Ground is broken and stirring at Union Station Tower

Posted on January 3, 2020 by danieldschell

Goettsch Partners rendering of Union Station Tower, or BMO Tower. Work has begun next to Union Station in the West Loop.

Cubs. Bulls. Bears. White Sox. Blackhawks. Most folks around Chicago know the names of those local teams. But there’s another team in town making a lasting impression on the city, and in particular, the city’s skyline.

Riverside Investment & Development, Goettsch Partners, and Clark Construction are teaming up again for the third in a trio of eye-popping office buildings along the Chicago River. Union Station Tower will join 150 North Riverside (completed in 2017) and 110 North Wacker (in progress, with completion slated for this year) in making Chicago River Architecture boat cruises much more attractive in the coming years.

They’re doing foundation work as we speak where that ugly parking garage used to be, next to the new CTA bus terminal in the West Loop. The lot, bounded by Clinton Street to the west, Van Buren Street to the south, Canal Street to the east, and the bus terminal to the north, is huge. And it looks even bigger despite the foundation equipment spread to all four corners. Heneghan Wrecking even has rigs on the site, as they finish up demolition work of the previously-mentioned ugly parking deck.

Now, about the tower. It’ll be 50 stories and 700 feet tall. There will be about a million-and-a-half square feet of office space, with a 1.5-acre public park at street level. Also known as BMO Tower, for its anchor tenant, its team celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony December 20th. Completion and opening is expected in 2022.

: Goettsch Partners rendering.

: Goettsch Partners rendering

: Parking garage demolition

: Parking garage demolition

: Parking garage demolition

Wolf Point East and 110 North Wacker show off along the Chicago River

Posted on April 25, 2019 by danieldschell

110 North Wacker (right) with WOlf Point East rising in the background. I like where the Chicago River is heading.

Wolf Point East

110 North Wacker

110 North Wacker at night

Posted on April 22, 2019 by danieldschell

110 North Wacker is rising along the Chicago River on the former site of the Morton Salt building.

Want to know what I did last weekend?

Yep. I went to 110 North Wacker and snapped some photos in the dark. Haven’t been here since it was barely more than a hole in the ground. Nice work on the build so far by Clark Construction.

Have a look:

At long last, The Loop has a tower crane again, courtesy of 145 South Wells

Posted on July 2, 2018 by danieldschell

Chicago’s newest tower crane is at 145 South Wells. And it’s a shiny yellow one!

The 20-story office tower Moceri + Roszak is building at 145 South Wells has erected The Loop’s first tower crane since we waved bye-bye to the sidewalk-hovering iron beast at 151 North Franklin more than a year ago. Now the real fun begins for Clark Construction, what with the crane being operational and caissons having been sunk into the earth. That means it’s time for some verticality at 145 South Wells.

Do what you do, shiny yellow crane.

145 South Wells has planted a tower crane, which should be blossoming any minute now

Posted on June 18, 2018 by danieldschell

The tower crane stub (and wading pool?) is ready to go at 145 South Wells.

Today is expected to be the first day of assemblage for the tower crane at 145 South Wells, the 20-story boutique office tower Clark Construction is building for Moceri + Roszak in The Loop. We’ve waited a long time for a tower crane in what amounts to Chicago’s Central Business District. (We don’t call it that here, but I’ve always liked the way that sounds. Lots of other cities use it; why not us? Is it like putting ketchup on a hot dog? Doing the wave at Wrigley? Riding a bike on the sidewalk? Oh wait…everyone does that here.)

So here’s a quick look at that stub before it becomes a full-grown tower crane.

: Kinda looks like a mug shot with that background.

The GR333N-ing of the Fulton Market District continues

Posted on June 12, 2018 by danieldschell

Looking across the tracks at 333 North Green.

Office buildings are a big deal in the West Loop these days. No longer confined to The Loop, Chicago’s professional palaces are sprawling out to other neighborhoods now, and the West Loop leads the way. Not surprising, as this part of town seems to be out in front of most every aspect of development.

We’re keeping a close eye on 333 North Green, or GR333N as it’s been dubbed, partly because it’s cool to look down on Power Construction at work from up on the Halsted Street Bridge. One of Sterling Bay’s recent additions to West Town’s office-building portfolio, 333 North Green will be 19 stories tall and contain 555,000 square feet of office space.

We took a stroll past the site last week, and can offer you these views of progress:

: Keepong the Halsted Street lookie-loos at bay.

It’s a Caisson Fest at 110 North Wacker

Posted on June 11, 2018 by danieldschell

Picture yourself, on a rebarge, by the river.

There’s something you should know about ongoing caisson work at 110 North Wacker.

Case Foundation is doing the dirty work at The Loop construction site. They have a crew on a barge making the rebar cages that will be sunk into the ground to reinforce the caissons. You know what that means?

They’re using a REBARGE! Sorry, not sorry.

Clark Construction is the GC on this one. They’re tasked with getting the Goettsch Partners-designed office tower to rise to its 54-story goal.

One more thing you should know is that caisson work along the river is very photogenic. Especially on a bridge-lift day. Have a look for yourself in the gallery below.

: Everyone’s watching the bridge lift.

145 South Wells digs in for the long haul

Posted on June 7, 2018 by danieldschell

Caissons are as done as caissons get at 145 South Wells, and now it’s time to start getting foundation work started. Which is exactly what’s going on this very minute in The Loop at Wells and Adams. Soon, this former parking garage site will start going vertical with Moceri + Roszak’s 20-story office tower.

We’re eagerly anticipating The Loop’s next tower crane, as it’s been a while since we’ve seen one in the heart of downtown. Then Clark Construction can start sending this tower skyward.

Speaking of not having tower cranes in The Loop, it’s been some time since we’ve seen Clark Construction with one of their own in the air. But suddenly, they’re about to have a glut of them. 145 South Wells got a permit for one on May 11, 110 North Wacker will require one, and the two buildings just getting started at 1415 South Wabash will be in need as well. Congrats, Clark! You’re about to have 3 cranes in the skyline!

Here are a few more caisson photos from Case Foundation’s work at the end of May, and a couple showing work on once-again-barren lot, as digging commenceth.

Progress Update: The Banner Waves at Twelve01West in the West Loop

Posted on June 4, 2018 by danieldschell

Twelve01West flying The Colors on Memorial Day.

Twelve01West, the new seven-story office building at 1201 West Lake Street from McCaffery Interests, is rising above street level out in the West Loop. W.E. O’Neil not only has the site all dressed up in the typical oranges and reds of construction material, but also had the Stars and Stripes draped over the top of the core, waving in the hot Memorial Day weekend breeze. Have a look:

: Behold, my artsiest tower-crane photo ever.

333 North Green puts Chicago’s newest tower crane to work

Posted on May 22, 2018 by danieldschell

The tower crane’s tower rises up from the GR333N construction site.

333 North Green (or GR333N if you prefer), the 19-story office tower Sterling Bay is putting up in Fulton Market, has Chicago’s newest tower crane working hard, as progress starts to push its way off street level. The lot at Green and Wayman Streets (yep, 333 North Green’s address for permit purposes is 810 West Wayman) is no small site, so the crane’s reach comes in handy as work spreads out. That’s Power Construction in charge of the goings-on. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise; Power is very busy in the West Loop.

***This tower crane snuck up on me. I knew there was a permit issued, but I didn’t know the stub had been planted until after the rest of the crane had been erected. So I have no stub photos. Sorry if I let you down, loyal readers.