is actually the culmination of more than one sunny day. Yes, the photos are a few days apart, and therefore may appear to show construction at different stages. This is not an attempt to mislead my dear rather; rather, it is a product of my inability to use all the photos I take in a timely manner.

Seriously though, I think these pictures are about a week apart. That’s not a big deal, right?

Alta Roosevelt, or 801 South Financial as it’s sometimes known (even by its own Twitter account) continues to grow up before our eyes, and the eyes of everyone in the South Loop. 33 stories, a whopping 496 apartments from Wood Partners, designed by Pappageorge Haymes, and built by Walsh Construction, conveniently located between the Roosevelt Collection and the LaSalle Street Metra station. You can grab a movie, rush home for a shower, and jump on the Rock Island train to Joliet without even needing a Lyft.

Construction Progress: 151 North Franklin glazes a trail in The Loop

Posted on February 14, 2017 by danieldschell

Just a couple guys, hanging out, and in, and over, 151 North Franklin.

151 North Franklin, the future CNA Center in The Loop, keeps getting taller and shinier. Go by at any time of day, and you’ll see crews on a couple sides of the building hanging glass panels. It’s the kind of work that’s fun to watch from down here, until you see someone lean out over the edge to watch what’s happening below them, and you need to move on before you lose your lunch.

Here, have a bunch of progress photos, all taken without having to dangle precariously from, over, or above anything.