1400 Monroe rising across from Skinner Park. The goal (heh . . . goal) is to fill it with 42 condos.
It’s been a long time since we dropped by 1400 West Monroe out in the West Loop. Demolition of the former Jefferson Park Hospital had just begun in February of 2020, clearing the way for a new condominium building from JK Equities.
1400 Monroe already has its seven stories; still to come are the 42 condos within. Designed by Booth Hansen, the building sits directly across the street from Skinner Park. The general contractor is Summit Design + Build.
Feb 2020 demo photos ——>
Demo has begun at 1400 West Monroe, clearing the way for 1400 Monroe.
Booth Hansen rendering
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You remember One Oak Brook Commons, right? I rode my battery-powered rolling suitcase out there last month to take a look at construction progress on the 17-story apartment building, the first project built in the Oak Brook Commons development.
Yesterday, Hines announced One Oak Brook Commons has topped out. That means congratulations are in order for W.E. O’Neil and Antunovich Associates, as well as Hines. There may be no more *upward* for this one, but there’s more *onward* to come.
Maris Construction is busy erecting CA6, an eight-story, 72-unit condo building from Belgravia Group on the West Loop corner of Racine and Jackson. We went by last week so see what’s cookin’, on what is a deceptively-large lot. Foundation work is ongoing, even as excavation at the north end of the lot continues.
Took a quick peek at Inspire West Town (670 North May) Monday to see how progress was coming along, and wasn’t disappointed. New growth is shooting up all over. Of course, it *is* spring.
Metra and CTA rides, Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, and comfortable walking shoes are adding up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
No more hiding below the fenceline for Gild Chicago.
Crews were pouring concrete on the second floor Thursday for the 12-story tower. If you were stuck in traffic in the Gold Coast neighborhood for 45 seconds, this is the reason. Those see-ment mixers don’t have a whole lot of maneuvering room at State and Division, but kudos to the Power Construction guys for keeping cars and pedestrians moving thru with minimal delays. A well-oiled machine, they are.
Gild Chicago concrete pour, May 13, 2021
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Curtain Wall Achievement: Unlocked, at Optima Lakeview
Optima Lakeview is starting to shine, as the crew from developer, designer, and GC Optima has begun installing the first level of curtain wall, on what I would estimate to be the second floor. But that’s just a guess from street level.
The seven-story, 198-unit T.O.D. will be ready for move-ins next year.
Optima Lakeview, May 12, 2021
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Drilling an individual vertical shaft (layman’s term) for The Reed at Southbank.
“Vertical access shafts” are a thing. Which explains why crews are at the future home of The Reed at Southbank are tearing up the yard and digging in the dirt. For-real construction is expected to begin by the time summer months arrive in Chicago. Lendlease will, of course, be their own general contractor, in addition to their developer duties.
The Reed at Southbank will be the second tower at Lendlease’sSouthbank development. Its first, The Cooper, opened in 2018. The Reed will be a 41-story mix of apartments and condominiums. This is how Lendlease describes it:
THE REED AT SOUTHBANK
Developed and constructed by Lendlease, The Reed is a 41-story luxury residential high-rise located at 234 W. Polk Street, as the next phase of its Southbank neighborhood development in Chicagos South Loop. The new building, which will offer 216 luxury condominiums on its upper floors and 224 rental apartments located on floors 9 through 22, marks the second residential tower in Southbank, a 7-acre master plan centered around 2 acres of public green space, known as Southbank Park, along the South Branch of the Chicago River.
The Reed boasts two well-appointed amenity suites for residents to enjoy, including a 12,000-square-foot outdoor amenity deck on the eighth floor overlooking Southbank Park. Residents will share access to an indoor amenity space on the eighth floor and owners will have exclusive use of an additional amenity space on the second floor, which is at grade with Southbank Park. The intentional placement of the second-floor amenities and use of full-height windows is intended to establish continuity between the park and tower, according to project architect Perkins+Will, which also designed The Cooper and the broader Southbank master plan.
Condo layouts include one, two- and three-bedroom plans priced from the $390,000s and ranging in size from 630 to 1,670 square feet. Occupying floors 23 to 41 of the tower, The Reeds condominiums celebrate the buildings idyllic location with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase stunning views of the skyline, Lake Michigan and Chicago River, as well as Southbank Park, which borders the northern side of the building. The towers interiors pay homage to the surrounding neighborhood with an industrial-chic aesthetic that is realized through concrete ceilings and metal finishing throughout residences.
The Reed from Willis Tower.
The Reed at Southbank, May 2021
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May’s 12th tower crane is up and ready for a workout at The Gateway Apartments. Now Global Builders can begin verticality on the 11-story, 161-unit building.
Got there a little late Friday, as only the finishing touches remained. No matter. I still took too many pics.
Tower crane, 2050 West Ogden, May 2021
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Who among us hasn’t driven past a random site anywhere in the world and thought “I wonder what’s gonna happen here”? Isn’t nice when someone hangs a giant poster on said site and takes the mystery out of it?
Madison+Carpenter is coming to the corner of Madison and Carpenter Streets in the West Loop. We don’t know when yet, but it already has its own website, and that’s (almost) always a good sign. We don’t have a ton of detail yet either, but that website tells us to expect a six-story building with BIG (up to 5 bedrooms) condominiums.
ZSD Corp is the developer. This isn’t their first West Loop rodeo. They’re currently getting Peoria Green ready next to Mary Bartelme Park.
All you need to know about Madison+Carpenter, illustrated.
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This lot in the first block of North May Street could soon be replaced by Embry. That building is already demolished. (2016 photo)
Around the corner from their Hayden West Loop condo building, Sulo Development is looking to begin the next iteration for the same West Loop block.
Embry will be a 58-unit condominium development, about 16 stories tall, designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative. You can use this link to see the Linkedin introduction they posted.
Not many details yet, but renderings are available on its website, and it’s replacing a really ugly lot, so yay on all fronts so far. Plus, the website attributes James McHugh Construction as the general contractor, and we *really* need to see them with a tower crane in the air again.
Building Up Chicago 