Caisson news abounds, as 150 North Ashland gets in on the fun

Posted on August 29, 2022 by danieldschell

We’ve lost three tower cranes (160 N Elizabeth, One Six Six, Common Lincoln Park) in Chicago during the month of August, but be heartened by the amount of caisson work being done as we speak. It means more cranes are on the way. The one with the longest-standing tower crane permit (from April 14, and that’s among projects that are actually being built) is 150 North Ashland.

150 North Ashland is another joint effort between developer Marquette Companies and design architects Brininstool + Lynch. This dup is known for hits like 513 South Damen, Parq Fulton, and EVO Union Park.

Along with rehabbing a five-story 1930s-era building immediately south on the 100-block, 150 North Ashland will be a new-construction, 12-story apartment building. There will be 210 new apartments, and parking for 62 cars. Power Construction is the general contractor. Those are Thatcher Foundations caisson rigs doing the drilling. (Omega handled the demolition work.)

Other permits for this one include:
Renovation for 140 N Ashland on 11/1/2021
3-story demolition on 3/30/2022
Caissons on 6/9/2022
Foundation on 8/3/2022
The entire project was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in April of 2021.

I’ve got some caisson shots for you, as well as a bunch of late-in-the-process demolition photos, along with a few pics of the building being rehabbed at 140 North Ashland.

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

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Skender tops out 609 West Randolph

Posted on May 14, 2021 by danieldschell

That didn’t take long at all.

Skender took to Twitter Friday to announce the topping-out of 609 West Randolph in the West Loop.

Congratulations to Vista Property Group and the entire project team for topping off 609 W Randolph this week. The 15-story office building will be complete in early 2022. pic.twitter.com/of6IB0YTjn
— Skender (@SkenderBuild) May 14, 2021

Design architect Antunovich Associates was all over the ceremonial news as well, and much earlier. I saw this post and thought “Already? That can’t be right.” So, my apologies to everyone at Antunovich.

Congratulations to the entire team involved in the 609 West Randolph Office Building! We love working with our friends at Vista Property Group, @SkenderBuild, @adjustableconc, Advance Mechanical Systems, @TheTitanElec, Ewing-Doherty Mechanical, and @USAFire #architecture pic.twitter.com/TdZJjaYTag
— AntunovichAssociates (@AntunovichAssoc) May 11, 2021

Heck, I was there that day (and a couple days before that), and I had no idea topping out was imminent. Nice work by everyone involved. Fast work, too.

Next milestone to come: Glass.

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides, Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

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609 West Randolph scores its hoist permit

Posted on April 7, 2021 by danieldschell

Skender is sending 609 West Randolph vertical.

Another day, another hoist, as 609 West Randolph gets a permit to attach a hoist over in the West Loop.

609 W Randolph got its tower crane permit just before Christmas 2020, and the foundation permit followed in January.

Stuff That’s Done, Sydney Edition: Greenland Centre Sydney

Posted on March 22, 2021 by danieldschell

Remember travel? Those were good times.

First Visit: 609 West Randolph plants a crane, begins ascent

Posted on March 16, 2021 by danieldschell

601 West Randolph awaits its new neighbor and business partner

Bye bye tired surface parking lot, stick around 1890s four-story boutique loft building, and hello new 15-story office tower.

609 West Randolph is coming to, and staying in, the West Loop. Vista Property Group is putting up an new 15-story office building while preserving and integrating the small structure at 601 W Randolph. Skender is tasked with bringing the Antunovich Associates vision to life.

609 W Randolph got its tower crane permit just before Christmas 2020, and the foundation permit followed in January.

: Antunovich Render

Rod Laver Arena gets an updating in Melbourne

Posted on February 25, 2018 by danieldschell

Lendlease is currently constructing improvements to Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Timing has never really been my thing. So in honor of the Australian Open (that ended 4 weeks ago), and our visit to Melbourne (that’s been over for 4 months), here are some photos of the ongoing construction at Rod Laver Arena, originally designed by Cox Architecture, at Melbourne Park. Lendlease is doing the honors.

You can learn more about the planned improvements from the arena’s website below:

BETTER FACILITIES FOR VISITORS AND FANS

Beginning in February 2016, and staged over four years, the Stage 2 redevelopment will breathe new life into Rod Laver Arena delivering:
• a new three-level, eastern-facing main public entrance and new annexes on the northern and southern sides of the building
• improved amenities, including more food and beverage outlets and toilets
• accessible entrances to the seating bowl and expanded public concourse spaces, making it easier to move around the building.

BETTER FACILITIES FOR PLAYERS AND PERFORMERS

Extensive back-of-house improvements will ensure that performers and players enjoy the best possible amenities and staging facilities, including
• improved rigging capacity, enabling the venue to host bigger productions
• a bigger loading dock to manage faster turnaround of events
• refurbishment of the area underneath the arena, providing year-round services for artists, production crews and players during the Australian Open.

And now, for the pics. And remember, these are four months old.

: Lendlease is currently constructing improvements to Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Wynyard Place greets Sydney visitors with a tower crane trifecta

Posted on November 20, 2017 by danieldschell

Look up! These 3 tower cranes greet you from Wynyard Place when you step out of the Carrington Street exit of Wynyard Station.

You know you’re going to enjoy Sydney when you jump on a train at the airport, riding past Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, to Wynyard Station in the CBD, and the first thing you see when you walk out into the light of day are three tower cranes.

Shell House

Those three cranes belong to Wynyard Place, a multi-faceted renovation and new-construction project from Brookfield. Also known as Brookfield Multiplex. And we’re very familiar with Multiplex and their multicranes at projects like Jewel Residences, Collins Arch, and Swanston Central.

The centerpiece of Wynyard Place will be a 27-story, Make Architects-designed office tower being built on the site of the former Menzies Hotel, now being demolished, at 10 Carrington Street. Also included in the project are the renovations of 285 George Street, and Shell House.

Shell House (yes, the oil company) is notable for the clock on top, and the large SHELL lettering along the side. The 12-story Shell House was built by Shell Oil as an office building, was converted to a hotel as part of Menzies, and is now being renovated back into 7,700 square meters of office space.

285 George Street, according to Commercial Real Estate, also goes by the name “Beneficial House,” and used to be the home of menswear store “Peapes.” Peapes signage has been revealed during demolition, just like the Shell sign.

Both buildings being renovated, Shell House and 285 George Street, currently feature tower cranes growing out of their roofs. I can’t say I’ve ever seen, or at least noticed, that before.

All three buildings will combine for nearly 70,000 square meters of office space and 6,700 square meters of retail, plus room for parking 80 cars. Completion of Wynyard Place is expected in 2020.

: Make Architects rendering.

: Birds like construction.

: Tower crane on the roof of Shell House.

: Tower crane on the roof of 285 George Street.

: Sitting down on the clock is frowned upon at construction sites.

: Ghost signs at Shell and Peapes.

: Carrington Street.

: Little remains of Menzies Hotel.

: Cranes on the rooftops.

The Ronsley plants a rooftop garden

Posted on September 26, 2017 by danieldschell

A yellow crane in front of a yellow building draws attention.

A shiny yellow street crane in River North caught my eye last week. Usually, that signifies a tower crane being planted. But this time, the planting was strictly by a crane, not for a crane.

Trees were being dispatched to the rooftop garden atop The Ronsley, a good indication LG Construction + Development is nearing the home stretch in their ambitious, Antunovich Associates-designed renovation of, and addition to, the existing building at 676 North Kingsbury, which brings 41 condos over nine stories to the neighborhood.

Steel is starting to climb high at The Ardus

Posted on August 9, 2017 by danieldschell

The skeleton of The Ardus is coming into view.

It’s been somewhat slow-going — you might even say it’s been arduous… — but a big yellow street crane is starting to move progress along at The Ardus, laying steel in place for the soon-to-be apartment building from Cedar Street. The combination renovation/new construction project is bringing 149 rental units to 676 North LaSalle Street, adding two floors to, and gutting, an existing office building and erecting an entirely new structure immediately to its east.

That existing portion of the project has had no such sign of sluggishness, as the gutting continues in earnest. But now it’s nice to see the shell of the new building start to look like a building. And though we won’t get to see a tower crane at The Ardus, that street crane is pretty enough to suffice. Method Construction, one entity of Cedar Street, is the general contractor.

The Ronsley takes the gold at Taste of River North

Posted on July 24, 2017 by danieldschell

The Ronsley provides a colorful backdrop as revelers twist the weekend away at Taste Of River North.

Whether you’re looking for a new home or not, if you made it to the Taste Of River North over the weekend, you couldn’t help but notice The Ronsley. The renovation at 676 North Kingsbury Street is an undertaking of LG Development (LG Construction is the general contractor) with design work by Antunovich Associates. The party vibe during the festivities could only be enhanced by the bright yellow building materials that dominate the north and east elevations.